The Laser & Dermatology Institute of California

My wife went in for what she was told her last appointment that was included in the $8000.00 we had already paid. After the doctor goes in to give her a couple shots he walks out of the room. A nurse then walks in and says she is sorry but Dr. Rispler says they made a mistake and the visit will cost her $175.00. My wife tells the nurse she wouldn't have come in if she knew it would cost extra and she refuses to pay any more $. The nurse walks out and tells her she cannot leave. After waiting for 15 more minutes the doctor storms in the room and proceeds to yell at my wife and goes on to say that it is not fair to him that she wont pay and that a dumb high school staff member made a mistake. He continues to yell until my wife breaks into tears. Before she is able to get a sentence in he ignores her and walks out of the room. They finally let her leave and when she gets to her car she calls me on the phone so I of course drive over to his office to try and get an explanation of what is going on only to have the staff say they will not get him because they are on lunch and it is none of my business and they already apologized to her for the doctor. I refuse to leave until Dr. Rispler talks to me only to have them call Covina police and have me and my wife escorted out of the premises. Dr. rispler tells the police he will no longer treat my wife and asks that we are not allowed back. I would never go back and never recommend this company to anyone. The are very cordial when they are wanting your money but when they are done with you they treat you like dirt! My wife's still breaks out and all they ever told her was to keep paying for more treatments which are thousands more. The company is a joke!

Posted 10/07/09 | Report Abuse

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I feel like I should've read these reviews before I decided to go. I went because a friend of mine was treated for acne there and she had great results. I come to find out after reading the review that what I am paying is way too expensive. That guy that everyone is talking about is definitely a sales person. I went at a time when I was desperate to get rid of my acne and acne scars. I just wanted to hear that they were going to get rid of my acne. I do agree that the staff is very nice, bu so far I have only seen Dr. Riespler once and that was to hand me a bag of samples. I am currently paying off my $9500 bill for 4 treatments. But I will say that I will have my 3rd laser treatment next month and so far I see great results. I will go in to get my scars treated and I just hope that it works. I can't help but wonder if I could've gotten rid of the acne without paying so much money. I feel awful after hearing all the bad experiences because I wouldn't have given them my business if I had known. I hate to admit how desperate I was and this is what led me to sign up for $9500. Ouch!!! I guess I will let you know after I get my 4th treatment. I hope this actually works otherwise I will be totally bummed out, especially after paying so much $$ for it. I just hope now that it works and I don't start breaking out after I'm done with the treatment because I will be broke.

Posted 09/24/09 | Report Abuse

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I have been suffering from light to moderate acne for several years now. I tried everything that my dermatologist recommended and nothing was working. The physical and emotional pain of acne is horrible and I became desperate. I'm highly educated, but I made a dumb move of not researching all of my options and went with LDI and Dr. Rispler.

The comments about the nice staff is true. The pushy salesman stories are true. Never seeing Dr. Rispler stories are true. Only being treated by his assistants is true. Seeing immediate results is true. Spending thousands of dollars is true.

But what I haven't heard anyone write about is how expensive the acne medications are on top of the laser treatments; and when your treatments stop you are no longer allowed to get your medications unless you pay $100 to see one of his assistants--not him--and pay for the medications on top of that.

When my treatments stopped the receptionist was rude with me. I was not aware that the follow-up appointment would be an additional charge and that it wouldn't be by Dr. Rispler. One of his sales people were trying to push more treatments on me when I already had 9, and they told me that would give me my desired results.

Not only that, but the lasers were just a temporary relief. The scars appeared lighter but the grater-like appearance is still there. I never felt comfortable to walk out of my house without make-up due to the appearance of the scars. The breakouts continued even with my regular dermatologist putting me on the same medications.

They also do not show pictures of results even when you ask. And the assistants talk about how they all do the treatments all of the time--all of the time? Normal people, like me, a teacher, cannot afford to be getting treatments all of the time. And to tell you the honest truth, two of the assistants that told me that still have the grater-like appearance in their skin, just not the discoloration of the scars.

Three years later, I still break out and now I have new scars on top of the old scars. Please save your money and learn from my mistake--stick to your insured dermatologist. Unless you can afford regular treatments for the rest of your life or are getting your treatments free because you promote him on the radio.

Posted 08/03/09 | Report Abuse

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Hello, my name is Demi, I had suffered from acne breakouts every month. I was left with acne scars, and pock marks. I never knew that if I picked my pimples that it would leave me with scars. I went to Dr. Rispler at this laser and dermatology institute, because my mother got her face lasered for her wrinkles. Her results were beautiful, so she took me to the same Doctor. He really took care of me like a daughter, and I am so grateful. After just 3 treatments, even one of the cutest boys in my class asked me to the prom, and all the girls were jealous! I never ever told them I was getting treatments, they never even knew it. The best part is that there was no downtime for me, and none of the treatments hurt. I am just so grateful for this dermatologist,and I will recommend him to everyone I know. THANK YOU!!!

