Pure Med Spa — Local services in Chicago

They DO NOT honor their Groupon prices or promises/guarantees. Read my experience for details

My experience with this spa wasn’t good at all. I found a Groupon for laser hair removal and decided to contact them before purchasing it. I spoke to Kelsey “the manager” first, who assured me that they’d match the groupon and referred me to talk to Joslyn (who’s no longer there) for my consultation. I explained to them that I would need Saturday appts, because I don’t drive and I have a 3-year old, so I rely on my husband to drive me and watch our kid during my appointments. I was paired with Joslyn and was assured that they’d accommodate my schedule. More importantly, I made sure to ask them (more than once over FB, email, AND TEXT) that if I needed additional sessions that they’d match the Groupon. I still have the messages that prove that they had promised to price match the Groupon, should I need additional sessions so that I don’t buy another voucher from Groupon (the voucher limit was 2 per customer). So, I went ahead and purchased only 1 voucher and was very excited about receiving my sessions, after all the details and guarantees that were given to me about seeing results right away.

Well, 9 sessions later and I can honestly tell you that my experience went from good to bad to worse every month. Not only did they NOT honor their promise, but I didn’t get the results from their laser hair removal. First, Joslyn left just after 2 sessions so I got paired with Larissa. Larissa was a great laser tech expert and I don’t blame her at all for the poor results or experience I had, because she was very knowledgeable and she took her time with me, covering all the spots. I believe the machine that they use is NOT a strong laser. It’s an IPL machine that has multiple functions FYI. And I am a perfect candidate for laser hair removal (I have very fair skin with dark hair). Larissa, doesn’t work on Saturdays and that by itself was a major hassle for me, because now my husband had to leave work early every month to make it to my appointments there and it’s a 1-hour drive for us. To make matters worse, they rarely had appointments after 4 and always asked me to come early, even though they knew all about my circumstances and the trouble they were putting me through for not sticking with my schedule (as promised). They even once randomly scheduled me with someone else and I had to reschedule as it's not advisable to keep switching between different techs. But considering their unprofessionalism they didn't really care. And even then, I still ALWAYS came on time, and sometimes managed to come in earlier at their request. So instead of accommodating me, it was the other way around (so much for good customer service).

After my 6 sessions were done, Larissa explained that I would need at least 3 more. So, when I reminded them about their promise to price match my groupon, they acted like they didn’t know anything about that and Kelsey came up and said, “Oh, well that Groupon offer expired.” I was like, “Yeah, but I was promised that you would honor the price if I needed more sessions, as you and Joslyn assured me and I still have the messages.” She actually asked me to pull them up (insinuating that I was lying) and after I showed her the messages from Joslyn she turned all sour and was like “Okay I could do that as a one-time thing but I can’t risk my job blah blah!” Umm, excuse me, had I known you were not going to honor the groupon I wouldn’t have bought it in the first place, nor came to your spa! They weren’t honest or straightforward with me from the start and they ended up charging me the same price for 3-sessions only. At that point, I no longer wanted to go there anymore but considering I only needed 3 more sessions to see the results so I got stuck with them. Needless to say, 9 sessions later and my hair has only reduced to about 40 percent. It was a total waste of time and money for me and I DON’T recommend them for laser hair removal. Look elsewhere and save your money. They have the worst...

Edit September 2024 to respond: I just noticed they revised their response to my review from a couple months ago, and they are not telling the truth.

"Before you came into your appointment you had previous filler that was placed incorrectly. It was recommended that you dissolve this filler prior to starting. You refused the dissolving process."

-Nope, there was actually ZERO discussion of dissolving filler to begin with, and the only filler I had was what was previously injected by your staff. Thank you for admitting it was placed incorrectly. I didn't refuse the dissolving process, because I was never offered one. Jazmin suggested we just add more filler on top of the filler I came in to address one month later (this is the picture in my review).

