TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, Smartlipo.

The front line staff was knowledgeable, friendly, efficient, and organized. My experience with Dr. Malhotra and her sales consultant on the hand was negative. I regret the experience.
I purchased the doctor's Groupon certificate listing the smart lipo procedure to be completed on one area for $2900. I even received an extra $25 dollars off using a promo code during the purchasing phase. I emailed the office and called the same evening to request an appointment and surgery this calendar year if there were openings. I called the next day as well to leave a message. Staff began communicating with me and to my surprise even though I purchased my Groupon Dec 18th, there was an available consultation appointment the next day on the 19th and an open surgery date Fri Dec 20th. I happily accepted. The worker asked if i needed financing and I explained about the Groupon telling her if I am not eligible for expedited processing i understand. She asked me to send her a text explaining what the offer was and i did. She said all was well and to bring Groupon to the appointment. I met with the finance and sales consultant who asked about the price i paid for the Groupon, she appeared shocked and i worried that maybe there was an error with the listed price. She reiterated "you spent $2800 for $4000 worth of surgery?" I said yes. She asked which other areas am I interested in having done? In all honesty I answered I was satisfied with everything else and only wanted the inner thigh area done. She excused herself to get Dr. Malhotra. I was introduced and the price I had paid for the procedure I wanted was brought up again. The Dr wanted to examine me. I apologized and explained I thought we would have gone to an examination room and that I needed to put on bikini bottoms I had brought so that I was not just dropping my pants in front of the financial consultant and the doctor in that office. There was no paper lining to protect my skin from touching the office furniture and with my coat being in the chair i wondered how much residue, secretions, and skin cells were on my coat. They excused themselves so that I could put the bikini bottoms on then came back once I was dressed. Dr. Malhotra did not touch the area and she honestly seemed uninterested and almost put off by me. Maybe she was thinking there's no way in heck I'm doing this procedure for $2800. She looked from maybe 5 ft away and said I am sorry you are not a good candidate for smart lipo. You may have saggy skin left, smart lipo DOES NOT tighten the skin. I said okay I understand, you're saying the procedure will make the problem area worse She said not just that, your body is a canvas and when you are in public I cannot have you out there representing my work. Now that comment was maybe honest, but condescending all the same. She said if you were able to spend a little more we could look into sculpsure but that would be more expensive and would take more treatments than smartlipo. The money was not a problem and I did not need to finance ANY procedure for my legs. I declined as I recognized this as a bait and switch sales scheme to try to upsell potential clients. Dr. Malhotra may have assumed I declined because i needed financing but no, I would never feel comfortable utilizing any service she offered. I didn't feel the professionalism compassion, nor duty to serve from her, it was all about the money. I almost felt she thought I was a minority stereotype because of my african hairstyle and gym clothes i wore that day, maybe she would have felt comfortable and been friendly had i straightened my hair, worn my Nordstrom's clothing, LV, or shown my American Express and smiled more, idk. Realistically most may add at least something additional to the Groupon since it was so deeply discounted. At 47 I think my body is in pretty decent shape and curvaceous as i Iike it but my legs have always been my pet peeve. The experience may have been damaging if my self esteem wasn't as high as it is. Maybe the doctor is not comfortable dealing with African American clients, maybe the Groupon was a typo and clients who do not increase their bills are not good candidates. Maybe everything she said was the absolute truth. Dr. Malhotra WAS NOT my first consult this year. I went to a board certified plastic surgeon AND Sonobello. Both consultations were $5000 so when I saw the $2900 Groupon covering the same problem area I have and they knocked another $25 off I JUMPED at the chance. It would have been nothing short of a Christmas miracle to finally have this area resolved which could have been maintained with continued diet and exercise but IT WAS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE!