American Laser Skincare
Reviews and Complaints

On Wednesday, November 19, 2014, at 7:01 pm, I received an email from [protected]@americanlaser. chtah.com, notifying me that all their clinics had been closed.

The exact email was as follows:

"We at American Laser Skincare are sorry to announce that all of our clinics have been closed. We too are disappointed in the sudden developments and regret the impact that it is having on our loyal clients, valued employees and business partners.

If you are a client with a treatment package that has not yet been completed, we are taking steps to find alternative providers for you as quickly as possible. While we are working toward this end, we ask for your patience. Current Information can be found at www.americanlaser.com and developing updates will be posted as they occur. You may also call the following numbers:

For General Questions: [protected]

If you are a client with a medical concern related to a treatment already received place contact the corporate headquarters at [protected].

Thank you"

I never received any follow-up from an "alternative provider" to fulfill my remaining sessions. I had been in the office on November 5th for the second of eight of my laser sessions and purchased $252 of Botox for an appointment they insisted I schedule after the 19th, which I found interesting, especially after the email.

The clinic was ALC 246 Frederick #246, Frederick, Maryland.

I paid probably close to $3k for laser hair removal treatments. I believe I started the treatments 8 years ago. Throughout all 8 years it was near impossible to get an appointment. I would call and leave several messages with no response. One time I waited 2 months to get an appointment. There was never any noticeable difference. I told the clinic and they said it would take longer. I live in Camarillo and they sent me to the Sherman Oaks office. I found out after about 2 years that they had an office in Thousand Oaks. Much closer to my home! A 1 hour drive versus 20 minutes. I started going to the Thousand Oaks office, then they closed. I continued in Sherman Oaks, but then they closed. Then I had to drive all the way to Santa Monica. Not once but twice I was told they couldn't serve me that day. Even though I had appointments both times. One time the girl locked herself out of the office and the other time they said they didn't have time. I finally made another appointment and when I showed up the office was closed. I then found out that they were closed completely. I still had sessions left, which I paid for. I would say I had at least 6 sessions. I would really like to get my money back or compensated for the terrible service and the service I didn't receive.

I went to a consultation where they said I have a $460 credit for unused services I purchased before they went bankrupt and closed. They recently opened with new ownership; they told me at front desk I wouldn't need to start paying til I used all $460 and I scheduled a silkpeel. After the first one, I showed for another and they told me I had to start paying cause I couldnt use the $460 "in bulk" - I had to pay part of it. They should've called instead of forcing me to waste my time showing up pointlessly, I left and won't be going back.

I started receiving treatment for hair removal on my face and I had a massive breakout that laster 1.5 years. I had never before had acne this bad. as a teen i only had a couple. I was moved due to military orders to hawaii and they do not have an office here so i wanted to cancel but they refused. I only received a couple of sessions which showed no improvement and i have light skin and thick black hair. I have been paying money for over 2yrs now for service i can never receive again. Someone help me! how can i cancel and stop paying and possibly get my money back.

I clicked on an advertisement on facebook and within 1 hour someone called me to book an appointment. They said that if I booked an appointment within 2 days I would get $300 off any procedure I had done. I went to the appointment just thinking I would listen to what they had to say and maybe purchase 1 small procedure. I feel that I was preasured by pushy sales tactics and I ended up agreeing to a package deal of 5 different area's for $3500. Each area would require multiple visits. The lady talked me into receiving the first treatment on 1 area that day...after all it would only take a few minutes! The next day I called to see if I could revise my "package deal" and receive a partial refund. I realized that I would still have to pay for the area I started. I was told that would not be able to recieve ANY refund because it was all purchased as a package deal. Not only that but the first treatment I received was VERY painful, not at all what they described! I am extremely unhappy and would not recommend American Laser Centers to anyone! How can anyone continue to run a business like this...extremely poor customer service. Buyer, beware of what you sign!

