Alliance Health Choice — Local services in Los Angeles

Discriminates against Groupon and used my health as leverage to deny service.

I wanted to leave a review in regards to Freeze The Fat Dr. (Westwood). Unfortunately, it was one of the worst experiences I’ve had with a business in the LA area.

After a few weeks of researching Ultra Sonic Cavitation, I called their hotline to clarify the logistics of the deal (their Groupon page is very sparse. It simply says treatment can be provided on any area and what the procedure is.) This organization also discriminates against Groupon users (booking them months out, when they have open appointments). One of the owners, Ramin Broukhim, was impatient and less than happy to answer my questions. He quickly assured me cavitation would be best and confirmed that I could choose multiple treatment areas for my session (like two small areas). I took notes on ALL of this. He then abruptly told me he had other people on the line he had to get to and to schedule a consultation. I was left feeling stupid, as if I’d disrupted his work by asking about a procedure being done to my body. Despite the red-flag phone manner, I purchased the Groupon and scheduled my consultation.

I show up to the consultation, well-researched and ready to be medically cleared. The woman at the front desk opens my voucher before the treatment (something that voids a Groupon). I’m then taken to a room and asked to sign paperwork, without any explanation of it. Next, the medical assistant tells me I should do cool sculpting instead of the cavitation. I declined, happy with the cavitation, but she continues to try to sell me on it. I then became confused that I had chosen the wrong procedure. Frustrated, she tells me I can do the cavitation if I want, but I wouldn’t see many results (opposite of what I was told on the phone.) She also confirmed I could try two treatment areas (small tummy area and a few inches on my thigh); it might just take longer to see results, which I was ok with. As far as medical clearance, I was only concerned with a small cyst I had. The other owner, Nadia Goel, came into address: “Don’t worry sweetie, the cavitation doesn’t penetrate that deep, you’ll be fine!”

Then things start to turn – as I’m changing, Nadia tells the medical assistant she’s not to treat both areas. I need to choose one. I let them know I was counseled otherwise (via phone and the medical assistant). It becomes a back and forth, due to the miscommunication. I then apologize and let them know with the new information, I’d be happy to do a single area for my first treatment – but to please specify this on the phone, with the medical assistant and on their Groupon page in the future to avoid confusion. No big deal.

During the entire process, Nadia refused to take ownership of the information passed along on the phone – essentially calling me a liar. Telling me I didn’t understand the process I was there for. She went so far as calling the other owner and telling him that I was lying about him during the appointment. She berated me, disrespected me and sent me into tears. She then tells her medical staff to pull out all the equipment from the office and that she wouldn’t be treating me.

I kept my cool and simply repeated: “I understand the treatment. I had just been misinformed. Please make the correction to your phone service and website in the future.” Two of the medical assistants tried to get involved on my behalf (I thought maybe it was a language barrier) to clear up the miscommunication, but she came back in and told me to get out of her office and slammed the door in my face. Again, I’m sitting on the table – crying, unsure of why I was now being kicked out for asking for clarifications in a CONSULTATION.

I call owner Ramin Broukhim to explain the situation. He tells me they won’t “bother touching me” because of my cyst. I’m a liability. I inform him that I was told differently in the office by Nadia.

Either they were going to clear me (when I shouldn’t have been) to get my business – or are they were using the medical issue to deny me service....

i hate to leave a bad review, but i've concluded this place is sketchy and feel morally obligated to share. some positive points: i interacted with half a dozen women during my experience here, and all were super friendly and attentive. also, my result (lip filler) ended up not being bad. but there were/are some things that raise a red flag. 1) the appointment was for lip filler, which i have had in dozens of different medspas in various cities around the world, and i have never, ever had filler injected in a grid pattern across my lips, which was super painful, and which resulted in significant bruising and swelling. 2) the appointment lasted two hours, and i consulted with three people before being injected 3) the gentleman who came into the room to consult with me showed me the box of restalyn filler that was injected, and it looked unlike the other boxes of restayln i had seen before. typically, restalyn comes in a rectangular cardboard box. this filler came encased in packaging with a plastic front and cardboard backing. this really sketched me out. 4) as i look at reviews here, i see that the owner has made disclosures about at least one individual's personal and confidential medical information, which i can tell you as a clinician licensed in the state of california - is not only unethical but also illegal. just sharing some facts so you can make an informed decision for yourself.

edit: nope. you are the correct medspa, i have documentation. i am going to go ahead and report you to dca and i suggest that anyone with similar concerns do the same.

i did a little research and i also want to add: regardless of the brand of filler (restalyn, juviderm, etc) it should always come in the manufacturer's packaging, and all standard packaging for fillers approved for use by the fda in the us come in a rectangular cordboard box. the needle should be packaged separately from the ampoule. further, there is no protocol that exists for injecting lips in a grid pattern. this is indicative of using a product that is not intended for injection into the lips. so, really just to underscore to the public: know what real and fake products look like and understand legitimate methods for injecting. who knows where sketchy...

The 1st time I paid for 50 units of Botox and a significant amount was not injected correctly and dripped down my face. Also my eyelids dropped making the treatment a problem instead of help. I called and was given excuses. Went for a 2nd time and got 20 units and looked better than when I paid for 50 units. However, I am not sure what was injected because the syringes were filled before bringing the product to the room I was in. Based on the response of the manager I don't trust them and suggest you look at the bottle were the product comes from. When I asked the gentleman in charge about the 30 extra units I paid the first time which actually caused a worst look, he said I should have said something at the time. When I told him I had called the office about it then he still did not correct the situation. With that attitude would you go back and trust them injecting your face? You have choices: (1) Speak up right away if the Botox is dripping down your face and hope the person applying it is not affected by the complaint and you do not risk a bruise or? (2) Wait to say something which will get dismissed or the same as the others posted in other reviews and/or the manager saying it is a "fake claim."

Regarding the manager's misrepresentation: The $60 dollar discount is from points earned for past treatments and a coupon that was previously mailed to bring the customer back. The manager did say he would consider a discount in a condescending and a bit offensive way without accepting any responsibility.

On yelp responses this professional manager/owner says "Any and all products are opened in front of clients" and that is false. Syringes were full when they were brought into the room where I was.

One more thing the manager/owner states incorrectly. I returned 4 months after the first treatment which by the way did not last even 3 months which makes me wonder if what other reviews say about the product being diluted is correct. I returned to give them the benefit...