Posted 08/02/09 | Report Abuse

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Terrible experience. I went for a free "consultation." The rude man who saw me BARELY looked at my skin. From about six feet away, he had me look up, then said, "Looks like you've got some acne and scarring." (Not thorough AT ALL). Then he proceeded to talk prices. He just threw numbers out at me. He sat there jotting down prices, scratching them out and circling things. He did not sound like he had any expertise regarding skin--he was very very vague. He never introduced himself or greeted me in any way. He said my starting price would be $8,500 for three-four sessions. I started to mention that was almost twice as much as what I'd compared online, so I'd have to price around. He cut me off and said rudely, "Well, I don't know what you're looking at online." (Obviously!) Then, he continued to treat me as if I did not know what I was talking about. So, I asked if he was a doctor (just to point out that he had not established any credibility with me). He said "I'm here on his behalf." I repeated the question. Same answer. (How could someone with no medical expertise determine what's best for a patient's skin?) Then my husband jumped in and asked to see someone else--someone not so rude. The man asked, "What are WE being rude about?" I said, "Not 'we,' YOU." He walked out, no apologies & sent in another staff member. She was nice...but too little too late. Save your money for someone who will actually appreciate your business and will treat with some courtesy.

Posted 07/30/09 | Report Abuse

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Ok, so I finished my back and neck acne, starting with some help from ziana. Besides being called the miracle stuff. I went for my back and neck laser treatment, and I have taken photos of my back and neck. This stuff really works. I had major problems "genetically" I had acne full on my face and my back and neck, now my neck and back are all done, and this is the follow up I written from 3 months ago. I am almost all completed. My face acne never came back, now I have just two more treatments to go, and I am so sure that I don't even need to go back. It worked so fast on me, it is the best thing that ever happened to me.

Posted 07/20/09 | Report Abuse

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I am writing this review today because I just finished my second treatment at LDI, I am so excited because I looked at myself in my car mirror and I couldn't stop smiling. I could actually smile at my self for the first time in years, without being disgusted at looking at my acne and scars in sunlight. Today is a new day, I feel like a brand new person. I have never felt better, and i just wanted to tell the whole world, that your FACE is #1 important to your mind, body, and soul. I highly recommend Dr. Rispler as your dermatologist, he is the best and has saved me from my misery.
Thank you.

Posted 07/18/09 | Report Abuse

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I shopped around and found that LDI costs the same as any where else so don't buy the BS that other places offer the samething for cheaper prices. It's totally not the same service. The Doctor is always at this office and is very experienced. Dude sometimes the Doctor has to like control. You know. They are a genuine medical practice and has great services and the lasers were really quick and painless. I did laser treatments for acne and acne scars. It was totally easy and it worked. The staff is cool and really easy to get along with. Just beautiful peeps. I would say that only bad thing about this place is that I had to wait like 3 weeks at a time to get my next laser. i don't know whether its because my face had to recover. They said it was necessary but like I never had any burning or redness...I mean my friends didn't even know I was doing lasers. I also threw away all the stupid stuff that i bought before to fix my acne and acne scars. Dude total waste of money there. Don't need them anymore. The only other problem was yeah it was not that cheap. But like I said still cost the same at other places too. Oh and by the way you get what you pay for. This place had the best track record for years. Hope this really helps.

Posted 07/18/09 | Report Abuse

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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My name is xxx and I am writing this letter in regards to my laser acne treatment consultation that occurred at 6pm on July 13, 2009. I am exploring multiple treatment options, and I was referred to the Laser Dermatology Institute for its friendly staff and reputable treatments. During the two minutes that I was exposed to the office before being kicked out, I was exposed to a different side of the business: I was insulted, demeaned and called a liar.

After signing in and filling out the necessary paperwork, the receptionist led me to Consultation Room 1, where I waited shortly before being exposed to the most humiliating treatment of my life. The only things in the room were the doctors business cards and a bottle of gauze. I picked up the card, put in my pocket and excitedly sat down, waiting to see the doctor.

I am a 21-year-old college student with mild acne at worst but from the verbiage used in regards to my face, you would think I was a mutant. Without shaking my hand, introducing himself or even seriously examining my face, I was told that, my face is already scarring and shows signs of serious potential for permanent damage. After that, the man sat down and got right down to business.

