Sono Bello's reply to:
Sono Bello - Wouldn't do it again
This was my own experience based on my thoughts and feelings about my own procedure and my opinion of on if it was successful.
I waited until my six month appointment to leave my feedback because while you're going through recovery your emotions are what I consider to be out of whack. Now that I have had my six month appointment I'm happy to leave my feedback.
The day of my consultation I weighted 163 lbs, my upper abdomen was 31 inches, waist 29.5 inches, lower abs 37 inches, each leg was 24.5 inches. I was in no way toned, I had a lot of cellulite, and was looking for help.
When I went in for my consultation, April Peck claimed amazing results without pain and she said "people can go back to work the next day, although you may be tired." What an understatement that turned out to be. April said everything could be done at once and within three months I'd be fabulous and feeling great! After April quoted me for upper abs, waist, lower abs, inner and outer thigh, knees, I said I couldn't afford it. Obviously their site is a bit misleading. You're charged on your BMI, not the price quoted on their site, $1,249 an area... April knocked off the knees and gave me a total I could afford, $8,600, which included upper abdomen, waist, lower abdomen, inner and outer thighs. She said my body would be tight and smooth. That cellulite on my stomach would be gone! Being desperate and finding my diets weren't working and I couldn't figure out how to get toned on my own I signed the papers! I was thrilled because April truly believed in her product and so did I. Also, April told me she was getting her Sono Bello body soon! To this day, she certainly does not appear to have done so... But maybe her surgery results ended up like mine and she looks the same.
In my pre-op the doctor asked what I wanted from this, I said I wanted to be a four-six again, he said "what the man upstairs can't do, we try down here." He felt my goal was realistic. My surgery was unable to be completed in one surgery as April had advised. The doctor advised I would need two surgeries because of I was having five areas and due to the medication etc... It had to be, split.
The surgery did not feel like a deep tissue massage as described, at least not for me. It felt like a sharp object poking in my insides. I have had a baby and implants and a breast lift, I do have a high pain tolerance. I was heavily medicated, but I have had deep tissue massages, this was not even close. It didn't feel good at all... After my surgery I was sent home with a couple pads to absorb the drainage. My friend had to actually go buy packages of maxi pads and tape because what Sono Bello gave me was not nearly enough for the three days of mass draining. I couldn't change these myself. Also this was a strenuous process and took extensive time. My friend didn't tell me this at the time, but today while reviewing my feedback explained that she was actually terrified at the amount of drainage. During one changing I started to faint. Thank God I wasn't alone for those days. Sono Bello left out how aggressive this really was and should have given much more details into the immediately recovery. Please be prepared on your own, you will drain a lot. Never be alone for any period of time during your first few days. Lay a towel on everything you sit on and lay on. I needed a lot of medication to bypass the pain for the first couple days. I felt ok but clearly it was the drugs. That whole going to work the next day April said was possible was a far stretch from my reality... I'd have drained all over the office and not to mention how drugged up I was I'd have been fired. I needed a week off. It was manageable but I was heavily drugged also. I lived on toast because I was so nauseous for days. After days of toast I switched to a very low sodium diet, maybe 700 mg of sodium per day. All natural, no additives. I gave up any food in a box. I ate only natural grown fruit and veggies and veggie burgers. My stomach was in pain, manageable unless someone touched it. It would remain to way for three months and then go to a lighter pain for three more. I accidentally hit my side on the corner of the counter very lightly and started to cry.... This was more than unpleasant. This was manageable because of medicine but I'd wake up at 3:00am in pain and need medication. This was especially difficult for me because I'm not a big believer in pain medication and so I was really disappointed in Aprils lack of education of what the recovery is really like. I feel like if you have not had the surgery you should not be the company's representative. It's like if you're selling
Phone service and you don't use that phone service you really shouldn't be a spokes person for it... I shared with my nurse at my post-op that this surgery wasn't as easy as I was told it would be... She said everyone is different with recovery, of course I understood.
Two weeks later it was time for legs. Had I not already paid I'd have said *** no!
However, it was paid for and I didn't want to be out my money. Also, I was desperately hopping for the results to be worth the pain. This time I felt like I was going in prepared. I knew the drainage was going to be awful and the surgery would suck. During the surgery the pain wasn't too bad. Certainly no deep tissue massage! But, not as bad as the stomach surgery was. The recovery though was horrid! It was way worse than the first. I could barely get in my car without pain. It was awful, painful, just seriously sucked! I was so overly emotional I cried at my post op. I said what a liar April was, this was a far cry from easy recovery. I continued the same diet as I had been on post my stomach surgery. Then the nurse made a comment that typically people end up needing the Venus freeze to tighten the skin. I was really shocked. I had no clue what she was talking about. April left out something quite important! Not only was the surgery $8,600 but the Venus freeze is $1,500 per area! I had five areas done! How was I supposed to afford this? I left really upset. I don't think the nurse understood what she just did... Now I am fretting about having to pay more which is not what April lead me to understand.
My three month appointment I spent crying in the nurses office. The pain sucked. I explained how I was unhappy with results. The nurse was nice and requested I leave feedback. I told her I was far too emotional to leave accurate feedback and she insisted so I gave her my feedback. I reminded her about how she mentioned having to have a Venus freeze and she said she didn't remember saying that. I showed her issues on my body I wasn't happy with and then she told me it would take a few more months to really see results.
At my mid-six months appointment I went back. I had a new nurse. Once again I cried about everything. In addition I pointed out to how unhappy I was with my results. I felt like I basically looked the exact same, the nurse explained that April had received a long discussion about misleading many customers and telling them they will get results that are unrealistic. She repeated a few times that this was an issue April had received a discussion over. After my appointment the nurse called me and offered six free Venus treatments because she said the office manager thought we could see if it would help, also in attempt to avoid a revision which April originally told me no one really has to ever have... I said great, I spent a ton of money, let's try this on your dime. I'm willing to give it a shot. My inner thigh on one of my legs looked as though no fat was even removed. Y other inner thigh has a weird form and my outer thighs are still fat. If I can cup the fat, it clearly wasn't removed. Same things I said at the previous appointments. After my six treatments I still looked gross and disgusting. My legs were no better in my opinion. I think for Venus treatments to really work you would have to have months and months of treatments. Keep in mind I'm eating *** salads daily, walking 3-6 miles a day, and drinking well over a liter of water a day, so I'm doing my part here.
Prior to my six month appointment I read so many reviews regarding revision requests, refunds, unsatisfied customers, etc... I was really trying to be prepared to hear nothing can be done. I felt I was pretty much screwed and didn't want to be a blubbering *** in the appointment. After all, it was very rare for me to leave an appointment at Sono Bello not crying...
At my six month appointment the doctor said there wasn't a lot he could do. He said he couldn't fix my stomach. The doctor did me a little favor during my stomach surgery, he took a little off of my hips. Unfortunately this didn't recover so well. One of my sides sticks out. I showed him and he said, we'll we only did your waist so if you'd like to discuss your hips we can see what we can do. No, that's so not right, he did take some off and he said "since you have to come in twice we will give you a little extra." So I'm just stuck with the appears of this I guess. He said it would all mesh together... It looks *** and every time I look in the mirror I push my side in and pray it will just go down, the doctor said I looked good. He said "this is what good lipo looks like." I cried and cried during the appointment. I couldn't believe it. I really looked so similar to what I previously did. The doctor said because i was so upset he could fix my one of inner thighs because it didn't match my my other one and he felt he may be able to fix a little of my outer thigh. That was it though.
At my six month appointment I weighed 158 lbs, my upper abdomen 32 inches, waist 28.5 inches, hips 36.5 inches, each leg 23.75 inches. Basically I gained one inch on my upper abdomen and lost one inch on the rest of the areas that received a lipo. Reminder, I was working out. I was out in the heat exercising. I can't attribute my success of one inch gone to lipo because I do not know that it is what helped. I don't know if it gave me a jump start. I do know it wasn't worth the money... One inch for all of that money, time, pain, and emotional enters. So after all the trips to the doctor, medication, tons of maxi pads for absorbing the drainage, I paid about $9,000 for one inch... However, I can have two small revisions and go through all that pain and inconvenience all over again and not have a guarantee of success. Unfortunately I don't have that kind of time and honestly while I listened to the doctor I heard all of those bad reviews going through my mind. I felt like things he was saying were things I read prior to my appointment. He was really nice, I believe he is a good doctor, I'm sure other patience are just elated with the results he gave them, sadly it didn't happen for me. Someone in that office said, "do you think maybe this is how you're supposed to look, or you're not supposed to be a size four?" Obviously I hadn't thought of that, if I had I would have not paid so much money to get results I was told were achievable by both April and the doctor. I do not believe lipo was the answer for me.
This was my own experience based on my thoughts and feelings about my own procedure and my opinion of on if it was successful. I have read good reviews and bad reviews. My goal was to stand naked in front of my husband and feel confident and for me to personally like what he is looking at. While my husband is amazing and truly loves me, feeling good about myself and how I look is important to me. As a woman self confidence in my appearance was what I was really striving for. That didn't happen for me. I still feel bad about how I look naked. I'm not a size six, definitely not a four. I'm no stranger to plastic surgery, I've had implants and a lift that I'm thrilled with, thanks to Dr. Robert Cohen at Scottsdale Center for Plastic Surgery for them. Unfortunately I did not have the same experience at Sono Bello.
If this has taught me anything, it is that there is no easy fix to what society has made us all crazy over. If you are willing to spend money on your body let your first question be, "why did someone have a bad experience and how was it resolved." I probably won't look at how many good experiences there are in the future because it's the bad ones that a company has the opportunities to recover from. I feel this way because while my experience with the doctors themselves was not bad, the experience with my results in my opinion is. Yes they offered to fix two small areas of one leg, but that wont help my other leg and my entire stomach area and the part of my hip which was a freebie.
I take leaving feedback very seriously. I have only done so with two other companies in my life. I received repeated emails from Sono Bello requesting my feedback, so as I explained I waited until my recovery was after six months. I also asked my friend who was along for my journey to review my feedback. I wanted to make sure I didn't exaggerate my thoughts and feelings through this process.
Comments from my friend who took care of me and was with me through the last seven months:
"the fact that they said you could have gone back to work so soon, they were full of ***."
"The nausea medication made you nauseous and sick."
"The drainage piece was extensive, I never told you this but it actually scared me."
"It was more than drainage, you gushed when you stood up."
"They should refund you."
"A lot of money for little results."
If something sounds to good to be true, it is. I hope others who go through with lipo have a great experience and get great results. I do believe society has truly damaged humans in regards to desperately seeking desired appearances and being physically accepted as attractive by the general public to the point where we pay for results and are devastated when the results are not at all what we prayed for.
Monetary Loss: $8600.
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Thank You for Your Reply! We are processing your message.
Comments
Please avoid publishing any personal information and promotional content
Thank you for your extensive review. I was considering having lipo on my thigh areas only but will just try harder to make time for eating better and working out.
I really feel sorry for you and your experience with Sono Bello. I was considering having this treatment done on my wife as she saw this advertisement on TV.
After reading what you wrote, I would not want my wife or any friends of mine to go through what you did.
I will not let my wife go this route and just encourage her to work out more and eat better. Thank you for your detailed review.
Omg! I feel so incredibly sorry for you Honey.
I'm at the 'checking reviews' stage, and oh boy, are yours, my mind has been made up. I'm a size 16 now (being honest) and have clothes in my closet from when I was a 4! I'd be happy with a 6 again, but an recovering from knee surgery on both knees. In two words....
Leslie Sansone!!
I lost 60lbs working out in front of the tv. I WILL do it again, and not be so *** eating the wrong foods.
I wish you SO much luck in the future, and ALL the other dissatisfied customers too!!
Sono Bello is NOT for me.
I am so sorry for what happen to you.
I was just looking at lipo thinking the same that it could help me out, but after reading this I much rather run to the gym and enjoy a nice swimm I might not loose 40 pounds soon but at least my mood will be great. I am beyond disgusted I think you are so nice and this company is a joke praying on people's dreams and desperation not sure how they can sleep at night really.
The kicker is wen they tell you you think this is the size you are meant to be...
Really !!!
After expending 9 grand.
I wander if you could do a law suit against them after telling you next day you could work.
It seem you even should have stay at the hospital for at least a day seems very deangerouse to me, I am glad you share with us your experience I wil really think is just think is a nightmer. Thank you :)
Thank you so much for your comments, have seen this company on television and was thinking about calling. NOT going to do that now! Hope things get better for you.
I hear everyone comment, but not one person mentioned about wrapping the body with a tight spanx. I am in Georgia, after every body refinement your doctor usually put the client in a scuba like spandex suit,you will drain through it, but do not remove during your healing.
That's what sculpt the body for even toning. No lumps.
I think that's where all the procedures wrong.
Wow. I'm definitely not making an appointment.
I appreciate that it took a huge emotional toll on you to even write the review. I can't imagine your torture going through the experience.
One thing.....you truly had my sympathy until you went back for your legs. You could have sued in small claims court to get your money back for that and even if you had to forfeit that money, WHY on earth would you go back for more????
That makes no sense.
Another thing.....you keep saying about how horrible you look "now", and then you say that you look the same as you did before.
Which is it? Are you Frankenstein after this or do you just look the same and you still hate your body the same as you did before?
My advice to you is to keep exercising, eating healthy and get a good therapist, because girl, you really need one.
So sorry for what happen to you should have done research on them before you let them work on you if I were you I sue there ***
Thank you for being so clear.
I will NOT be going to my "sales pitch" tomorrow morning. I thought it was very odd I would not be meeting with a Dr.or an RN but now I see. I hope things get better for you and you find another Dr that can fix this mess.
So sorry to hear about all your pain and suffering.I appreciate you sharing your experience and it appears that you were trying to be fair about it being " your experience" but other review mention similar results and just as much disappointment. Best of luck to you in staying healthy.
After reading this, I'd say $9000 worth of personal trainer sessions would get you the results you wanted. I'm sorry for your bad experience :(
Sue the company and I hope you took pictures. Non disclosures are huge, it sounds like. I would tell everyone of your *non-success* with this company
thank you I am in stl and they just sent me a special I see why!!!!
I had a tummy tuck almost five years ago stomach flat but it looks like Freddie Kruger cut me so I do understand.Keep working out and change your eating try Herbalife!!!
Thank you for your well thought out review of the whole Sono Bello process! I had just made my consultation appointment when I found and read it!
I will be cancelling it immediately!
You have undoubtedly saved me, and countless other women (and men) untold pain and suffering! God bless you, and may you find peace and contentment with your beautiful self going forward!
Thank you for posting your experience. I was seriously considering the Sonobello.
I too desire to look amazing for my husband.
Again, thank you for sharing, you alone have saved me a lot of grief. It is my hopes that you recover physically as well as recover your funds.
I am sorry for what you went through. I am glad I read your story.
My suggestion to you, if you were happy with Dr. Cohen you should have asked him for a referral in your area.
I agree with everyone else. Sorry for your horrible experience.
I also have had plastic surgery done in the past. It was painful but doable. I have an appointment tomorrow and was having second thoughts about it and now I'm definitely canceling my appointment! Thank you for your honesty and writing this post.
It sounds like you saved a lot of people alot of money and pain.
Take care of yourself. Love yourself for who you are inside not outside.
I'm so sorry you went though this. One thing is , you taught me a great lesson.
I am your about same size and this sounds like me speaking. I feel the same way you do about wanting to feel good about my body in front of my husband. This world really has sent us into this crazy way we look at ourselves. I am sorry you went though all of this, what a horrible thing.
But, thank you for the feedback, it made me think twice . Thank you
Thank you so much for this because I was about to make an appt. I am so sorry this happened to you but thank you for saving others with your post
Went to sonobello for free treatment/evaluation. The quite large lady there who gave me my free treatment, told me she was a "Sonobello work in progress", I chose NOT to take the treatments but I DID go back twice in the following 2 years to check on this "work in progress". The lady in question has gained not lost poundage!