Question:
What is the Life Style Lift® and why is it better than a facelift?
Answer:
The Life Style Lift® is a name given by a corporate organization that does facial rejuvenation surgery for its version of a facelift. It is described as a brief procedure with quick results and recovery that gives a more youthful appearance to the face. When more extensive work is indicated which involves the neck, additional work and charges are made. The Life Style Lift® is done at non-accredited facilities and offices throughout the country under local anesthesia, although I understand most patients are given some oral sedation. Local anesthesia is claimed to be safer than other forms of anesthesia, however I feel the contrary is true. Also, almost all plastic surgeons use local anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia anyhow when doing facelift procedures. Monitored intravenous sedation or general anesthesia, in my opinion, is safer than just giving local anesthetic especially to an older person who may experience pain and rises in blood pressure. The lack of intravenous routes and medications available problems that arise in surgery would be difficult to handle. Also the patient is much more comfortable being sedated to the point that there is no memory of the procedure or under general anesthesia where the same situation applies.
Three of my former fellows who trained with me for a year presently work for Life Style Lift®. Knowing them very well from the year I spent teaching them, I feel they are competent and should do a good job. After all, I was their preceptor.
I try to do the amount of work that will make a long-lasting difference. I am not pressed to perform three to five operations a day and I can take my time to get the finest result I can possibly achieve. The cost for the equivalent amount of work in my practice, from what I can gather from patient estimates, is about the same as Life Style Lift®. However I insist on administration of intravenous fluids, constant monitoring and usually sedation.
This insures safety and comfort. Also we are an accredited facility.
I would stress that if you would go to one of my students you might do as well coming to me, their teacher.
Posted by Sheldon Kabaker M.D. FACS