I left a treatment appointment feeling extremely uncomfortable and distressed, and I think it’s important to share my experience.
I attended requesting a conservative lip filler treatment (first time). Instead of discussing this on its own, I was told it would not be carried out unless I also agreed to filler in multiple other areas of my face. This was fra...
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I left a treatment appointment feeling extremely uncomfortable and distressed, and I think it’s important to share my experience.
I attended requesting a conservative lip filler treatment (first time). Instead of discussing this on its own, I was told it would not be carried out unless I also agreed to filler in multiple other areas of my face. This was framed as a “holistic beauty” approach, but presented in an all-or-nothing way, with little regard for my disinterest in excessive facial filler. When I questioned this, my concerns were dismissed, and the discussion was reframed in a way that made my discomfort feel unreasonable. I left feeling gaslit and unheard, rather than supported or informed.
I later sought a second opinion from an experienced female practitioner, who felt that a small amount of lip filler alone would in fact balance my face well — directly contradicting what I was told here. I was also explicitly discouraged from following another practitioner’s advice, which felt like a fear-based control tactic rather than patient-centred care.
Finally, I’ve noticed a recurring pattern in responses to less-than-five-star reviews, including claims of “walking away from clients” and repeated references to “holistic beauty,” even when this directly conflicts with what a client wants or feels comfortable with.
While a practitioner has every right to decline treatment, refusing a conservative procedure unless a patient agrees to multiple additional interventions does not align with ethical, consent-based care. I’m sure Dr. Bela is a good practitioner for those that agree to his every recommendation and all-or nothing approach, but sharing this so others — especially those new to aesthetics or a preference for a conservative approach — can make an informed decision.
Note: See the Clinic's response, trying to act like this has to do with my final appointment this week, which was a compulsory touch up of Botox I had already paid for a month prior. This had nothing to do with that appointment (and Dr. Bela knows that), and has to do with the previous appointment discussing Lip Filler.
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