Real Patient Stories

At The Center for Cosmetic Surgery in Golden and Denver, CO, our plastic surgery patients are consistently thrilled when they entrust their aesthetic visions to our exceptional plastic surgeons. Read some of their stories.

Lynne’s Story: Getting It Right the Second Time

“Thinking seriously about cosmetic plastic surgery was initially difficult for me. Over the course of 7 years, I had given birth to 3 wonderful children and spent at least 1 year breastfeeding each of them. Although I was feeling great about my life, I became self-conscious about my body because of the changes that had occurred from pregnancy and breastfeeding. I began to look at the options that were available to me, and breast implants were the obvious choice.

Taking a Wrong Turn

I scheduled a consultation with a local plastic surgeon and he presented 2 options: saline breast implants or saline breast implants with a breast lift. After looking at the before and after photos, I decided to have only the implants and not the lift performed. I avoided the lift because the scars looked large in the before and after photos the surgeon showed me. Additionally, I was very worried about losing any sensation in my nipples.

The surgery was quick and I had minimal scarring. However, I never wanted large breasts. The surgeon made the decision to place larger implants than we had discussed because of the amount of tissue that I had. Without large implants, he said, my breasts would sag and give me a poor result.

Choosing to have large implants was a mistake on my part. I should have waited and done more research before making such an important decision. I never felt comfortable with the size of these implants. I did have a discussion about decreasing the size of my implants with the same surgeon after my initial surgery, but that would require an additional surgery that I couldn’t afford at the time.

Second Chances

Finally, after 8 years of living with implants that I always felt were too large, I went to visit Dr. Vath. I knew that I wanted the implants removed but had no idea what to expect after surgery. Dr. Vath assured me that not only could the implants be removed, but I could regain my breast shape and size with a breast lift.

I waited a few weeks while I looked at other surgeons’ websites. I couldn’t find another plastic surgeon with the same number of great results that I found on Dr. Vath’s website. After an extensive consultation in which all of my questions were answered, I decided to schedule the surgery that I had been wanting for more than 8 years.

A Look to Love (Finally!)

My surgery was over 3 months ago and I couldn’t be more thrilled with the outcome. My breasts are soft, beautifully shaped, and much smaller. Prior to my breast enhancement, I would always dress conservatively because I was overly aware of my breast size. I felt self-conscious in certain clothing styles and bathing suits. Now, getting dressed in the morning is great; I no longer am constantly trying on various outfits to see what looks ‘okay.’

This surgery has made me feel wonderful about my body and myself. I can now go to the gym, swim, and hike without any discomfort. Most importantly, I feel like my body is the correct proportion; I feel and look like myself again.

Thank you to Dr. Vath and his team. They were wonderful throughout my entire surgery and recuperation.”

– Lynne S.

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Betty’s Story: Desperately Needing a Lift

“As a 53-year-old woman, it didn’t take me long to discover the benefits of good skin care. My parents owned a beach house on the East Coast so I enjoyed many sunny days outdoors during my childhood. I grew up in a time when being tan meant you were ‘healthy.’ Many years later, wrinkles began to surface around my eyes and my smile also turned downward. I looked more like my mother than I thought possible and I decided it was time to start investigating small things that I could do to improve my appearance.

Starting Small

I began using BOTOX® Cosmetic and dermal fillers and was very happy with the results. It is amazing what a good injector can do with those products. BOTOX, fillers, and good skin care maintained my youthful look for many years, but once I hit 50, I wanted a more permanent solution.

I spent a lot of time online researching my options for a facelift. I was willing to go out of town if it meant that I would receive the best results. I was apprehensive about having facial surgery and knew that if the result was not what I wanted, I wouldn’t be able to cover up what I didn’t like. Selecting a surgeon was the most critical component of my overall satisfaction.

Taking the Next Step

I scheduled a consultation with Dr. Wolfe in Denver for facelift surgery. I had heard his name mentioned several times at a book club and he was on my list of surgeons to visit. Although I heard great things about him, I didn’t want to rely on other peoples’ opinions and planned on visiting 3 surgeons so I could decide for myself.

I had breast augmentation after having children so this was not my first visit to a plastic surgeon. I understood the process but was really surprised by the answers that I got to my questions. I visited 3 surgeons: one who was considered the most highly-respected surgeon in the city, one facial plastic surgeon, and Dr. Wolfe. Each surgeon recommended a different set of procedures to take care of my “tired” look. I was more confused than ever.

Making the Right Choice

What ultimately led me to choose Dr. Wolfe as my plastic surgeon was the amount of time he spent with me during the consultation. He spent over an hour discussing my options and gave me a very honest opinion rather than recommending the most expensive surgery. The other 2 surgeons recommended so many procedures that my surgery would have taken over 6 hours. Dr. Wolfe suggested a surgical plan that would take 2 hours and was exactly what I was looking for: a more refreshed look. I booked the surgery and was back to my normal life in just 2 weeks—still a little swollen, but looking fresh. My scars cannot be seen and I feel great.

