Beautologie Cosmetic Surgery & Laser Center Reviews
Apr 18, 2016
I underwent four quad blepharoplasty on 1/25/16 performed by Brett Lehocky, DDS, MD, who is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon contracted with Beautologie in Bakersfield.
At my pre-op, I discussed the fact that my body rejects foreign bodies. I had bilateral foot surgery in 2011 the right foot first, then the left 6 months later. My right foot was very inflamed until the podiatrist removed the screw during my left foot surgery. Two weeks after the left foot surgery, the screw stuck out of my foot. Other foreign body issues were related to birth control devices in the 80's.
Within a week of my bleph I felt a poking in my left eye. I saw Dr Lehocky three times that week for this issue, he hardly looked at my eye and prescribed Kenalog and Maxitrol, which caused my face to swell so it was discontinued. I finally called the office manager (Kelly) who met me on arrival and stayed in the exam room with me until Dr Lehocky finally took the time and found the suture poking my eye and clipped it.
This was the easy part.
After surgery I was given steroids for inflammation (Medrol Dosepak). When this wore off I developed intense itching, burning watery eyes. This was week 2 or 3 of post op. I was again seen several times with no help, and treated like a nuisance. Dr Lehocky would come into the exam room, mumble something and leave. Finally I asked him what sutures were used and he wrote on a card "Caprosyn". Upon my research, these sutures take 56 days to absorb. Finally at 4 weeks post op he excruciatingly removed some but not all sutures with no local anesthesia. I spoke with a nurse who works for the company that manufactures these sutures and she'd never heard of them being used for blephs. Feb 29 I couldn't stand the burning, itching and went to the ER and was given a solu-medrol injection.
I then spoke with the nurse manager (Nancy) and she had me see the owner, Dr Darshan Shah on March 2, he agreed that I was having a severe allergic reaction to these sutures. He prescribed 2medrol dosepaks back to back which provided temporary relief.
I am now seeing an ophthalmologic plastic surgeon for post-op care and gave him the op report. In addition to the allergic reaction to the sutures, I've developed severe chronic dry eye (because Dr Lehocky removed too much skin on the top lids) and ingrown eyelashes. My vision is impaired and going outside even with sunglasses is painful. I'm using three different types of eye drops and ointment just to manage the discomfort (I could not tolerate Restasis which was prescribed by the ophthalmologic surgeon). The skin under my eyes is ischemic and almost reddish black. This is permanent. The upper eyelid scars are very asymmetrical, the left one is a line, the right one looks like a hook. I look beat up. My ophthalmologic surgeon read the operative report and said the procedure that was done is very outdated and I'll need a revision in the future.
I saw my primary care physician last week due to a rash on my face, fatigue and headaches that had me in tears for a week. She is worried about all of the steroids I was given (total of 3 Medrol Dosepaks and the Solu Medrol injection at the ER) since 1/25/16) and now I'm referred to an endocrinologist.
All of this could have been avoided if Dr Lehocky paid attention to my issue with foreign bodies and chose a suture that is removed within 10 days. I've researched 100's of blephs and have never read about this procedure being done with 56 day dissolvable sutures. It's been an exhausting and humiliating experience. I look like a monster without makeup and am extremely depressed due to putting complete trust in Dr LeHocky and then being treated with such lack of dignity.
I picked up my records (op report and follow up visits), and none of this is documented. There are also many errors (one says he removed a drain? I never had any drains), and they make me sound like an idiot. Also I never received copies of consents that I signed. The visit with Dr Shah also wasn't documented. I paid $7100 for this and went into debt, just to be mutilated and tossed aside when complications arose. That is approximately twice the cost that I see charged for the same procedure. The surgeons at Beautologie should be informed and educated to handle complications, and treat each patient individually with regard to their needs. I am in constant pain with the severe dry eye; which keeps me up at night, ingrown eyelashes, and can't perform outdoor activities.
Beautologie Cosmetic Surgery & Laser Center Reviews
I underwent four quad blepharoplasty on 1/25/16 performed by Brett Lehocky, DDS, MD, who is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon contracted with Beautologie in Bakersfield.
At my pre-op, I discussed the fact that my body rejects foreign bodies. I had bilateral foot surgery in 2011 the right foot first, then the left 6 months later. My right foot was very inflamed until the podiatrist removed the screw during my left foot surgery. Two weeks after the left foot surgery, the screw stuck out of my foot. Other foreign body issues were related to birth control devices in the 80's.
Within a week of my bleph I felt a poking in my left eye. I saw Dr Lehocky three times that week for this issue, he hardly looked at my eye and prescribed Kenalog and Maxitrol, which caused my face to swell so it was discontinued. I finally called the office manager (Kelly) who met me on arrival and stayed in the exam room with me until Dr Lehocky finally took the time and found the suture poking my eye and clipped it.
This was the easy part.
After surgery I was given steroids for inflammation (Medrol Dosepak). When this wore off I developed intense itching, burning watery eyes. This was week 2 or 3 of post op. I was again seen several times with no help, and treated like a nuisance. Dr Lehocky would come into the exam room, mumble something and leave. Finally I asked him what sutures were used and he wrote on a card "Caprosyn". Upon my research, these sutures take 56 days to absorb. Finally at 4 weeks post op he excruciatingly removed some but not all sutures with no local anesthesia. I spoke with a nurse who works for the company that manufactures these sutures and she'd never heard of them being used for blephs. Feb 29 I couldn't stand the burning, itching and went to the ER and was given a solu-medrol injection.
I then spoke with the nurse manager (Nancy) and she had me see the owner, Dr Darshan Shah on March 2, he agreed that I was having a severe allergic reaction to these sutures. He prescribed 2medrol dosepaks back to back which provided temporary relief.
I am now seeing an ophthalmologic plastic surgeon for post-op care and gave him the op report. In addition to the allergic reaction to the sutures, I've developed severe chronic dry eye (because Dr Lehocky removed too much skin on the top lids) and ingrown eyelashes. My vision is impaired and going outside even with sunglasses is painful. I'm using three different types of eye drops and ointment just to manage the discomfort (I could not tolerate Restasis which was prescribed by the ophthalmologic surgeon). The skin under my eyes is ischemic and almost reddish black. This is permanent. The upper eyelid scars are very asymmetrical, the left one is a line, the right one looks like a hook. I look beat up. My ophthalmologic surgeon read the operative report and said the procedure that was done is very outdated and I'll need a revision in the future.
I saw my primary care physician last week due to a rash on my face, fatigue and headaches that had me in tears for a week. She is worried about all of the steroids I was given (total of 3 Medrol Dosepaks and the Solu Medrol injection at the ER) since 1/25/16) and now I'm referred to an endocrinologist.
All of this could have been avoided if Dr Lehocky paid attention to my issue with foreign bodies and chose a suture that is removed within 10 days. I've researched 100's of blephs and have never read about this procedure being done with 56 day dissolvable sutures. It's been an exhausting and humiliating experience. I look like a monster without makeup and am extremely depressed due to putting complete trust in Dr LeHocky and then being treated with such lack of dignity.
I picked up my records (op report and follow up visits), and none of this is documented. There are also many errors (one says he removed a drain? I never had any drains), and they make me sound like an idiot. Also I never received copies of consents that I signed. The visit with Dr Shah also wasn't documented. I paid $7100 for this and went into debt, just to be mutilated and tossed aside when complications arose. That is approximately twice the cost that I see charged for the same procedure. The surgeons at Beautologie should be informed and educated to handle complications, and treat each patient individually with regard to their needs. I am in constant pain with the severe dry eye; which keeps me up at night, ingrown eyelashes, and can't perform outdoor activities.