Ask My Patients Part 3: Facelift in the Inland Empire

A person interested in Facelift in Upland has an interesting question, and one of our patients has an enlightening answer!

Q. I’m hesitant to go see a cosmetic surgeon for the same reason I dread going to get my oil changed: I’m afraid they’re going to up-sell me and, since I don’t know any better, I’ll end up doing something unnecessary or at least something that could have been handled differently and with less cost.

When it comes to cosmetic or plastic surgery, the fear is somewhat the same.  I think I may need a facelift to get the results I want, but I’m really not sure.  Did you have a similar experience, and how did it work out with Dr. Farzaneh?

Note: the patient’s answer, below, gave us a few good laughs, and it also has some good points in regard to the questions.  We include it in its entirety.

A. This question is perfect for me — it’s almost like I am writing it to myself from the past.  On the odd chance that this is the case, the first thing I want to tell myself is this:

GO SEE DR. FARZANEH! You will not be disappointed!

OK, on to the more likely chance that this is not me writing myself, then I will fill in a few details.  Like you, I dislike going to mechanics, oil change places, etc., so I always have a strategy: I decide before I leave the house how much I am willing to spend, and if they recommend something that falls in that range I consider it.

When it came to choosing who would perform my cosmetic surgery in the inland empire, I took this approach with the following additional notes:

1. I needed to feel personally comfortable with the surgeon, and
2. My surgeon needed to be highly qualified, and I needed to be satisfied with his level of experience.

I had a general idea of what a Facelift cost in the IE, so I set my “no flinch” budget at around $10,000.  I’m one of those people who shops around, so I had seen a couple of other surgeons.  In both cases, they seemed to know what they were going to say to me before I even told them what I wanted — I mean, I felt REALLY judged.  On top of that, I felt like they had little more than the time of day for me, like they were trying to sell me on how important and in-demand they were, and they failed my “comfortable” test miserably.

Interestingly, the surgeon who I felt the most comfortable with — no surprise here, it was Dr. Farzaneh — was also the one who truly seemed the most professional and secure in his knowledge.  Here is why:

1. He listened.  This was HUGE.
2. He answered all of my questions, including questions about price.
3. The facelift I was expecting to get was within my budget, and I told him I was ready to go that way with him — and THEN he shocked me by saying, “Well, let’s talk a bit more, I want to make sure that’s the best treatment for what you are trying to achieve.”

Now if you’re like me, this is when you expect him to suggest some sort of platinum-plated super-facelift or something. THIS IS NOT WHAT HAPPENED AT ALL!

We spoke for a while, and he suggested a combination of neck liposuction with some injectables to address various concerns I had about my face.  I am not kidding you when I tell you that I took my excess budget, gave myself a nice vacation in Cabo, and that I enjoyed it with a shapelier neck and more beautiful face! Oh, and had money left over.

I realize that this sounds like I am saying to go and he’ll find some other way to do what you need, but that’s not it at all.  If he had said “have the platinum-plated super-facelift, and it’s twice your budget,” I would have seriously found a way to do it — because he CARES.

And it’s not just the idea that he cares, it’s that I could trust him to do what was best for me.  It just so happened that, in my case, what he suggested  turned out to be less expensive, but the point was this: while I knew what I wanted and I thought I knew how to get there, it turned out I had no idea how to get there.  He helped me achieve EXACTLY what I wanted to achieve.

THAT is what you get with Dr. Farzaneh.  His care, his compassion, the fact that he listens — these things are all great on their own, but they don’t mean much if it’s not translated into the care and treatment you receive.  He shared his expertise with me, and generously. And I could not be happier or more satisfied!

So, whether or not this is a time-travel letter from myself, I can say I HIGHLY RECOMMEND getting into that office, having that complimentary consultation and having tons of questions written down so you don’t forget any of your concerns when you feel “on the spot.”  Dr. Farzaneh will make you feel at ease — you will know you are in the hands of a true expert and a caring man — and you won’t have any doubt that you have the route to get to where you want to be.

Not just the route, but also an excellent pilot!

Sincerely, Neck Lipo Patient and Top Farzaneh Fan in Pasadena

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THANK YOU to all of our patients who are sharing their experiences! You can always send in questions via the Ask Me Anything form on tumblr or via our contact form. Better yet, just give us a call at (909) 590-2299 and we can help get you started!

A little background, reposted from before:

Here’s how it works: you ask a question, and we have past patients who will answer you.  We make both the sender and the respondent anonymous, so feel free to ask absolutely anything you have ever wondered!  Ideas include questions about recovery, questions about working with the surgeon, questions about follow-up, options, alternative treatments — anything you think up!