Edit July 2024: I've gone to Pure Med about 5 times now for botox and fillers, with very mixed results. The first injector I saw, Nadia, made me feel rushed and dismissed so I went to Jazmin instead (since Bailey no longer works there per first review below). Jazmin did a great job on my NL fold area last October. We discussed smoothing out the undereye to cheek area at the time, and I went back in May 2024 to follow up on this. Unfortunately my results have made the area look much worse. I felt rushed in the appointment, she asked if we were finally doing my lips this time (I have full lips and think filler here almost always looks unnatural). I had a moment of clarity where I thought, maybe I shouldn't do this today, and I WISH I had listened to my gut. My undereye area now looks deformed and I'm trying to find another doctor to dissolve. You can see the weird divot I now have in the picture that didn't exist before. It looks so awful.

I went for a follow up to discuss my dissatisfaction and she suggested we just add more filler to balance it out. I sat with this later as it set off alarm bells and I realized that more filler would make one side look more uneven than it already does. More filler should not be the first answer to a problem that didn't exist before. When she added filler this last time, it also hurt way more than it had in the same area before. She is lovely and kind but I do not think she is appropriately experienced or trained. There should have been more careful attention to how the face moves and how it compared on both sides. As she finished she even said "I like to say they're sisters not twins." Part of the whole reason I do this is to add balance and harmony, not have two differently sized and contoured cheeks. I am very frustrated that I will now probably have to spend hundreds to have this fixed.

I should also note that the botox I received wore off in about 1 month, much faster than before. I've only had this area treated once before so I know it's not me jamming too much in my face. They're diluting it. See all the other reviews attesting to the same.

They also spam you with specials and offers but they never seem to be for whatever you go in to get done (oh that doesn't apply to this filler, only this one. Oh that special is if you're also getting this, not just that). Every time I've had to negotiate with the front desk to get the price for something they were already advertising and which I selected for that appointment. It feels very scammy. Old review below.

I've gone twice to Pure Med Spa since August to get fillers and botox. The first time I was very anxious about because I hadn't gotten any work done before and didn't have the best experience, but I liked the results enough to want more! Second time I saw Bailey and she was amazing. Really thorough, gentle, made sure I was comfortable and all my questions were answered. She did a great job and I love how my face looks. I was slightly overfilled on one side from the previous injector and she noticed it and balanced everything out. I hadn't even realized that was the problem. I will definitely be back to see Bailey...

A Warning to All but Specifically People of Color

My experience at Pure Med Spa was nothing short of a disaster, and I feel compelled to share my harrowing ordeal to prevent anyone else from falling victim to their utter lack of professionalism and competence.

I went in for laser hair removal on my bikini area and stomach, a decision that should have been accompanied by comfort and assurance from the staff. Instead, I was met with a technician who was clearly under qualified for the job. This technician continuously pushed me to increase the treatment levels, yet couldn't provide me with any information about how the new levels would feel or what the sensation of the procedure would be like. It was as if I was being treated as a guinea pig rather than a paying customer seeking safe and effective treatment.

The nightmare didn't end there. During one of my sessions, I was horrified to see smoke rising from my private area and stomach. When I voiced my concern to the technician, she dismissively claimed it was normal. However, the agony I experienced that night was anything but normal. The areas were severely burned, causing excruciating pain that persisted for weeks. The fact that this "smoke" incident was brushed off as a non-issue is beyond comprehension.

Adding to the chaos was the fact that the spa was constantly switching between different laser machines due to one being out of commission. These machines were from different brands and types, which meant there was no consistency in treatment levels. It's as if they were using a trial-and-error approach with no regard for the potential risks and consequences to their clients' skin.

What's even more shocking is that the technician responsible for my trauma eventually quit, only for a new technician to take her place without any notification to me. This new technician was completely unaware of my treatment levels and skin type. When I inquired about her plan for my remaining sessions, her nonchalant response that she was going to "wing it" left me speechless and terrified for my safety.

As a person of color, I feel it's crucial to emphasize that this establishment does not prioritize the well-being of individuals with diverse skin tones. The lack of knowledge, care, and professionalism I experienced during my time at Pure Med Spa is a blatant reflection of their disregard for the safety and satisfaction of their clients.

In conclusion, I implore anyone considering Pure Med Spa for laser treatments to look elsewhere. The pain, trauma, and damage I suffered due to their incompetence is not worth the risk. People of color, in particular, should steer clear of this place, as they have proven time and again that they are not equipped to provide safe and effective treatments for diverse skin types. Your health and well-being deserve far better than what this establishment...