If you want an expert, specialized surgeon who actually cares about the results, displays…read morewillingness to have open discussions and to answer any questions you may have without defensiveness, and who never gives off a condescending vibe, then Linkov should be your #1 choice. I spent three years deciding who I wanted for a lip lift, and he consistently came out on top when doing various consults across US markets, from big cities like LA and Beverly Hills to much smaller cities, where the cost would have been a fraction of what I actually spent.
Yes, Linkov's more expensive, but keep in mind that he's on the upper east side of Manhattan (exclusive) AND he specializes in ONLY lip lifts and hair transplants. This is truly his domain. I will say it again - he is a specialist and an expert. He's not one of those surgeons who does it all and thinks that a lip lift is no big deal or just an "add-on" of some sort for an additional few grand to your package.
Do your research. Linkov's approach is a deep plane lift, and he does them ALL THE TIME. Not to preach, but after my own journey, I think it's very important to find a surgeon whose work you like and who has done thousands of the particular procedure you want. Thousands. They're the ones who have developed and evolved their technique over time, and they are the ones who know how to deal with unforeseen complexities. They've seen it all, and they will know what to do if something is a little different or a little off with your unique anatomy. That makes all the difference in the world to me, and it should for you too.
From my perspective, the local guy who hardly does any lip lifts and who is simply going to cut your skin out in a quickie standard bullhorn shape for $4-6K that ends up looking like you have strange, pointy "cupid" lips that you didn't have before, and the lift doesn't last long term, may not indeed be your best choice. Up to you though. It's your body. I mean, if cost is your primary concern vs the way you'll look long term, that's your prerogative.
However, I urge you to look beyond cost and consider the surgeon's work and approach. In my opinion, Linkov's work is the most natural I've seen from ANY lip lift gallery across the US. He actually knows how to balance the face, and your lips still look like your lips, just better. I can confirm that it's WELL worth the extra money I spent to travel to NY and to get the peace of mind that I had the best of the best working on my face. Trust and respect are crucial when making a decision about who will cut your face.
As a quick aside, I'm thrilled that I don't need to deal with lip filler again. Thank God. The amount of migration I had from years of lip fillers (and different brands, mind you) was insane, and my primary injector made it even worse when they dissolved it unevenly at one point and not only gave me severely uneven upper lips, but also created a pocket in my upper lip because they went too far above the lip line with the dissolving fluid. It's been a long road for me, so I wanted the right guy to help make my mouth look normal again.
And as far as his staff, they are really awesome! While I had a few moments where I was probably annoying them or pushing back, or asking too many questions, or freaking out about something rando, they stuck with me and they were there for me every step of the way. Please give them a chance. Once you meet them in person, you'll see how great of an office it is. They are pros.
I highly recommend City Facial Plastics, and this is coming from someone who takes extra time to research across all aspects of anything I take on (from the approach, past case reviews, health risks, the overall investment of healing time, financials, etc etc). I am VERY discerning when it comes to service providers, and I always consider costs, and Linkov is worth it in every way. Bite the bullet, spend the extra money, and know you're getting the best quality possible.
