My Lifestyle Lift Video Journal
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I'm one of those people that look very different with makeup and my hair styled than I do without. That has been true all my adult life, and I seldom let anyone see me without it, so I'm really putting myself out there for your benefit. I hope you'll be kind when you see the pictures.
Please remember as you read my journal and watch the videos that these are only my experiences. My surgeon said that every person is different and what you experience may be quite different than what I experienced. Also, please do not take any advice that I give over your doctor's advice. He knows your history and your body and is qualified to make the best decisions for your health and well-being. I am not a doctor, or qualified to help you make decisions regarding your health. I am merely sharing my experience with you.
I have thought about having a face-lift for the last three years, and have consulted with three different doctors about it. I was not thrilled with the extensive surgery and resulting long recovery time the first two doctors thought I needed. One day about six months ago I was watching TV and a 30-minute program came on discussing the Lifestyle Lift procedure. I went to the Lifestyle Lift web site, and I was very interested because this seemed to be the very thing I was looking for. I felt I looked younger than my 57 years, but did have the hanging jowls and loose neck skin especially when I put my head down. I didn't like my profile, and it seemed to me that the Lifestyle Lift could possibly correct all that without having to have anesthesia or the long recovery time. I made an appointment the next week to go in for a consultation.
From my understanding, the Lifestyle Lift is not an S-Lift (a skin only facelift), but an SMAS facelift. The SMAS (sub or superficial muscular and aponeurtoic system) is a sheet of muscle and connective tissue on the cheek that contributes to facial expression. Over time, the smas can become lax and sag, contributing to jowls and deepening of the nasolabial folds. The "SMAS face lift" repositions skin and the underlying muscle of the cheek to more adequately correct jowls and skin laxity. This will allow for a less "pulled" look and longer lasting results than a skin-only facelift, but a SMAS face lift does not significantly address the nasolabial area (around the nose and mouth) or a sagging malar fat pad (upper cheek fat pad).
I've always believed in learning as much as one can about something like this before doing it, so I went to the Internet to glean as much information as I could. I found there are several Internet forums and bulleting boards that discuss the Lifestyle Lift. Sometimes a board will have a lot of negative people talking about how a procedure turned out to be terrible for them. I learned that every face-lift procedure has these kinds of posts on the forums, and I believe you should sift through them with a "grain of salt." It may be that disgruntled people tend to post more than happy people, so do look for the happy posters, as well. I have created my own Lifestyle Lift Forum so that I can answer your questions and you can post your experiences and thoughts. Of course, other forums have more history as my board is new.
The Make Me Heal forum (link at left) also offers some homeopathic vitamins/medicines that will hopefully make one heal faster. I used their VitaMedica Bromelin (With Quercetin), a natural remedy that helps reduce swelling and leads to faster healing time. I also used their Boiron Arnica Montana Gel to reduce bruising, bleeding, aches, swelling, and inflammation. You can find all these by clicking the Make Me Heal image at the top of this paragraph.
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