I decided to give myself a birthday treat on 9/4/07 of no more shaving and went to the Edina, MN location of American Laser Centers. I purchased a Hair Removal package of 6 with a 2 year guarantee for the following areas: Full legs, brazilian, underarms, eyebrows and upper lip. I paid a total of $3822.51 that day. I was under the impression that after 6 treatments in each area that I would be hair free and not need to shave. I understood that if for some reason 6 treatments wasn't enough that there was a 2 year hair free guarantee. I had purchased many areas so I got on a regular schedule of doing my full legs every 10-12 weeks and all the other areas every 8-10 weeks. I always followed all instructions with scheduling, staying out of the sun, shaving only, etc. After 6 full treatments on all areas I was frustrated because I was NOT hair free. I did everything as I was told and they said my hair was perfect for removal and to just have patience because it will work! I had seen ZERO hair loss on my legs. I started realizing that I was only seeing the hair loss in the areas I had previously had laser treatments from another company (underarms and bikini). I kept going as I was determined this was going to work for me - especially with the money I had paid to make it happen. Sadly, after three years and 25 visits to the laser center for extreme pain and staying out of the sun and doing everything I was told, I am most definitely NOT hair free. I met with Jody, the manager of the Edina location, on 9/22/10 and she took pictures and said that she would try to do what she could. She said the company does not give refunds, but she would try to get me some additional services to see if that would help. It had been almost two months from meeting with Jody and I had not even heard back from her. I am requesting a full refund of $3822.51. I will never get back all the pain and time spent over the last three years, but I do believe it is more than fair to get a full refund. I submitted to the BBB, and my complaint is unresolved - they don't give refunds I was told again.

The service at this place sucks. Managers are changing all the times. The revent manager is a lady. She is darn ugly, her attitude is even uglier than her and she has stupid employees. They keep you sitting and waiting while they are not even doing anything but chatting in the office. Then they convince you on buying into their ### deals. I been going in for one whole year and paid good amount of money with no results at all.

So I had been hearing a lot about people getting laser hair removal and so I decided to give it a try. I had read the reviews on American Laser Centers in California and I saw that a lot of people had been having problems getting a refund when the asked for one, but I figured it wasn’t a big deal and that it wouldn’t happen to me.

I could not have been more wrong. I went in in January 2011 and purchased their facial package that costs $1500. Two days later I decided I wanted to cancel my contract and get my money back. I have waited for weeks and weeks for my refund.

I don’t see how people think they can run a business like this. They are absolute crooks. I don’t know how they can stand to wake up every morning and look themselves in the mirror.

I warn anyone thinking about going to American Laser Centers not to. Don’t be like me. Listen to reviews and believe me when I tell you that if you go there the same thing will happen to you. These people are criminals who are only out to steal people’s money!

Recently I went in for an appointment at the American Laser Center. Online they had an ad for a free trial of their VelaShape Treatment where the prices was listed as $250 per session. I asked about this ad and they said it was wrong, they don’t know why it is listed as that much but it is actually $500 per session.

I wanted to do a microdermabrasion, and I discussed my options with them. My final price they told me would be $838. I agreed to that price and gave them a $500 gift certificate, which they accepted without question. After deduction the $500 gift certificate they asked for my remaining balance, which was $338. I told them I had another gift certificate, valued at $500 and gave that to them, expecting them to take it as easily as they took the last one, but that was not the case.

Once they saw this second gift certificate they said, “Oh, we’ll have to have our manager authenticate this.”

I don’t understand why there was a problem. It was the same certificate, I just happened to have two. There was nothing on the certificates that stated I couldn’t use two of them, so i don’t see why it needed “authenticated.” Then they started saying that this certificate wasn’t valid because the company that issued it was no longer in business and they asked where I got the certificate and who gave them to me, it was really quite ridiculous. My friend gave them to me. She had earned them by referring people to the American Laser Centers, but decided not to use them and gave them to me.

I did not enjoy this experience with the American Laser Center.

