I’ve been a patient of Dr. Joshua Korman for several years and thought my experience might be useful to other people considering plastic surgery or less invasive procedures.. He’s been my go-to doctor for laser hair removal, skin resurfacing, and a breast augmentation. I love my Dr. Korman! His credentials and expertise caught my interest when I was originally researching the best doctors in the San Jose Area. Dr. Korman’s surgical skill has surpassed my expectations. Aside from his amazing education and 20+ years experience, he is an honest and caring doctor with tremendous artistic talent. His staff is always friendly and greets me warmly the moment I walk in. The office impresses me as being clean and comfortable. The staff is professional and helpful. The front desk schedules with competence, so there’s never a long wait, and I never feel concerned about confidentiality.

I went in to see Dr. Korman about my face a year or so ago. As a new grandma going through a midlife crisis, I wanted help with my appearance, self-esteem, and confidence! My hope was to look beautiful to my granddaughter; I didn’t want her looking at a scary old face. I was very self-conscious about my appearance, because I had spent a lot of time in the sun when I was younger and had smoked for a few years. The effects of time had noticeably caught up with my face, but I wasn’t ready to look “old.” I decided it was time to give Dr. Korman a call. He said to come in for a consultation, so I did.

During the consultation, he went over the concerns I had about my face that were making me cringe, and gave me a few options to fix the issues that bothered me:

Facelift Options

Ultherapy

Ultherapy Before and After Ultherapy – this non-invasive facelift is the least invasive of the options for facial rejuvenation. The treatment involves an ultrasound which heats up the same layers of the face that get pulled on during a surgical facelift causing them to tighten—but without the surgery! It also promotes collagen production and restores the skin’s elasticity creating a firm appearance. It’s only about an hour-long procedure. There is virtually no downtime, and right away you can see a difference. The best part of Ultherapy is that your face keeps getting better over time, reaching the final result in about three months, and multiple treatments are usually not needed. It’s also less expensive than surgical options. However, in my case Ultherapy wasn’t going to be sufficient to get the results I wanted. Dr. Korman and I both agreed that I needed more than just a non-invasive option.

Face/neck lift

A facelift and neck lift involves incisions that Dr. Korman skillfully hides in the natural folds in back and in front of the ear. I saw photographs of real patients of Dr. Korman and I couldn’t see the scars! Dr. Korman explained to me how this procedure is very long lasting and provides for the most youthful appearance of the neck, in addition to a jowl-free jaw line. It’s not just skin excision, but elevating and tightening of the muscles to produce an effective yet natural result. Dr. Korman also trims the excess tissue and skin that is causing the sagging. He’s very meticulous, using tiny sutures and taking about four hours to complete the procedure. Following the procedure, Dr. Korman recommends going for a hyperbaric oxygen treatment the next day, to reduce swelling as soon as possible.

The post-op care requires a dressing for only the first 24-hours, followed by a removable band. Some swelling and bruising is a normal part of the recovery process. A return to regular activities is allowed after about three weeks. Even though I carefully considered the option of a facelift, I ultimately decided I was looking for a procedure that was somewhat more in my price range and could be done under local anesthesia.

MACS Facelift

I told Dr. Korman, I would be more comfortable with a less invasive, less expensive procedure than a regular face/neck lift. I trusted Dr. Korman and I know he is a true artist, but I realized that what bothered me the most were my jowls. Ultimately, Dr. Korman suggested for me to have the MACS facelift so that he could address the biggest concern I had about my face, while staying within my price range.

The MACS lift (which stands for Minimal Access Cranial Suspension) was similar to the standard facelift, but it was much less invasive, because it only had one incision in front of the ear (not behind the ear) and did not involve an operation on my neck. I mean, I didn’t really have issues with the upper part of my face anyway. My problem areas were the sagging jowls and cheeks, and those were the issues I was most concerned about. In addition, it was important to me to have a short recovery time.

Dr. Korman begins the MACS lift procedure by making a small incision in front of the ear, which does not continue behind the ear or into the scalp area. This is a much less invasive procedure than a regular face/neck lift, and only takes about two hours in total. The tissue is separated from the skin, which allows Dr. Korman to remove the excess, sagging skin and tighten the muscle layer. This technique makes for long lasting results. Once the skin is tightened, it is realigned, and then the incision is closed. Scarring is minimal since the incision is made into the natural creases in the face. This gets rid of the sagging skin that is obvious as one of the first signs of aging. I was excited to look younger, and have a down time of only one week! Because bruising is usually just in a small portion of the face directly in front of the ear, I can wear my hair down, and no one even sees that I had a procedure, even just a day after! Dr. Korman also mentioned that when the MACS lift is combined with SmartLipo of the neck, he’s seen the most optimal results.

SmartLipo

SmartLipo Before and After SmartLipo is another one of the least invasive procedures. It is a similar concept as liposuction, but it’s done with a tiny wand and laser technique, which delivers energy to fatty pockets to liquefy and eliminate fatty cells. Excess fat is then suctioned out creating a more soft but tight, younger appearance. The downtime on SmartLipo is quick, because the blood vessels are all sealed during the treatment, so there is hardly any swelling or bruising.

Cost

Total costs were going to depend on a number of factors, the extent of the procedure, the surgical facility costs and the anesthesiologist fees, if needed. Dr. Korman was great with financing and his costs for me ended up being lower than I expected, especially for such quality of care. I am just so thankful to Dr. Korman. Coming up with the ideal treatment plan together, we were able to definitely stay within my budget.

Post-Op

The follow up visits were at no charge. Dr. Korman is such a caring professional, he wanted to make sure he followed up as needed to be sure I was healing properly, including the quality of my skin. Generally, the healing process for most people is straightforward and fine, and I am lucky and relieved I had no complications whatsoever. The doctor insists that maintaining healthy eating habits and continuing daily exercise helps prolong my youthfulness, so I make sure to eat healthy meals and get in at least 30 minutes of walking every day.

Result

I ended up choosing the MACS lift along with the SmartLipo for my neck, because I wanted a more subtle, less drastic change. I just wanted to look radiant and full of life again! Dr. Korman was able to complete my procedure successfully without any complications or unexpected detours. My recovery went smoothly and I was literally able to cuddle with my granddaughter afterwards at home while we watched her favorite movie. Of course my daughter was there to help take care of me, but it was such a peaceful process. Financially, the MACS lift with SmartLipo was the best decision for me as well; I was able to pay it off within a few months. Completely worth every cent!

These relatively minimally invasive procedures have changed my life and I wouldn’t have gone through this transformational experience with anyone else. Dr. Korman’s fabulous team was amazing, helpful, caring, and extremely knowledgeable; they did not make me question their abilities once. I can now look into my granddaughter’s eyes and feel confident and proud. We are always taking selfies together, which are priceless and worth more than anything in this world. Hats off to you Dr. Korman! Thank you for all your wisdom and guidance through this exciting journey. I hope that I wasn’t too much of a nervous patient for you. I’m so thankful for your patience and honesty. I am especially grateful for your artistic, steady skills.

A million hugs for you Dr. Korman!
Rose F.

The story of my MACS Facelift