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POSTED UNDER Smart Lipo REVIEWS

Bad Experience with Smart Lipo - San Francisco, CA

ORIGINAL POST

I got an email from a skin spa that I went to for...

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similar situationJuly 23, 2012
$5,500

I got an email from a skin spa that I went to for hair laser removal. The email was promoting the procedure smart lipo. And in the ad, it said that it was a safe, effective and a much quicker recovery than traditional liposuction AND it was done under local anesthesia. I had a very minor dent that I go from a previous surgery that was only noticeable to to my eye. When I called the spa, they said that smart lipo was often used for correcting problems from previous liposuction. I went in, met with the doctor and told him that I wanted the dent on my lower abdomen smoothed out and some fat taken out of my flanks. He said he could do it and could smooth everything out. I regretfully went through the procedure. I went to my follow-ups and they kept telling me that everything looked normal. I was shocked because my entire lower half of my abdomen looked lumpy and like someone took an ice cream scooper to my stomach. But they said they see this all the time and with more time things will improve and look normal.

After 4 months they said that my healing time was just taking longer and pushed it to 6 months, then 8 months, and finally I went to consult with other doctors. I felt so stupid for not having done my research on the doctor and not making sure that he was a board certified plastic surgeon. THIS IS HUGE! The doctor is an emergency care doctor at a hospital, he doesn't even perform surgery. All the Board Certified plastic surgeons were frustrated when I told them my story and were bothered by the fact under qualified people were performing Smart Lipo. It has almost been a year since doing Smart Lipo. 2 months ago I went to a revision specialist that had to transfer fat to all the areas that were treated during Smart Lipo. The skin spa did reimburse me money which helped pay for the revision. My advice to anyone is just to do your research on these doctors. Being a Board Certified plastic surgeon is HUGE. Read all the reviews on the doctors and check there work out.

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I am very unsatisfied with the results. I chose this provider because I went to this spa for years for hair laser removal.

Replies (15)

Mollee
August 1, 2012
Wow..How did you get them to refund you the $?
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JEmer
October 31, 2013
I am extremely sorry you had to go through this. There are many non-core physicians performing these types of procedures and few in the public understand the difference between someone board-certified in a specialty that performs these procedures routinely. In my early training I saw many complications from laser liposuction, and now solely perform power-assisted or manual liposculpture which gives me excellent results. I have had to revise many complications similar to yours and I always feel horrible when I see them. I really hope your second procedure went well. This post should help inform others who are considering this procedure to get multiple opinions and do research on their physicians. Wishing you the best.
Zombiedoll
April 1, 2015
So sorry you had to go through this but hope your final surgery helped you. I also had laser lipo from a place that only does these type of procedures and had a horrible experience. After the first lipo, the healing was painful and they didn't take out enough fat so I had to get the procedure done again. I followed the after care exactly as specified and wore my garment exactly how I was supposed to. The second time I had my surgery it was a different doctor and he claimed he could fix it. Well once again...followed after care exactly how I was supposed to and same garment but a size smaller. (I was working out and eating well)Both garments had a zipper right down the front of it and when I sat down it folded in. I asked them about this and they said it's ok, so I thought nothing of it. The healing after the second procedure was worse than the first time, even though the doctor said it would be much easier. Well months after my second procedure and after all the swelling went down, what was once my decent stomach , was now about a 4-5 inch long indent about 2 inches above my belly button. My lower stomach is all indented and ripply. I contacted the company again and told them how unhappy and depressed I was about my belly and how it looked better prior to the procedures. It was a back and forth of phones calls and driving to them once a week(about 2 hrs in traffic each way) to get some non invasive Velashape something or other which should have supposedly helped with the indent and dimplyness. I went about 7 times. No change. So instead of the company offering to get my stomach fixed or refund me the money I paid, they said I would have to stop the Velashape treatments and they could only give me back $1500 of the $3500 I paid. They said my stomach looked just fine and better than before. They were just looking at pictures. I was pretty much at a loss. Stuck with a permanent blah belly and can never wear bikinis. I work out 5 days a week and eat healthy, yet my belly never changes. Its so depressing and I can't afford to get it fixed. I'm happy that some can afford to fix it and hopefully one day I will as well. Makes you wish there were pro bono plastic surgeons out there to help people who had botched surgeries. Lol
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Anasmith
April 1, 2015
The same thing happened to me
Zombiedoll
April 1, 2015
What did you do about it? I'm stuck until I can afford surgery. Ugh
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Anasmith
April 2, 2015
Hi Zombiedoll : Hey don't pay more for surgery .The techniques explained that I explain to you produce the explosion of the adipocitos, so that as soon as the fat was liquefied this one transforms in oil that the organism can eliminate much more easily, or it is possible to extract locally in its entirety with needle, as every patient prefers. *The ultrasound waves are audible and vibratory of various frequencies which are not perceptible by the human ear. Apply through a head of small diameter, which moves slowly in a circular fashion on the area to be treated, improving the local metabolism. This technique is not painful and provides verified therapeutic effects such as: blood increase the risk. Change in viscosity. Analgesic effect. Muscle relaxation. In aesthetic medicine used different ultrasonic equipment for the treatment of: cellulite. Varicose veins. **Localized accumulations of fat. Acne. Edemas. ***Scars. Splines. Localized circulatory disorders. Ultrasound also activate the lymphatic drainage and the permeability of the skin and can therefore be used for a process called sonoforesis and enhance the action of medications that are applied topically. The effectiveness of this process will depend on the degree of hydration of the skin, the patient's age and the presence of fatty acids, and thus, this technique will be less effective the larger the age of the patient
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Anasmith
April 2, 2015
Google this video , I have 3 massage ,I need another 10 more . I hope this help you https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XpGFHpnhFt4
Zombiedoll
April 3, 2015
Wow. That sounds amazing! I wonder if it is offered in my state. Also if it would help my indentations. Thanks so much! So sorry you had a bad experience too. It's so depressing.
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