Lifestyl- Lift Fined $300,000 For Posting False Internet Reviews

According to an article by ABC News, the Lifestyl- Lift Company has been fined $300,000 by the New York Attorney General for posting false reviews of their facelift procedures on message boards online. According to the article:

Cuomo's investigation revealed internal emails in which employees were encouraged by company executives to take spare time during the day to write the reviews and post to message boards. "Put your wig and skirt on and tell them about the great experience you had," read one.
In some cases, the employees also created entire websites that claimed to independently review the company's procedures in order to mislead consumers. Cuomo's case was based on New York and Federal statutes designed to protect consumers. His office claimed that astroturfing constituted "deceptive commercial practices, false advertising, and fraudulent and illegal conduct," according to the statement released Tuesday.

For more information, see ABC News and arstechnica.com.

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Article on the Lifestyl- Lift and the Quicklift

There is a very well-written article on Ocala.com entitled : A Face From an Infomercial. It covers the recent emergence of mass-marketed mini-facelifts, such as the Lifestyl- Lift and the Quicklift. Here are some excerpts from the article:

Currently, 25 to 30 doctors receive patients through QuickLiftMd.com. The doctors attended a one-day workshop priced at $1,950 (and sometimes a few other days of training) taught by Dr. Brandy, a cosmetic surgeon with a background in emergency medicine.

Sharron Bryant, a manager for Lindt Chocolates in Dallas, who got a Lifestyl- Lift in 2007, said she had a “high pressure” consultation and put down a deposit before meeting a surgeon. Ms. Bryant, then 59, paid $6,100 for a Lifestyl- Lift and chin liposuction. She never needed pain medication during her weeklong recovery, she said.
But she disliked the loose skin that remained on her jowls and neck. “I got nothing for the money,” she said. She later paid $8,200 for a traditional face-lift from a different surgeon.

On Realself.com, a Web site where patients discuss cosmetic surgery, 37 percent of the 170 people who reviewed the Lifestyl- Lift said the procedure was “worth it,” while 63 percent didn’t think so.

I believe that you get what you pay for. I do not perform the Lifestyle Lift or the Quicklift. For the rest of the article, click here.

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Lifestyl- Lift Lawsuit Dismissed

According to a news report from Wired, a Michigan judge has thrown out a lawsuit brought about by the Lifestyl- Lift company against infomercialscams.com. They alleged trademark violation by use of the trademarked name "Lifestyl- Lift." According to the article,

Many of the online complaints were from women who said they had a face-lift after seeing Lifestyle's infomercials. One woman claimed she lost hearing in one ear. Another said "every week my face proceeds to return to the way it was before the lift." Another said, "I feel ripped off."
The lawsuit was a bid to stifle free speech, according to Public Citizen, which defended the case.

I do not perform the Lifestyl- Lift.
Note: I am spelling it Lifestyl- Lift so that they don't sue me too.

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Update on The Lifestyl- Lift

Some new articles focusing on the Lifestyl- Lift present further information for any of you considering these procedures:

1. Lifestyl- Lift Website Sues Vendor for Negative Reviews (From PSP E Report) :
Santa Clara University School of Law professor Eric Goldman, who has advised RealSelf on the case, posts about the issue on his personal blog:
"No matter how many times I see it -- and in the Internet era, I see it all too frequently -- I always shake my head in disappointment and frustration when a company uses trademark law to lash out against unflattering consumer reviews. To these companies, trademark law is a cure-all tonic for their marketplace travails, and trademark doctrine is so plastic and amorphous that defendants have some difficulty mounting a proper defense. As a result, all too frequently, the threat of a trademark lawsuit causes the intermediary to capitulate and excise valuable content from the Internet."


I do not perform the Lifestyl- Lift. I disagree with how this procedure is often advertised. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Note: I am spelling it Lifestyl- Lift on purpose...

Thanks for reading,

Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:

Lifestyl- Lift

Most of you have probably seen ads for the Lifestyl- Lift, promising fantastic facelift results in an hour. For more information on the Lifestyl- Lift, check out these very interesting sites:

My Lifestyle Lift Diary
Plasticized.com - Page 1, Page 2
NBC San Diego investigation
Infomercial Scams.com

I do not perform the Lifestyl- Lift. I am spelling it this way on purpose.

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.: