Sono Bello
Reviews and Complaints

I had lipo in La Jolla last November. I was awake the whole surgery with the surgeon yelling at me that he would stop if I kept complaining and making me turn over by myself. I have never been tortured like I was and have had several surgeries over the years. I was given 1 prescription for pain and was denied a refill even the the dose was so low I was taking 2 at once which was the instructions on bottle. I am very depressed from the whole experience and now have stomach bulges and my backside is bigger. I went to my 1 week check up but never went back.
I am seeking a refund and compensation for the pain that I went through to look better, only to look horrible now.

Thank you,
Brenda Squires

March in March 2019 I had liposuction done at Sono Bello in Pennsylvania. I had my love handles, lower and upper stomach, and outer thighs done. Right after they gave me my drugs for the procedure and I was a bit loopy they had the doctor come in and it wasn't the doctor that was supposed to be doing my procedure but I felt I couldn't just leave because I was drugged up... They ended up only taking 2 lbs off of me I wasn't fat, just want some sculpting... Now my stomach is all lumpy, my outer thighs look like I had an ice cream scoop of meat taken out and nothing looks normal at all. I'm probably never going to wear a bathing suit again! Plus my stomach is like so out of walk, its like I can't even tighten it up, like it frozen! I always gave and still do power walk 4 miles most days and I'm a very active person... But my body feels like it will never ever be normal again! These people butchered me for sure... Please help! I'd love to join a class action lawsuit... I paid over $7, 000.00 for this and I feel robbed! My email is [protected]@gmail.com... Thank you;) Melissa A. Breunig

I had the EX done along with upper abdomen lower abdomen in my waists lipo-suctioned. I went in on March 22nd 2021 to have this procedure done only to still feel as if nothing has been done I still look the same way I did before I went to have the procedure done, I notified them on my 1st week visit that I still feel big and have rolls that were not even removed. I notified them on my one month visit the same thing, they told me that it takes time and they will examine me at 3 months visit so now we are at this point where am waiting for my 3 month visit only to continue to look in the mirror and feel disgusted more bow than before especially with this huge incision across my lower stomach, my self esteem is lower now than ever and I feel depressed about the entire situation. I missed out on class lessons and money from clients that I could have serviced. I feel depressed, angry, embarrassed now more than ever and my self esteem is past low, everytime I look in the mirror I cry, $9000 down the drain.

I had come to sonobello for abdominal upper and lower laser lipo. I was seen as the last case of the day and the pills they gave me were not effective anesthesia. I felt the pain and at some points I felt like my ribs were being scraped. I was in such a great amount of pain for several weeks. I could not sleep in my bed because I had to much pain to sit up so I slept in a recliner for 3 weeks. When I came back I had complained about pain and feeling of tightness around my abdomin. I was told use the
Compression garment. My next appointment I was still having abdominal pain and the scars from laser lipo were bigger then I expected. I also had a feeling that a herniation to my right upper abdomin had happened. I was seen and the MD who saw me did not even palpate my abdomin or give me rx for sono or ct scan. I was spoken to as if I was trying to get something for nothing from sonobello. I was told The MD who did my procedure And the MD who ignored my compliants
We're both no longer working for sonobello. My abdomin is totally disproportioned and my density continues. I still have abdominal thighness that is effecting the quality of my life. My body image is very low. The last insult is that I asked for my Medical record and signed for the release. This was a week ago and sonobello has not sent me my records or called me to tell me what the hold up is. I am a cancer patient who came to sono bello after having bilateral breast surgery. I wanted to feel like a woman again but instead I not only look deformed I have continuous pain. I have missed work, my job options are now limited due to my level of discomfort. This is my story and I do believe that not only was the care rushed, it was negligent.

The Consultant 'glossed over' the use of the compression garment I needed to use after my stomach procedure. After asking more details, she described it as no big deal. She said, that, after 10 days an additional compression garment would be mailed to me. NO INFORMATION ON THAT GARMENT AT ALL! After my pre-op with the surgeon, I was given a bag with some things in it that were not explained at the time. When I got home, I read all about the Additional Compression Garment. It is a full body suit with straps around your shoulders and stretches down to your knees! You have to wear this 24/7 for 4-6 weeks, then 12 hours/day for THREE MONTHS. Talk about MISREPRESENTATION? You unzip the crotch area to urinate and can ONLY take it off for a bowel movement or to shower. No information as to when/how to wash this thing. Needless to say, I cancelled my surgery. BEWARE OF NOT HAVING ALL THE FACTS!

I had liposuction of my upper, lower sides and back areas at Sonobello's Linthicum, MD location March 17, 2021. The first issue was Kristen scheduled my pre-op the day before my procedure. According to the website, the pre-op is scheduled 1 week before the procedure and the post-op is scheduled one week after the procedure. The problem with my pre-op scheduled the night before my procedure is I was not able to start taking a medication for pain & swelling 2 days before my procedure as prescribed. Second, I was not able to fill my prescriptions in advance as instructed. Third, I was instructed to get certain items which I was unable to get because my pre-op appointment was scheduled the night before my procedure. I waited 2 hours to be seen. When I finally left the facility, it was 9pm. I had to be back the very next morning at 6:45am for my procedure.

During my procedure, I felt sharp pain in my abdomen area. I continuously felt sharp pain FOR THE ENTIRE abdomen area! It felt like I was continuously stabbed with a knife over and over. I was screaming because of the intense pain. I never felt pain like that IN MY LIFE! I believe I was not properly numbed with the localized meds. One doctor was training another doctor so I'm not sure if something went wrong because of the double task of teaching and conducting an activity. The nurse said no one feels pain just vibration, so what i felt was unusual. When my sides and back were done, I felt ONLY the vibration and at that point I could have fallen asleep because it wasn't painful AT ALL! At the end, the doctor wanted to go back to my abdomen area when he went back to the stomach area, I yelled out because I felt that stabbing pain. During my procedure, my blood pressure went extremely high on the monitor, and I have a low blood pressure 110/70. I kept looking at the monitor wondering of I was going to have a heart attack because of the stress my body was under from the pain. All I kept thinking about was now I know what ground beef feels like because my abdomen felt like ground beef.

I felt that I did my part as a client/consumer by following all instructions, but I believe the doctors made a mistake either in calculating how much numbing meds to give me or where the meds are supposed to be injected. That experience was traumatizing and I have a very high tolerance for pain.

Not even knowing where to start -
The beginning was wonderful - They treat you fabulous, follow up calls, great communication, and tell you how great you're going to look and feel after everything... WRONG! I had my surgery in December of 2019. During surgery, it hurt like hell when I was told prior that I'd feel nothing. I had my lower abdomen done and behind my arms/back... I used to love wearing tank tops and fitted clothing as I wasn't big, to begin with. However, getting married, you always want to look your best and I had "bra bulging" my whole life.
I get it done... and long story short, I look worse - I refuse to wear a yank top of any sort. I went back during the follow-up, and I was told that my stomach, arms, back were still swollen and needed to wait. 2nd appointment weeks later -
They agreed I needed to have arms redone as they were worse than when I went in and one was bigger than the other. Then I was told that my abdominal area is still swollen and needed to wait. Then the doctor says, "well you were hurting a lot during surgery so I couldn't do anymore."
Ummm... I was told I wouldn't feel anything -
But whatever - everyone has different pain tolerance.
fine we will reschedule my arms/back and he would also "fix the scars because I could have done better than that and it looks bad."
However, I would wait for the next visit to see about the abdomen after giving swelling some more time.
Unfortunately, Covid-19 hit. I was rescheduled and then they canceled twice stating that they were waiting to open following guidelines. Great, I get it... Someone was going to call "as soon as we know and get the go-ahead to re-open, so we can schedule you."
I waited... and we also pushed out our wedding...
6 weeks later and places opened almost 3 weeks ago... I called yesterday 6/16/2020.. they answered... Hi, are you doing procedures? The girl says yes... as I explained I was calling to schedule my re-do... She stops to stay "we are not doing any re-do appointments. Only new patients." I'm sorry... what?!
You mean you push people like me off with a timeline and who came in initially 6 Months ago, to take "new patients" first?!
So take $6500.00 and $2, 000 of which was a deposit straight forward...
to tell me now that new patients are your priority?
And blame it on Covid-19?
I pushed my wedding back - and IF I had correspondence, I would have tried to push out further.
I am NOT AT ALL confident in my dress.
I have been through anxiety, anguish, and stress over this.
I had no correspondence to even say they were open.
I am depressed with the way I look and NOT HAPPY AT ALL.
I could've gone to a doctor an hour and half away for the same price, under anesthesia and a guarantee to fix areas.
Disgusted. Sono Bello is NOT a place to get this done at.
Apparently they don't do refunds either -
But I'm more than welcome to schedule my Venus appointments - Even though that is supposed to be AFTER the surgery and things are good to go.
Annoyed, Upset, Aggravated, and just plain SAD.
Do yourself a favor people - go somewhere you can do a 360 lipo where they also put you completely out. Do Not go to Sono Bello or anywhere like it... Consider it a botch shop where they overcharge to make you worse than when you started.
Austin, TX especially