I purchased a hair removal package from the Newport News, Va location, which consist on 6 treatments. I have been trying for about 2 weeks to make an appt for my 3rd treatment and can't seem to get anyone to return my phone calls. On the 5th attempt, someone did answer the phone and I realized it was switched to the Virginia Beach location (about an hour away). I was told the office in which I had signed up to go to has been closed down and I would have to drive an hour out of my way to another location to finish my treatments. When I explained of the inconvenience that was for me and asked for a refund for my remaining treatments, I was told that there will be no refunds. I was never informed of their decision to close the Newport News facility. If so, I would have made sure I received the treatments in which I had paid for. I have called over and over to try to reach the regional manager and was told she would call me back in 24 hrs, and still I haven't received any calls from her or anyone else for that matter. I guess it doesn't pay to buy a service that could take months to complete since they could close up shop and you'll never get what you paid for. I should have seen this coming when some of their staff had left and when to a different location. This was months ago and this tells me they knew this and still didn't disclose the closing and yet took my money! I want my REFUND!

I first visited American Laser Center of Macomb about 6 months ago. This location is in Michigan at 19 and Garfield. I was getting ready for my cousins wedding and several months before this had finally begun to clear up my acne that had hit me for a short period of time. I had finally got things under control after a few microderms at a friends dermatologist. I had a couple red but small acne scars on my right cheek. I, being a bit critical of myself, decided I needed these marks gone. I went in for a consult with ALC. I spoke with the office manager at the time, Karen. Little did I know she was about to leave the place with a poof. I also spoke with Lilia at this time. I mentioned to Karen during my talk of microderms that I had some acne scarring I wanted to get away. This is when she brought up the wonderful acne curing system called Ematrix. I was hesitant and booked a microderm for their earliest appointment later that day. I came back for my microderm and this is when I was bombarded with lilia and karens testimony that Ematrix would be great for me. I had also asked about the Vellashape treatments, and all of the sudden these two services were going to change my life according to these two scam artists. Lilia gave me a 20 minute speel about how my face is the first thing people look at and my scars would go away and my acne would improve remarkably bc it really cures "everything underneath there". So I still said I wasnt sure. Then all of the sudden a miracle occured and lilia "worked something out" with karen and then karen all of the sudden was able to make a huge deal with the regional managers in which I could get ematrix and vellas for 2, 000 which was like a "steal." I asked to see pictures and was told they never show pictures. I was so dumb to believe them and let them work off of my desperation for scarless skin and also anxious bc this "deal was going away that night". I purchased but had to wait until after the wedding bc of the slight downtime. This was by my own choice bc the whole facility said id be fine standing up in a wedding after ematrix. Um, each of my treatments had me staying indoors for 5 days + bc i looked hidious. So lets skip to one treatment later. Reem, another tech at the facility, who was very friendly, did my first treatment. She advised that i just "rub them scabs off after a couple days". Scabs being the skin healing from the ematrix burning holes in your skin. Did anyone explain to me what ematrix actually does? course not. SO i took her advise and exfoilated and used harsh face wash a couple days after a treatment. I also found out she had used the lowest setting. Skip ahead, I got pissed because noone told me about settings or asked me what i wanted. it is my 2, 000. I switched facilities after lilia reprimanded reem for having a short friendly convo with me in the waiting area, bc she needed her to do some things. Lilia, if I ever see you again, I'd watch out. Because of you my skin looks like GARBAGE. Oh yes, that brings me to my next point...That IDIOT "aestatician" told me my acne would dissapear from ematrix. here I am months later, after having 5 treatments done and my pores are huge and scared, blackheads everywhere, my skin broke out worse than anything i have ever dealt with in my life, and i counted today at least 15 big red and pitted scars on my face. I have had to go into the royal oak facility to get picturs, and was promised phone calls by the regional manager that she would call me once she views them. going off of what i read tonight online, i know i will not get the refun i want. oh and the "steal" vellas i got, ...all those gave me where hidious bruises and marks that i still have. I also would like to thank lilia for telling me this ematrix machine would make me beautiful, when in fact she never even evaluated my skin to see that i should not have had somethin glike this done on active acne type skin. i should have been advised to get microderms until my skin was cleared up for a full year at least. I hate american laser and all of the idiots that work there. Oh and thanks reem for telling me to exfoiliate after my treatments. because of you i have tiny little pitted holes in my face probably because i didnt fully heal after my first two treatments. GO back to school you [censored]es.

