Traumatic Experience with Restylane Tear Trough Filler

I received dermal fillers and laser treatments at Pretty Face Medi Spa of Montrrose, NY, owned by Linda Nicolo. I was injected by visiting Dr, Luiza Petre in April, 2019. Restylane injections were performed to the tear troughs. The restylane was mixed with saline, and as soon as it was injected into my right side, the Dr. said "Yea, that's going to bruise". The right side was extremely painful and a far different experience than that of the left side; though this was my first experience with this and I didn't know what to expect. I ended up with severe swelling and a black eye for the next three months (now six months later- still with discoloration to date though the swelling resolved once Linda took accountability 3 months after the bad injection by sending me to an outstanding Ocular Surgeon).

The owner, Linda treated me roughly two weeks after injection with the Pico laser indicating this was safe after the filler, which seemingly further exasperated the issue. I ended up with white and purple pouches and extreme swelling beneath my right eye. Linda told me it would resolve and be "beautiful" - to put Arnica on it. The Dr. apparently mixes with saline which Linda said is the cause of the white spots that would dissipate. My prior experience at this practice was great, and so I trusted her advice. When it did not resolve, she next tried to convince me it was my fault and I must be pressing on it. Over the course of 3 months, I tried to believe Linda and even went to several eye Dr.s as my vision was blurry from the swelling beneath my eye as it continued to increase. She repeatedly assured me that this can in no way be related; though in June of 2019, when seen by my Eye Dr. (and have med. records of such)this was a "foreign body" in my eye and I need to be seen by the injector to dissolve this. Eventually, 3 months of calls and pictures sent later (as contained below), Linda admit that the Dr. did the same thing to her and offered to send me to an amazing ocular surgeon and have the mistake corrected. She told me she would credit the service for the inconvenience and that Dr. Petre would not perform any procedures on me moving forward. I have voicemails of Linda taking ownership at this point and apologizing - she claims she fired the Dr, and that she had the same experience with Dr. Petre's injections. I visited the ocular surgeon 2 x and Linda insisted on being present, probing the Dr. for answers on how he resolved their mistakes. While accountability was finally taken, I was forced to walk around with a black eye, visit several Dr.s, be prescribed unnecessary antibiotics/oral solutions, and miss time at work until this point. This was absolutely humiliating to walk around this way for a procedure that was supposed to make me more confident. I had people asking if I was "okay" due to my black eye and I work with the public. Linda continuously called me after, and when I inquired about the credit she indicated that she placed on my account, she got defensive and combative accusing me of trying to take advantage and get free services from her business. She told me she had to fire her Dr. because of me (as if ANY of this was my fault or as though I pressed her to do so??). This was beyond insulting, as I am uncertain most patients would have been as patient, trusting or mostly NAIVE as I had been to that point.

While matters were corrected, I suffer from permanent discoloration and scaling of the skin where the edema persisted long term now six months later. I continue to be seen by my dermatologist who also referred me to a plastic surgeon to deal with this. I wish Linda had taken me seriously sooner as dissolving the filler at an earlier point may have helped in the damage I retain. I have gone to my plastic surgeon and may try a $2700 microneedling procedure that "may or may not help". My biggest take-away is to ONLY visit board certified plastic surgeons when having any procedure. Please BEWARE of Pretty Face MediSpa, Linda Nicolo and Dr. Luisa Petre. I understand that accidents happen, though this should've been dealt with in a timely matter and I shouldn've have needed to endure her insults at the end of this all, as though I was chasing any free service. I would've paid to NOT have gone through any of this at all, and wish they didn't convince me to get tear trough fillers (since, every dr has told me I am not even a candidate for this service). When I look in the mirror, I am reminded every day of this mistake and I truly hope that the results only continue to improve.