Ethan Clarke
In 2001, Massachusetts resident Lucille Iacovelli underwent a facelift by plastic surgeon Dr. Barry Eppley. Months later, she complained of breathing and swallowing difficulties, alleging that the surgery had affected her neck muscles and obstructed her airway. She started blogging about her experience and appeared in the 2006 HBO documentary Plastic Disasters, where she shared her story. Iacovelli's health continued to deteriorate, and she faced stress due to her afflictions. Unfortunately, she passed away in 2010 at the age of 60, having died by suicide.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Lucille Iacovelli |
| Age at the time of surgery | 51 |
| Year of surgery | 2001 |
| Type of surgery | Facelift |
| Surgeon | Dr. Barry Eppley |
| Complications | Breathing and swallowing problems, obstructed airway |
| Advocacy | Started a website and posted videos online to share her experience and warn others |
| Documentary appearance | Plastic Disasters (2006) |
| Death | August 2010 at the age of 60 |
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What You'll Learn
Lucille Iacovelli's 2001 facelift
In 2001, Massachusetts resident Lucille Iacovelli underwent a facelift performed by Indiana plastic surgeon Barry Eppley. The 51-year-old had complained that a previous procedure had left her face "saggy". However, months after the surgery, she began to experience breathing and swallowing problems and insisted that the surgery had affected her neck muscles. She started blogging about her negative experience with the surgeon and appeared in the 2006 HBO documentary "Plastic Disasters", where she alleged that she couldn't breathe with her head tilted back.
Iacovelli's case against Dr. Eppley gained significant attention, and she was in near-daily correspondence with him, complaining about her condition. She also posted about her experience on various websites, which led to a lawsuit. In 2010, a court ruled that Iacovelli had made numerous false and offensive statements about Dr. Eppley on public websites and engaged in ''virtual identity theft". She was ordered to pay $40,000 in damages and court costs, and a permanent injunction was issued against her. Unfortunately, Iacovelli committed suicide in 2010, at the age of 60, due to her ailing health and the stress of her afflictions.
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Her obstructed airway and breathing difficulties
In 2001, Massachusetts resident Lucille Iacovelli underwent a facelift performed by plastic surgeon Dr. Barry Eppley. She had the procedure done because she felt her face looked \"saggy\" after a previous surgery. However, months after the facelift, Iacovelli began experiencing health issues, including breathing and swallowing problems, and difficulties with neck muscle movement. She attributed these issues to the surgery, believing that it had affected her neck muscles and obstructed her airway.
Iacovelli's breathing difficulties were a significant concern for her. She reported that she couldn't breathe with her head tilted back. This issue was so severe that it led to her appearing in the 2006 HBO documentary "Plastic Disasters," where she shared her story alongside two other cases of plastic surgery gone wrong. The documentary highlighted the physical and emotional turmoil that can result from corrective surgeries and the impact on patients' lives.
Diagnostic examinations were conducted to understand Iacovelli's condition, but the results were inconclusive. Her insistence on specific protocols during the exams may have contributed to the ambiguity. During this challenging period, Iacovelli turned to blogging as a means of expression and advocacy. She also actively sought to hold her surgeon accountable, feeling that her concerns were not being adequately addressed medically.
Iacovelli's surgeon, Dr. Eppley, denied any responsibility for her breathing difficulties and obstructed airway. He claimed that he had never encountered such complications from a facelift and consulted other experts who shared his opinion. Despite this, Iacovelli firmly believed that the surgery was the cause of her health issues. Unfortunately, her struggles took a tragic turn, and she committed suicide in 2010 at the age of 60, unable to find relief from her afflictions.
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The negative online content about Dr. Eppley
The negative online content about Dr. Barry Eppley started with his patient, Lucille Iacovelli, who underwent a facelift procedure performed by him in 2001. A few months later, Iacovelli complained of an obstructed airway, breathing, and swallowing problems, and insisted the surgery had affected her neck muscles. She believed that the facelift was the cause of her breathing issues, but Dr. Eppley disagreed.
Iacovelli took her grievances online and began criticising Dr. Eppley publicly. She started blogging about her negative opinion of the surgeon and appeared in the 2006 HBO documentary "Plastic Disasters," where she alleged she had difficulty breathing with her head tilted back. In the documentary, she also stated that she believed suicide might be the only way to be heard, demonstrating the severe emotional impact of her experience.
Iacovelli's online criticism of Dr. Eppley extended beyond her personal blog and the documentary. She allegedly made fake postings in Dr. Eppley's name and published critical content on domain names that included his name. This negative online content had significant consequences for Dr. Eppley's career and reputation. He claimed that the criticism cost him financially, as patients cancelled appointments or avoided contacting him due to the negative search results associated with his name.
The negative online content and its impact led to legal action, with a lawsuit mentioned as "Dr. Barry Eppley v. Lucille Iacovelli" in 2010. Unfortunately, due to Iacovelli's ailing health and the stress of her afflictions, she committed suicide in 2010 at the age of 60. The saga between Dr. Eppley and Iacovelli highlights the challenges faced by medical professionals in managing negative online content and the potential repercussions on their careers and mental health.
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Her appearance in the 2006 documentary, *Plastic Disasters*
In 2006, Lucille Iacovelli appeared in the HBO documentary *Plastic Disasters*, which exposed the dark side of plastic surgery. The documentary featured three case studies of procedures that went horrifically wrong, including Iacovelli's.
Iacovelli had a nose job and two facelifts, the first of which was performed by Dr. Barry Eppley in 2001. Following the procedure, she complained of an obstructed airway, claiming that the surgery had affected her neck muscles and made breathing and swallowing difficult. She began blogging about her opinion of the surgeon and even appeared in the documentary to share her story. In it, she says:
> "I never wanted cosmetic surgery. In hindsight, it was the biggest mistake I ever made in my life."
The documentary also included operating-room footage, home videos, personal 'before' and 'after' photos, and interviews with patients' doctors and lawyers. It revealed the physical and emotional havoc wrought by subsequent corrective surgeries and the toll it took on the patients and their loved ones.
Sadly, Iacovelli passed away in August 2010 at the age of 60 due to ailing health and the stress of her afflictions.
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Her suicide in 2010
In 2001, Indiana plastic surgeon Barry Eppley performed a facelift on Massachusetts resident Lucille Iacovelli, who was 51 years old at the time. Months later, Iacovelli complained of breathing and swallowing difficulties, alleging that the surgery had affected her neck muscles. She started a blog about her opinions of the surgeon and appeared in the 2006 HBO documentary "Plastic Disasters," where she stated that she couldn't breathe with her head tilted back.
Iacovelli was referred to a therapist who suggested she had body dysmorphic disorder, a diagnosis she rejected. In the documentary, she contemplated suicide as a way to be heard. Owing to her declining health and the stress of her ailments, Iacovelli died by suicide in 2010 at the age of 60.
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Frequently asked questions
Lucille Iacovelli was a woman who underwent a series of cosmetic surgeries, including a nose job and two facelifts.
Lucille believed that her facelifts caused her to experience breathing and swallowing difficulties. She also claimed that the surgery affected her neck muscles.
Lucille took her grievances online, criticising the plastic surgeon, Dr. Barry Eppley, who performed her facelift in 2001. She also appeared in the 2006 documentary, Plastic Disasters, to share her story.
Due to her ailing health and the stress of her afflictions, Lucille committed suicide in 2010 at the age of 60.
