HEC Wellness Center — Local services in Honolulu

Edit: Sunny was the best thing about HEC and unfortunately I can no longer vouch for HEC. During my last laser session, a staff member who has on several other occasions been a bit brash and upsetting to me, walked into the session while my ass crack was getting lasered (Brazilian). She thought that would be an appropriate time to point out to me that this was a new and upgraded machine (Soprano Titanium), that this session would be complimentary "of course", but from here on out every visit would be $406 dollars. I was livid, but just responded in that I would speak to it later. I asked to speak to the owner because the timing of this action was COMPLETELY inappropriate. Dr. Oda apologized because he could see I was very upset but also said they would no longer be honoring any further laser treatments / touch-ups. He said one of the reasons Sunny was no longer working with them was the promises she made. That being said, She was the reason I even signed up to try the hair laser. I had been very reluctant from a previous experience and HEC laser is far more expensive. She had said though, even if there is one hair, we will keep treating. I mentioned my light hair and she said it didn't matter. Unfortunately, this is not in the contract. Luckily, with my light hair, I am finally at the point where I will be able to take care of the rest easily, but it did take 20-30 treatments to get to this point. I will NEVER come back, especially, if that employee is still there. Most of the rest of the staff (ever-changing), is still very lovely, and although I have had a different tech for most of my laser treatments over the past year, they have all been very professional. This, and their good hair removal laser is why I will still give 3 stars. Also, in my previous post I never mentioned any of the "fat-burning" laser treatments that I had paid for prior to the doing the hair removal. I thought those were worthless. Stick to diet and exercise. Don't waste your time.

Original Post: HEC has many smiling faces when you enter the door. Of everyone there I really appreciate Sunny. I don't know her official title but she seems to manage the floor and she does it well, with excellent customer care. They have a newer style of laser for hair removal - I believe it's the Alma Soprano ICE Platinum. I've had hair removal in the past and this newer machine has been more effective. HEC hair treatment cost is initially more expensive then other places I've been, however they will keep treating if there is still hair remaining. I have lighter skin tone and lighter hair, so it can be more difficult for any laser to treat. That said my underarms responded quickly. The Brazilian is taking a bit longer but it's ok, so far they are honoring their word and keeping up with treatments. I would recommend utilizing HEC hair removal services if you have thought...

Overview: This review is regarding my consultation. I was happy with my meeting, comfortable with everything Dr. Oda explained, and have no reservations about moving forward.

The Details: I made an appointment after seeing Dr. Oda's insert in the Midweek. I was able to get an appointment scheduled online within the week. I had a question regarding multiple areas of treatment and received an email reply the following day. The office was easy to find (Ala Moana Building). The staff and reception area were pleasant and everything looked clean and orderly. They will take your temperature and ask the normal COVID-19 screening questions upon check-in. You are asked to remove your shoes, so it's a good idea to bring socks if you don't want to be barefoot.

Dr. Oda was friendly and explained the procedures, answered my questions, etc. He is transparent about the number of treatments and the pricing. I did not feel pressured, but expect that you will be asked which package you feel is do-able for you. While the treatments I inquired about were not covered by medical insurance, when you break down the individual treatment costs, it is no different than the cost of a new patient or physical office visit. Recently, I was charged $256 for an office visit by a comprehensive health organization for an immunization visit since I had not been seen in some time and was trying to establish a PCP. HMSA rejected the office visit, despite that fact that I have not had a PCP for over a decade. After more than 6 weeks of trying to resolve the charge, I gave up and paid it to avoid collections. If anything, you will know up front what you are paying for. I don't see anything misleading about that.

I have not scheduled treatments yet as I need to clear my schedule to accommodate the 2x per week visits or even the longer 1x per week treatments. I hope to be able to do this in the next month or so and will update again at that time.

Overall, I felt Dr. Oda was knowledgeable and his staff was friendly and efficient. My visit was in the late afternoon and even at that time, there were more than half-dozen patients coming in and out for treatment. As with any medical treatment, results are NEVER guaranteed and one must do their due diligence. At no time did I feel pressured. If you have questions, it is always best to schedule a consultation and decide if this office or treatment are for you....

I went for a consultation on trying to lower my A1C and Type 2 diabetes. After only just a little over a month and 12 laser treatments I got my A1C down from 7.7 to 6.3. My primary doctor cut my metformin pills from 4 pills to only 2 pills a day. If I get my A1C down to 5.7 she will take me off all of my diabetes meds. I’m continuing more laser treatments and plan to reverse my diabetes all together. I’ve tried everything and Dr Oda’s laser treatments is safe, painless and the only thing thats helped me so far. You can even lose some weight as long as you follow Dr Oda and his staff’s instructions. If you don't, I’m willing to bet it won’t work for you or as fast! Hydration is key as well as using the colon cleanse pills and hydrate powder. The staff is very friendly and always makes you feel welcome. It may seem a bit pricey for some, but its for the betterment of your own health and even more reason to listen carefully to what they tell you. Otherwise, you won’t get the results that you expect! 🤗 I’m now on my 3 series of laser treatments and although my A1C is only at 6.2, my primary doctor has now removed me from another diabetes medication and lowered my Metformin now down to only one a day. She also lowered the dosage of my blood pressure medication from 50MG to 25MG. Since my weight is now below 160lbs, I now only have to take a shot of Ozempic bi-weekly instead of weekly. If I continue on this path of maintaining my weight, blood pressure and A1C I plan to continue my laser treatments to once a month for maintenance. Life is good at 70 after taking and being overweight and a diabetic for over 40 years. 😃 Anyone looking for another option to reverse your diabetes should definitely try Dr ODA’s laser treatments. I’m glad I did and if you are serious about better health for yourself then don’t hesitate to see Dr Oda and his great staff! 🤗 Big key to success is keeping...