"Astroturfing" and Deceptive Advertising

Serving Chattanooga, Tennessee

few months back, we talked about the current scientific evaluation of the “thread lift” facelift procedures.  As those of us who perform facelift surgery with frequency could have predicted, the procedure is safe.  It, however, carries with it an astonishing 42% revision rate at 8 months according to an article published in The Annals of Plastic Surgery.

Now, as the venerable radio personality Paul Harvey used to say.  Here’s the “Rest of the Story”.  “Lifestyle Lift” was penalized in July by the New York Attorney General’s office for “astroturfing”.  Astroturfing – for those of you, like me, thinking football and green stuff- is publishing fake, online reviews of its procedure using employees who pose as independent consumers who glowingly review the company and the product.  Atty. General Cuomo also accused Lifestyle Lift of creating independent websites which tricked potential customers into believing that the comments on the sites were generated by satisfied customers.

“Lifestyle lift” agreed to pay $300,000 to settle the claim and promised to refrain from the fraudulent activity.  Mr. Cuomo went on to say, “This Company’s attempt to generate business by duping consumers was cynical, manipulative and illegal”.

Action like this is good to see, but you can’t “unring” a bell. This type of intentional misinformation is very damaging to how people perceive the practice of aesthetic plastic surgery.  Aesthetic Plastic surgery is one of the most demanding of surgical fields because it requires its practitioner to take normal and make it better.  Aesthetic plastic surgery is a billion dollar industry in the U.S. Unfortunately, the amount of misleading advertising that bombards us relentlessly could befuddle the most experienced consumer.

Everyone wants to be part of the action.  Pharmaceutical companies, technology manufacturers, and all sorts of health care practitioners are on the web ready to sell you their particular angle on the ease of obtaining the perfect body or eternal youth.  How does one make sense of it?  The silver bullet for this monster is Education. (Education, perhaps, with a generous helping of reality testing)  In my experience, if it sounds too good to be true—it is.

Seek the council of a reputable aesthetic plastic surgeon.  Describe your concerns, and allow him or her to expand on the variety of safe and reproducible surgical options that are available to you in 2009.  There are often a variety of approaches that can be taken to correct a specific flaw. Your consult should be thorough and enlightening.  Your surgeon may suggest some possibilities that you had not even considered. Remember, “Google” is not a substitute for research. Master plastic surgeons have spent their lives in continuous study of the problems frequently presented to them.  Reflect on your consult and don’t be too impulsive.  The best and safest surgeons want you to be completely comfortable with your decision before you move on to the operating room. 

We have talked long and hard about surgeon choice in the past.  We have discussed plastic surgery board certifications, hospital privileges, teaching appointments, personal physician referrals, and reputation.  I recently read this quote. “Surgery is a onetime event for the surgeon, but a lifetime event for the patient”.  It sums up the whole subject.        

Be an informed consumer.  Weigh fantastic claims carefully.  “Astroturfing” is out there ready to reel in the unsuspecting patient. For more on truth in advertising visit our website at Refinedlooks.com.