I have freckles on my face, it got worse and worse. So I choose to get laser treatment. I live in Pleasanton CA, so choose to go to American Laser Center. The first time I went there, the front desk person tried hard to have me to sign a 10 visit contract for $1100. I was told there were two females providing laser treatment in this center. There was one female there that day, so I went to talk to her, I was not very pleased with her answer and attitude, so I told the front desk that I changed my mind and chose not to go through the treatment. She said that you already signed paper; I was shocked that I was not out of their office yet, I should be allowed to change my mind. She said that the other female was excellent, but the other female only work during the day, I told her that I only could do it after work. So she said no problem, she said that I could make an appointment for you in an evening with the other lady. Just because I wanted the treatment really terrible, I believed her. After this, she said that you had to apply for a credit card with MedCHoiceFinancial, I told her that I did not need financing, but she said that "you do not have to use it". She made me believed that it was only a normal procedure to get credit checked like the procedure when you are buying a new car. She additionally said that you could make a plot with us, such as make monthly payment, etc. Therefore, I got their credit card issued by MedChoiceFinancial without realizing that they could charge the credit as they pleased.

When I went to their center for my first appointment, I saw the front desk person was not there, the female who supposed to treat me was not there. The other female I did not like was there and kept bragging about her, and tried to persuade me to use her. I refused and she kept calling the front desk person, but the front desk female never answered the phone. From that moment I knew that I did not trust this place and would not go through laser treatment here. SO I left. After a month, I got a credit card bill from MedCHoiceFinancial, claimed that I owed them $1100. I called the credit card company and clarified what happened. The guy who answered my phone was very rude, he basically refused to listen to my complaint, but said that you had to talk to the service provider. Since then, this credit card company kept calling me and questioned me to pay the bill, I clarified to every single person I talked to, but nobody tried to help me to dispute the charge. I called the American Laser Center main office at [protected], clarified the situation. They said that they would check, same day, they emailed me back saying that I did receive the service and case closed. Now my credit card amount is increasing, I do not know where I can find justice. This contract is 10 laser treatments I even did not know what laser treatment felt like; I did not receive any single treatment but receiving the bill every single month from them. I had a perfect credit score before, but now this could ruin my credit. If you do not want nightmare, stay away from this fraud company.

I have been going to American Laser in Virginia Beach for about two years for laser hair removal, and have seen zero results. Of course they didn't tell me that when they were taking my money. BEWARE! Imagine going there for 2 years, still having hair on my chin and spending quite a bit of money. I would like to share with as many people as possible so that consumers are aware of the service the company provides.

I brought a Laser package for about two thousand dollars for removal of hair on my chin. I only had a few hairs on my chin, however I was told not to pluck the hair and to shave it. I went to treatment every six to eight weeks and didn’t see any results. Each time I notified them that I wasn’t seeing any results and continued to go to treatment since they assured me that it sometimes takes longer for the chin area.
As I was approaching my 5th or 6th treatment and I was still not noticing any hair loss, they told me that they were going to do "double passes" with the laser (meaning that they would go over the treated area twice with the laser). When that didn't work and I still wasn't seeing any hair loss, I was told that I was going to have a “double pass” with the stronger laser. They tried that and still no result.

I spoke to the manager who informed me that my contract was up and I would have to pay $50.00 for the weekly treatments. Two years into it and my hair on my chin is still there. It’s actually worse because I have been shaving and now the hair is all over my chin and not just in the one spot.

The treatments have not been working as purported. They are expensive, and a waste of time and money. ALC has been deceitful and it's clear that their goal is to get your money at the outset and offer no customer service after the fact.

I just want everyone else to know to be aware that American Laser is not the answer. They advertise that hair will be permanently removed. Not true.

