ELAINE LOWELL

Age: 67
Occupation:Retired hotel manager
Home:Middleton, MA
Procedure: Neck lift
Doctor: Anna Petropoulos, MD

At 66, Elaine Lowell did not like her neck. She’d had cosmetic surgery for her eyes in her early 40s and, satisfied with the results, decided to go for a neck lift. She waited until retirement so she wouldn’t have to take time off for recuperation.

Elaine first went to a place called Lifestyle Lift but felt appalled at the service. “It felt like a factory,” she says. She wanted a doctor who was independent and could take the time to talk about her concerns. She settled on Dr. Petropoulos after one phone call. “She was friendly, personal, listened to what I cared about and didn’t talk me into something I didn’t want.”

Elaine was surprised the procedure would take six hours, but trusted the reason. “She spends her time on one patient a day with that type of procedure.” Elaine stayed one day at the hospital, then three days at home sleeping off the general anesthesia. Dr. Petropoulos called the day after surgery and offered to see her. “I’ve never had that attention from doctors.”

After two weeks Elaine returned to her normal routine, with only one small bruise showing. Today she feels great. “I can turn my neck and it doesn’t fall to my shoulder,” she laughs. “Even my friends are saying, ‘Boy, you just look great. Retirement must be doing wonders for you.’”