I traveled from the San Francisco Bay Area to VIDA for a deep plane facelift with Dr. Quiroz after…read morespending months researching surgeons and reading everything I could find about the procedure. At 55 years old, I wanted a surgeon who had performed deep plane facelifts for many years and a facility that could support me through recovery.
I flew into San Diego where the shuttle driver texted me after I landed and told me exactly where to meet him. The drive to Tijuana was easy. There were two other women in the shuttle, both returning to VIDA for additional procedures after having surgery there before. During the ride they talked about their results, their previous experiences, and why they were coming back. As someone traveling for surgery for the first time, hearing that from actual patients was reassuring.
Everyone I encountered spoke excellent English, including the drivers, coordinators, nurses, and doctors. Most of the patients I met were Americans who had traveled from different parts of the United States. If someone had dropped me off there without telling me where I was, I could easily have believed I was in a medical facility somewhere in the U.S.
When I arrived, my luggage was stored while I completed my pre-operative appointments. I had blood work, a urine test, an EKG, photographs, and consultations. After that I checked into the recovery center for the night before surgery.
One thing I appreciated was that everything was located in the same building. The hospital, recovery center, pharmacy, medical offices, and café were all there. I never had to travel from one location to another or worry about transportation between appointments.
The morning of surgery I changed into the gown they provided and was given medication to help me relax. I remember being taken into the operating room, lying down on the table, and then waking up later in a hospital bed with a nurse telling me my surgery was finished.
I was nervous to look in the mirror because I expected to be extremely swollen and bruised. When I finally looked, I was surprised. There was swelling, of course, but much less than I had imagined. I was not heavily bruised and looked far more normal than I expected after a major surgery.
After leaving the hospital, I returned to the recovery center for several nights. Nurses checked on me regularly, brought my medications, monitored my recovery, and were available whenever I needed something. Meals were delivered directly to my room. The food included fresh fruit, vegetables, chicken, soups, salads, potatoes, and smoothies. Coffee, tea, water, and snacks were always available.
Violeta answered every question I had before surgery and responded quickly to emails and messages. She helped coordinate all of the details and made the process easy. Rocio was equally helpful during my stay and always made sure I knew what was happening next.
Dr. Quiroz answered my questions, explained the procedure, and never made me feel rushed. One of the reasons I chose him was his experience with deep plane facelifts, and throughout my stay I met patients who had previously had surgery with him and were returning again.
I am writing this review only one week after surgery. I still have some swelling, especially in my neck, and some bruising, but I already look dramatically different than I did before surgery. My neck was one of the main reasons I decided to have this procedure. It had bothered me for years. Even with swelling still present, it already looks smooth.
Over the past few days I have been putting my before photos next to photos taken this week, and I am honestly amazed by the difference. I look younger. Friends and family who have seen photos have noticed it too. The most exciting part is knowing that I am still very early in the healing process and that my final result is still months away.
Anyone considering a facelift should understand that swelling, bruising, temporary asymmetry, tightness, numbness, and visible stitches are normal parts of recovery. No one looks like their final result during the first week. Swelling goes down, bruising fades, stitches are removed, and everything continues to settle over time. That is simply part of the process.
I live in Northern California, and when I compare the cost of surgery, transportation, recovery accommodations, nursing care, and follow-up support to what I would have paid locally, the difference is substantial. More importantly, I do not know of any facility near me that provides this level of coordinated care, where surgery, recovery, transportation, nursing support, pharmacy services, and follow-up care are all connected in one place.
One week after surgery, I am extremely happy with my decision to come to VIDA. I trusted Dr. Quiroz, Violeta, Rocio, and their team with a major procedure, and based on my experience so far, I would absolutely make the same decision again.
