A Tennessee woman visited a medspa to purchase some makeup, however she could not turn down the offer of a free laser facial consultation. Unfortunately for her, this spur of the moment decision was destined to impact on her life in a cruel way. Included in the consultation was a complimentary spider vein laser treatment. This persuaded the woman to opt for a full facial. However, the forty-two year old woke up the following morning to find that she had second-degree burns on her face.Five years later, she still encounters facial twitching and pain. She claims that she has visited thirteen specialists, including a plastic surgeon, dermatology doctor and neurologist, all of whom concur that the damage to her face is irreversible.
Misleading Information
The woman claims that the staff members at the spa did not properly explain the safety risks of having the facial, which bore a closer resemblance to plastic surgery than a spa treatment. Apparently, the staff members went to great lengths to downplay all potential side effects of the cosmetics procedure. Also, the consent form that she was given to sign in order to give her consent for the treatment, made no mention of surgery. When she telephoned the spa to talk to the head physician, she claims that she was told that he rarely worked on site, and that he did not normally carry out laser treatments.
New Laws
During January of 2013, Jerry Brown, the Governor of California, passed a new piece of legislation that levies criminal charges against owners of medspas, who run their businesses without a qualified doctor on site.
Due Diligence
Nonetheless, prevention is better than cure, so experts have said that consumers ought to take some protective measures. It is important to know who is carrying out your procedure. Licensed physicians should perform an in-depth physical exam and medical history check. If in doubt, it is best to ask for a meeting with the head physician. All potential plastic surgery patients are urged to seek clarification about any treatments they are unsure of, and to proceed with caution whenever any extravagant claims and promises are made.