I can’t say enough about having Dr. Wolfe as my plastic surgeon during this period of my life. I trust him entirely to make honest recommendations that work for my lifestyle and my goals. Dr. Wolfe is not a ‘cookie cutter’ surgeon. His credentials, bedside manner, and surgical skills are impeccable. Dr. Wolfe is a plastic surgeon for the right reason—to help people look and feel their best.”

– Betty F.

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Amy’s Facelift

Amy, a 54-year-old mother and grandmother, noticed during a 2-year period that the look of her face and neck had taken a turn for the worse. She’d developed jowls and the skin on her neck was drooping, causing her to worry that she’d end up with a “turkey neck.” After contemplating plastic surgery for a couple of years, she realized she was ready to take action. She likened her face to “a nice sweater you have that’s stretched out and droopy. I thought, gosh, you wouldn’t keep wearing that sweater, you’d shrink it up and fix it so it fits better.” Amy wasn’t interested in making a dramatic change to her look, just “putting things back where they used to be” with a facial rejuvenation procedure.

Doing Her Homework

Amy visited the library and researched her procedure options, reading books and magazine articles to learn more. She then consulted with 3 surgeons. The first she didn’t like at all, another was too pushy, and the third was with a large center that felt “like going to McDonald’s.” Amy was a bit apprehensive about cosmetic surgery, after having a disappointing nose surgery procedure in her 20’s, so she was focused on finding a surgeon she could trust.

She’d seen Dr. Vath’s advertisement in The Denver Post over the years, so she knew he’d been practicing in the area for a while. She decided to schedule a visit. When she met Dr. Vath in person, she says, “I liked him right away. I could ask him anything and he’s very honest.” After reviewing her case, Dr. Vath recommended a neck lift and lower facelift for Amy.

A Little Prep Work, Then the Big Day

Amy was eager to begin her transformation and have her surgery performed within a month. Dr. Vath’s staff made a special effort to accommodate her request. Within 2 weeks she’d gone in for a physical, photos were taken, and Amy learned all about what she needed to do to prepare for surgery. A week later, her procedures were performed.

She went into her facelift surgery feeling mildly nervous but prepared. The anesthesiologist, who had called her the night before to check in, inserted the IV and made sure Amy was comfortable. Dr. Vath reviewed the procedures with her and then the anesthesiologist began to administer her general anesthesia. That was the last thing she remembers before waking up.

A Comfortable Recovery

After surgery, Amy awakened quickly and easily. Her head was carefully wrapped with a bandage and she soon felt well enough to get dressed and go home. She recalls, “I didn’t stay very long in recovery.” At home, she settled into one place, propped up to minimize the swelling. She says, “I was surprised there was so little pain—and I’m a baby!” She didn’t experience any nausea and slept well in her own bed that night. The following morning her husband drove her to her follow-up appointment. Dr. Vath removed the dressing, and although Amy was swollen, she says “I was so thrilled that I could see a difference.”

Seven weeks after Amy’s neck and facelift surgery in Denver, she proclaims, “I’m very happy. I don’t think it could have gone better.” Amy appreciates that her new appearance is very natural looking – she wanted to avoid that obvious, ‘I’ve had work done’ look. “Dr. Vath did such a good job; my results look natural, and they feel natural.” Today Amy doesn’t wear as much makeup as she did before surgery and she’s experienced a big boost in confidence. She says, “If I need anything else in the future, I will most definitely go back to Dr. Vath. I have the utmost confidence in him.”

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Janet’s Body Transformation

After years of wanting to see a change in my body, I finally began a weight loss process. With a lot of support from my family, friends and a great husband I lost over 100 pounds. The great news is that I lost all of that weight and feel so much better but I am left with a lot of unwanted skin that gets in the way of everything. Getting dressed in the morning began each day with wearing special garments to tuck the loos skin in. Not a great way to begin my day.

I met with Dr. Steinwald and the consultation was an amazing experience. He was respectful, open minded, and very knowledgeable. He listened to all of my questions and had thorough answers and suggestions.

Dr. Steinwald made me feel comfortable from the moment I met him. The consultation was not difficult. He had a game plan to not only remove the extra skin but also how to give me back a feminine shape. I couldn’t be happier with the results.

I arrived the day of surgery at his surgery center and I was a mess. You can tell his staff does this a lot because they were great and made me feel comfortable ad relaxed before surgery. Waking up was tough but the nurses tried several medications to relieve my nausea.

I would 100% recommend Dr. Steinwald and I would return to him for my future wishes. I love my body and the way I feel and look! There was no judging or shame in any of my questions or requests! He helped me with the last piece of the puzzle to feeling and looking my best.