Both (and last) visits, I did not have a good experience, to say the least (it's because I DIDN'T KNOW ANY BETTER, never gone to a 'medspa' for any of these procedures before). Even with the deals and discounts for the same procedures (I don't know what their prices are now) but at the time I went Jan. 2010) it was more than double than at some of the places I know now and with newer equipment, machines, more professional and highly trained staff to proform the procedures.

My first visit, the consult, they showed the works! Which was fine because I had no idea that there were so many different products and services. Before, I knew it, I had the works done on me (same day as the consult), they sold me on way more botox and Radiesse than I needed, my face had bruising and was swollen for over a week and I was in a lot of pain during and after the procedures (because I was only given a frozen water balloon ). Like I mentioned earlier, I didn't know any better, so I thought that it was how it's done and it's the price to pay for beauty, no pain, no gain.

The second visit was for my first ever IPL (photofacial) for my melasma (what they sold me on during my initial consult visit). They made me go upstairs to one machine and run downstairs to a second machine because they said the lasers treats different color pigmentation (brown, red). My face burned like it was litterally on fire! The woman "nurse" who did the IPL on me burned/singed a big chunk of hair by my ear and I was smelling my hair burning during procedure but I was told not to move or say anything and she acted as if it was nothing. After the procedure, she just disappeared and I was left laying there in pain for over 45 minutes, then another person walked and acted surprised that I was still there and told me to go wash my face wtih cool water. I asked for the nurse who performed the IPL on me and they said she had gone home. I never saw or heard from that "nurse" who did the IPL on me... and again, I was just sent home with a frozen water balloon.

I thought I would get a follow-up phone call from them because of the little incident I had, I wasn't going to make a big deal about it but it would have been nice if they showed some concern. After a week, I called the office because most of the hair on the side of my right ear (like sideburns) were falling off and I was worried that it wouldn't grow back; I was still very polite and nice when I called because I didn't know any better. They told me that it was common and that it happens all the time and some people like their facial hair removed and that in fact that it was one of the positive side-effects of IPLs. I was shocked to hear that and just took their word for it even though I liked to have hair on that part of my face and was just hoping no one would notice it if it never grew back.

Well, the good news is I looked into a few other places and they are much better priced and I had so much, much better results! At first, when I started calling other places to inquire about an IPL photofacial, like an idiot wanting to sound smart and that I knew what I was doing this time around, I asked them if they are using two machines for red and brown pigment lasers, every other place said that their machines are NEW and it had both lasers in one machine and it also has a built-in cooling system and everything. It made sense...and ever since, I had gone to other places for an IPL and all other services similar, it has been just great, much better results, painless, and one third of the cost and my face is not on fire and in pain during or after all the procedures and the best part, no more frozen water balloons needed!

If I had to endure the pain I experienced at Dermfx(Sunset Beach), I probably would rather just live with the wrikles and melasma for the rest of my life than ever go back there again!!!

In case any one of you cared, my hair (sideburns) eventually all grew back 6 months later, thank God. I still don't have any thing against DermFx; I am happy that some of you other women had good things to say but, I would have too if I had not known better! I guess it's the price we pay to look beautiful...best of luck to all you!