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Review content:
I lived in Northgate, right across the street actually from Pac Derm & Cosmetic Center so I was very pleased to find that it was so close. HOWEVER, proximity means nothing if I end up with disappointment and regret.
I had a pretty good size mole right next to the right side of my lip-- right above the corner where my upper and lower lip meet. I went in for a consultation, and I was with the nurse for a bit, answering questions and what not. Then Dr. Reichal came in, looked at the situation and said she could remove it successfully with an excision procedure that she explained. Sounded good and that was that. Somewhat brief (actually, it seemed like she had a lot of people that she was attending to and I kind of got the feeling like I was just another patient) but I thought I got the information that I needed.
When I came in for the removal surgery, I was in the operating room and was getting prepped. So, I'm in the chair, moments before she is about to perform the surgery and she keeps looking at my mole and puckering the skin around. Then at THAT moment she says she's not sure if the surgery is a good idea because she will be excising the mole (cutting it out) and stitching the skin together and it will cause my upper lip to stretch out. This was MOMENTS before she was going to do the surgery!
She then goes on to explain that my upper lip is not symmetrical and that the side that the surgery is going to be performed on is actually a bit lower (which was true, probably due to the mole and a scar I had from when I fell as a kid). She said that doing the excision will stretch and lift that side of the lip and probably make it more even. What am I supposed to say to that? I'm ready to go, I had gotten my insurance and everything all set, and she then has her doubts at a very inconvenient time. Yet she buffers her doubt by rationalizing that it might actually work out in the end. So I said, okay, sounds like it's going to work, let's continue(but what do I know? She's the expert--or supposed to be).
I did note that she seemed eager in having me sign the liability form, that if something goes wrong, it is not the fault of the office.
So surgery done, I wait, and wait, and wait for the recovery and things to look good. However, I am somewhat concerned and apprehensive because I notice that my lip has stretched considerably, it is certainly not symmetrical and is definitely noticeably higher and somewhat dis-formed looking now. One of the nurses had mentioned that it would stretch out. WELL, it's been a year and I feel like half of my mouth is reminiscent of... oh I don't know, The Joker from batman! Now I am self-conscious and feel like I need to wear cover up all the time to try to hide the significant stretching. I'm not satisfied, and now I am looking into procedures to FIX this.
So, from my experience, I would say I felt like things were kind of rushed. She may be professional but I feel she lacks a warmth, lacks thoroughness, and lacks experience. I research other doctors I could have gone to, who seem to have a much more educated, detailed, analytical, and smarter approach that may have been more involved, but would have provided much better results.
I give one star because a ""rating"" is required in order to publish this feedback. Fine, the one star goes to how I learned what NOT to do. Don't have one consultation; instead have several for comparative purposes (or do a lot more research) and I learned don't go to Dr. Reichal for procedures that are more involved, more delicate, and in a area of your body that could make you self-conscious--like your FACE!
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