I Looked 23 At My 50th High School Reunion! – A Plastic Surgery Patient Review From Angie’s List

I am 67 years old & VAIN & had a 50th high school coming up, so late this summer, I decided to do something about my face and neck. About 10 years ago, I had a Lifestyle Lift by another doctor and it did a great job of removing the waddle under the chin but nothing for face or neck wrinkles. So ten years later waddle was back along w/ 2 bands that ran down my neck that really aged me plus wrinkles on my neck and face.

I interviewed 6 plastic surgeons, including the one who had originally done the Lifestyle Lift. What I discovered was that each one only recommended doing what he had equipment for and expertise in which was not always the same as what I wanted. For example, one who advertises all the time in magazines completely ignored what I wanted and suggested fat injections all over my face and my lips enlarged permanently. Nothing about fixing the bands and wrinkles on the neck which really give an “old lady” appearance. When he left the room, even his assistant expressed her surprise that he had been so non-responsive to my areas of concern. Another just wanted to do the Lifestyle (mini facelift) Lift and ignore the neck again and the lips and wrinkles around the eyes. Then another wanted to do a whole facelift and so on. Each only did what they had expertise and equipment for. I was really feeling like I was getting nowhere and my 50th high school reunion was a month away! Then I met Dr. Franklin Richards. He actually listened to what was bothering me and laid out a plan to address all my concerns: laser around mouth and eyes, a mini facelift for the waddle, a small incision under my chin to get rid of the cords and tighten my neck & Juvaderm for my upper lip. He did it all in his office and there was minimal pain & minimal downtime– I am serious, minimal – I don’t even think I took more than 2 pain pills after, and know I was working at home the next day. The laser makes you look bad cause it gets starts out
swollen for a couple of days and the skin gets crusty but it doesn’t hurt. The cutting was nothing. And the results were unbelievable – especially the neck!! — everything added to the whole new me.

After surgery, Dr. Richards was available to me night and day, When I had a question about how I was healing, he gave me his cell phone number, we talked, we emailed, I sent pics of what I was looking like and he responded back reassuring me that all was normal. His office staff was an added bonus — Each visit I would meet w/ them after seeing Dr. Richards and they gave me, at no extra charge, fabulous skin care products right after the surgery and a new set of other skin care products after the post-surgery appt.

Friends who had been concerned that I wouldn’t look like me anymore, all expressed their relief, that he didn’t make me look like some windblown frozen face. I look the same, just a lot younger.

I went to that reunion and received so many compliments –guys actually told me I looked 23 – admittedly not under BRIGHT lights but I looked a lot younger than my classmates. My husband didn’t go and I danced EVERY dance with a different guy. My husband is happy with the new me and I am thrilled. No one suspects that I had anything done because it is so natural-looking. Even people I work with every day have no idea. But they all say I look great If they knew my age, they would be flabbergasted!