False advertising - no contest, info phishing
I signed up online for their $3000 laser hair removal contest. I read the rules and fine print, noticing they would select winners on the 31st. I also selected to be contacted only late afternoon - evening (I sleep days) but they immediately started calling early the next day waking me up and kept calling 3x a day.. Each day they called several times at 8am, disturbing my sleep,.

I called back on the 23rd and was told I had not won, but they had a $300 coupon for me;. The drawing wouldn't even happen till the 31st so I asked the lady about this and she lied, telling me they'd already done it;. I read the official rules, so I knew she was lying and I asked why they did the drawing early!. She heaved a sigh and hung up on me|.

For a professional 'medical' center to have such unprofessional call center practices and outright false advertising, my faith in the company is completely destroyed'.

I'll not let liars give me any type of treatment

First, I wished I had read these complaints about ALC before signing my contract. Everything about the refund problems that others have had is happening to me right now. I purchased a $1500 facial package back in January 2011, cancelled the contract two days later, and here I am at the end of March and no refund. How these people can look in the mirror every day and not see THIEVES written across their chest...I don't understand. Or maybe they do see it...in the end there will only be ONE who will judge us. Well, lesson learned for me. Hopefully, our misfortunes will save others from becoming prey to these unscrupulous fiends.

American Laser Cener really has a very good scam going on. They convince you to sign up for the treatment, they take your money up-front (shame on me) and when something goes wrong... you have no one to contact other than the "customer service" department and all they are paid to do is take phone calls. You can't reach a manger, you definitely can't reach the so called, CEO. I paid for a treatment that was supposed to go on each week without interruption in order for it to work. I was re-scheduled on more than one occasion and then the office just closed and has been closed now for almost 2 months. Every time I call, I am told that the office will re-open and I am given a different date. My only recourse is to get an attorney to try and get my $2300.00 back. Again, shame on me!

Where do I even begin. Lets just start by saying that this company is one of the most god awful companies out there. They claim to be the best in the business for laser hair rremoval, skin rejuvenation and cellulite reduction therapy! That is a joke! Its more like the worst company! None of there services work the way they say they do. I would say 10% out of all clinics patients actually have results. Its not worth the chance when you spend thousands on these procedures. And just know that if it doesnt work they will in no way give you a refund. They will just try to find every excuse in the book to justify why its not working and then try to sell you on something else. And they will do that because there only goal is to see how much money they can make each month. They do not care about your feelings or how much money you have already spent. They just care about trying to get more out of you. There company even holds contest to see who can sell the most.
Now on to the people that work there. The managers are not really managers or have any type of medical degree, they are just glorified sales people and people that are put under so much stress by there corporate office to sell that they will make up whatever little gimmic they want to try to get you to buy that day and tell you the deal is only good for that day and if you call back the next day the offer wont be good. Just know people that these people will take your money whenever they can get it.
Now onto the technicians. Im not trying to say they are bad people because most of them I have met have been extremely nice and wonderful. But the biggest thing is there qualifications. One of the biggest reasons the treatments do not work is because they are used on very cautious low settings because it is not being perfromed by a doctor or a nurse so there is a huge liability at stake. The technicians are only licensed estheticians who go to school for 4 months which actually has nothing to do with lasers and then if they get hired in with the company they train for about 1-2 weeks until they are already left alone with patients.
So this is just a letter to warn people the this whole company is a joke. They treat there employees like crap and there patients and it all comes down from the top people and 2 of them are Chelsea Klinke and Roxanne Kowelewski which are 2 of the most rotten women you can meet. They think they are better than everyone and treat all ALC staff like crap. Which I guess Roxanne is the Michigan regional manager and does not do anything to help her clinics. She just goes in there and sits and does nothing. She sometimes show up to a clinic leave and go shopping or out to lunch for a long period of time but then fires people for being late to work or leaving early which is funny cause she did it all the time as a clinic manager. And this is suppose to be a women that holds control of an entire region! HAHA
Oh and one more thing to add. ALC has a higher injury report than anyone facility that does laser! BEWARE PEOPLE THIS PLACE IS AWFUL IN EVERY WAY SHAPE AND FORM!