DermFx Redondo Beach — Local services in Redondo Beach

It's a sad day when I am writing a 1 star review about Dermfx. Though, honestly, if I could give zero stars on this review I would. For context I've been going to Dermfx for a long time! I love that they are so involved in helping children without homes. I have a lot of adopted kids in my family and what Erin does always made me feel good supporting them. Nurse Shannon is also my favorite and I stand by that. Bernadette , Kristina, and Kelsey always made me feel like family and I would always drive hours to go to dermfx because I was so loyal. I have had the occasional issue with a procedure in the past (with other nurses who I didn't know too well) but NOTHING like my recent Sculptra procedure with nurse Vanessa.

For context: I have had sculptra before at a different med spa. A blunt tip cannula was used and the procedure was great. I mainly got it in my mid face/temples and I loved the results. For the most part I have always trusted dermfx and decided to purchase one of their sculptra vials on special. I wanted to increase the collagen in my jaw and that is what I requested at the beginning of the procedure. The nurse talked about adding some of the sculptra to my cheeks and mid face (which was already pretty full) I WISH I SAID NO. However, I said okay... trusting the nurse and trusting that she would be able to safely inject my mid face. When she was about to enter the mid face - I was very curious why she was using a sharp tipped long needle rather than THE SAFER OPTION TO PREVENT NERVE DAMAGE (a cannula). Vanessa went deep with the needle right above the bone (which is where you should be) but the angle was perfectly parallel to my pupil and she was obviously not trying to avoid the infraorbital nerve- as soon as she hit it, or hit the foramen. I felt a horrible tingle up to my eye and then my vision was blurry about 3 days after the procedure. I thought it was a reaction to the lidocaine but I was sorely mistaken. After having a few appointments with specialists and many many tests, I found out this was indeed nerve damage and it take months and months (up to a year to heal) IT IS COMPLETELY DEBILITATING. I am dizzy/off balance constantly, nauseous, and there is a dull pain in my right eye at all times. It aches and doesn't go away unless I take gabapentine and Advil. 7 days later it still feels like something is in my eye and I am unable to cry out of the eye. It's as if my tear trough has been affected also.

I have been on so many drugs for the last week. I have barely slept. I have missed a week of work and I have spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars to try and get better with not luck. I have asked Dermfx for a refund on the treatment and they have yet to refund me. This is not a normal person complaining that their product didn't look good and they want a refund. This is someone who has gone through an immense amount of pain and suffering over a treatment that is supposed to be straightforward and safe ( especially for injector who has been injecting as long as Vanessa) dermfx is now sending me to the ENT that owns the med spa an hour away from where I live and I am having to pay a friend to drive me because I can't even drive. My nerve/ eye is too sensitive. For context I am not being overly dramatic or sensitive. I'm actually pretty tough. To prove it I will add some photos from other procedures that probably went wrong at dermfx but I didn't even bat and eye and knew I would heal. Nerve damage on the other hand is preventable when you have an injector who isn't careless. Customer beware. Your life could be really messed up from one procedure here. Again, I am not a petty person and really didn't want to slam dermfx. I did feel like I tried all I could to speak with the owner (higher management) but the owner wouldn't talk to me. I'm hoping someone will reach out to me after this review and after I meet with their ENT -to try and make it right. I know that is what I would do if I owned the business and a patient...

I miss this place in the little house on PCH before they moved and started gouging long-term customers with their hard sell, making things up along the way to benefit their own pockets. I have been going to Dermfx for years and my go-to is Dysport. Through the years my units have changed as is normal with age and I finally found my sweet spot at 36 units in my forehead and glabella, which lasts me 4 months! I'm happy! I decided, going forward, to skip my crowsfeet because I laugh so much it doesn't "take", plus I found a great new crowsfeet product that I love elsewhere. So the last couple sessions I only purchased 36 units ($117) and Ima Happy Camper, but this time they announced "no can do", you need to purchase at least $200 minimum. ?? I asked WHY? I'm perfectly happy with 36 units and the injector said we'd like to see you get more in your forehead (60 units)? Are you out of your mind? I've never had that much on my face, I don't want to be stiff with no movement, but it doesn't even matter, I shouldn't have to explain, it's nobody else's decision but my own, what the customer is happy with, not YOU. I grabbed my purse and was half way off the bed in the treatment room, ready to leave, when the gal said "hold on", let me go ask. Normally, it's 5 min and I'm on my way, I don't even need to wait for ice to numb, but this last appt took about 1/2 hour because more than one person came in & out of room leaving me waiting to "get permission" from the Dermfx god. The one gal came back and said "we'll do it this last time, but that's it". She even had the nerve to say "another nurse told you last time about our $200 minimum" which was a lie, NOBODY TOLD ME THAT!

Dermfx used to be so fair and give you a 2 week complimentary follow-up to come back for light touch-ups if needed, which was so nice, but they did away with that because, after all, they aren't making any dough with freebie touch-ups. They also raised the promo that, for years was, 90 units of Dysport and get $50 off, NOW it's 120 units of Dysport.

The whole experience left me with such a bad feeling, it made me feel cheap and undervalued as a paying customer, and I told them that I didn't appreciate the canned hard sell. This ain't my first rodeo, you could tell it was all marketing and they were trained to regurgitate their mantras but it didn't work on me, and it was my last time there. I called a couple other places who are HAPPY to take my money with no minimum. I did leave feedback about the appt when they sent it, but nobody got back to me, so whatever.

I would be willing to revise this feedback if Dermfx made it right and went back to the way things used to be before they got greedy. It's simply not fair to force a paying customer to pay more than the units they want or need. Their new location is beautiful and very big, I'll give them that, with way too many workers walking around IMO, so I guess they've got to pay the higher rent and workers. Still doesn't feel good to be...

Disappointing Experience – Poor Communication & Organization

I really wanted to like this place, especially since a friend referred me. However, my experience has been frustrating from start to finish.

When I called to schedule an appointment for my mom, I was asked to provide a credit card to create an account—standard practice, so I had no issue with that. When we arrived for our appointment, I was pleased with Vanessa and the receptionist; they were both great. My mom was prescribed a cream to lighten certain areas before her actual treatment, and Vanessa quoted us $80.

However, when it was time to pay, the price suddenly jumped to $130. I explained that we had been told $80, and thankfully, Vanessa was there to clear up the mistake. We paid the correct amount—in cash—and opted to pick up the cream rather than have it mailed.

The following week, I noticed my credit card had been charged. When I called, they said they would speak to the manager, and I did receive a refund. But then, another week passed with no update about my mom’s cream. When I called to ask about it, I had to explain everything again, only to find out that because I was refunded, they never actually placed the order—even though we had paid in cash! They apologized and said it would take another week to order it from the pharmacist.

Today, I followed up again and was told that they had tried calling me but had the wrong number. They assured me the cream was ready for pickup until 6 PM. However, just a few hours later, they called again, now asking if they could just mail it instead. I declined, as it would take even longer. At that point, they finally admitted that for “some reason,” they had to return the cream—even though earlier, they had said it was in the refrigerator waiting for pickup.

At this point, I don’t feel confident moving forward with any treatments here. If they can’t handle a simple cream order properly, how can I trust them with more complex procedures? I’ll talk to my mom, but we’re likely just going to request a full refund.

Not letting this ruin the start of my month, but I’m extremely...