Patient Review
I am writing this as a former operating room nurse with 38 years of experience. I spent my career as a circulator and patient advocate, and I hold surgical standards, safety, and patient care very seriously.
I underwent a Deep Plane Facelift with Dr. Admire. While the cosmetic result was very good, my overall surgical and post-operative experience caused physical, emotional, and mental distress that I do not believe was handled with appropriate care, communication, or compassion.
From the beginning, there were process concerns. When I arrived for surgery, I was given legal paperwork containing errors, including my name being incorrect and the laser portion of the procedure not being listed. These documents are meant to accurately reflect the patient and the surgery being performed. Starting a surgical experience with incorrect paperwork is unsettling.
During anesthesia induction, Dr. Admire was not in the operating room. In my professional experience, either the… attending surgeon or a surgical resident is typically in the room to support continuity of care and patient safety. Additionally, there was no circulating nurse at my side in case the anesthesiologist needed assistance. As a former circulator, I found this particularly concerning.
After surgery, my husband did not see or speak with Dr. Admire, either in person or by phone. There was no post-operative discussion of how the surgery went. The only call he received was from the anesthesiologist regarding payment. Given the nature of facial surgery, this lack of communication from the surgeon felt impersonal and inappropriate.
Physically, I experienced multiple complications and unexpected outcomes. I developed painful post-auricular skin necrosis that was frightening and disfiguring. When this was identified, I did not feel concern, explanation, or compassion from Dr. Admire. I was told it would be “okay,” but I was left managing visible tissue damage and its emotional impact largely on my own.
Because of the necrosis, I later pursued tattooing to camouflage the area, which was unsuccessful. Due to visible scarring and discoloration, I can no longer wear my hair up without heavy makeup. This remains a lasting impact.
Another concern involved incision placement. Pre-operatively, a submental incision (under the chin) was discussed. There was no discussion of a pre-auricular Z-shaped incision, which became noticeable after surgery and remains visible more than two years later.
After removal of a very tight post-operative ponytail, I experienced severe scalp pain followed by weeks of hair loss. My hair became thinner and more sparse. When I reported this, my concerns were again dismissed. I was given one bottle of Nutrafol without a clear evaluation or a treatment plan. Two years later, I continue to struggle with hair thinning and possible follicle damage.
I was also told pre-operatively that difficulty smiling could last up to two weeks. Nearly six weeks later, I still could not smile. When I raised this concern, I was told it would return “soon,” without clarity, empathy, or meaningful discussion. I also experienced significant hard-palate pain after intubation that lasted over a week, which I had never encountered in my prior surgeries.
I also broke my long-held professional rule of never scheduling elective surgery on a Friday. Over decades in operating rooms, I witnessed how end-of-week cases can subtly affect tone, availability, and urgency. Given my complications and the lack of surgeon communication afterward, this remains an important reflection I would share with anyone considering elective surgery.
After two years, I was still dissatisfied, and Dr. Admire agreed to perform a scar revision at no charge. When I traveled over two hours for the visit, I was told I would owe $800 for anesthesia and that there was no availability for eight months, despite the 30-minute revision being performed in the office surgical suite. The impression left w
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