Well see, your pores are producing too much sebum, and we need to get that under control. Anyone who knows anything about acne would understand that this diagnosis is the most general blanket statement that can ever be made about the cause of acne. In fact, this phrasing is on the back of every major over-the-counter acne product on the market. With this cover-all statement, he went straight into the numbers it would cost $6500 for three rounds of treatment, which, of course, is not covered by insurance.

At this point, he explained to me that this was a price just between you and me and encouraged me to start the treatments right away. He then stopped talking and looked to me expecting a response:

I am exploring a lot of different treatment options at this point, and I had a few questions about the 1450nm laser that you use in your treatments. At this point, he realized that I had done my research. I have read several medical journals through PubMed , and unfortunately none of them have detailed the effectiveness and permanence of the treatment past 1 year. Obviously, $6500 is a lot of money and I want to ---

I was cut off.

That is not true. These lasers have been around for a long time, and they are FDA approved.

I understand that, but there is no scientific evidence that the effects of these lasers is permanent and I was just wond---

You are wrong. Dont believe everything you read on the Internet.

Okay, well can you please refer me to some studies that have been done so I can understand? And also, PubMed is a government sponsored organization in conjunction with the National Institute of Health and the National Library of Medicine.

Well, Ive never heard of it and this isnt a research laboratory and Im not here to feed you facts. This is a doctors office. If you dont want to be helped, get out. There was a very clear sense of anger in his voice, and his tone was elevated to a point I am sure that the people in the hallway could hear our conversation. I hoped that someone else would realize how ridiculous it was.

At this point, he started to make his way to the door, opened it and forcefully said, The exit is right there. Get out!

Are you serious? There is no way this can be real. In an outrage, he shut the door behind us and made sure that I got out. Conveniently, the staffers were blocking the hallway to the front exit so I was forced to use the back way. At that moment I realized that I probably wasnt the first one to have gone through this humiliation.

In a fit of utter frustration and with tears running down my scarred face, I exited the building and called my parents. After my father made a phone call to the office and asked to speak to the doctor that had just humiliated their son, he was informed that I had not actually seen the doctor.

When my parents relayed this message to me, I was speechless. Not only was I just humiliated and kicked out of an office, but it was done so by a completely ignorant, unqualified goon who misrepresented himself as a Medical Doctor. In the context that we spoke, there was no indication that I was speaking with anyone other than Dr. Rispler. After all, it was his business card on display and the moron who insulted me made no introduction. What was I supposed to think?

A fancy suite in a fancy zip code does not give you license to treat people this way.

You messed with the wrong acne scarred kid.

Posted 07/14/09 | Report Abuse

1 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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Honestly everything was fine until i met the jerk in the suit.. he treated me like crap and acted liked i was a burden to him.. all he cared about was the money he wouldnt answer any of my questions he kept saying it was gonna costs 3400 a session which is crazy high but i still woulda probably done it if he wouldnt of treated me the way he did.. ive been to war 3 times for my country i have 2 purple hearts.. and some stranger who is supposed to help me treats me like that.. whatever if you read this i know your probably still gonna go cause your gonna think im like all the other people that complain (which im not) which is cool i know you probably just wanna see for yourself but i only ask that when you see im not liein when you go and you get treated like crap.. dont give someone like that your hard earned money..

Posted 07/10/09 | Report Abuse

0 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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highly disagree with the comment below. This is my first time ever even looking for reviews online! I came on here because I was going to read about Dr.Rispler, to see if he has written any books. But to my dismay, I can't believe people are complaining about price! That is truley unfair. My son had suffered bad burns from the Santa Ana fires, and he went to 4 different laser centers to get treated. NOBODY could do it. Even places where the Dr's weren't present, the nurses even turned us away. ONLY Dr. Rispler could treat him, fix him, and he is 100% back to normal, even way better before the burn. As a mother, almost losing my son in a deadly fire, and then having a Doctor's who could actually help and make a difference, is notable mention, and Dr. Rispler should be on the discovery channel.

Posted 06/16/09 | Report Abuse

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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i went there to get their free consultation for laser hair removal. here's my experience:
i entered the office and the nurses were really nice to me, no problem. i signed in and a nurse took me to an extra office room at the end of the hall, with two new sofa chairs. i waited for about 10 minutes, and began to notice how the walls were perfectly painted, the sofas, again, were REAL suede, the coffee table on the side was clearly not cheap either. then the consultant came in, and he was wearing a business suit. He quoted $8000 for the whole package, and then he tacked off $500 as a discount. pfft, some discount! So I decided to just go home and do some research, seriously it costs $3000 at MOST. and the consultant said that it'd take 6 treatments, what he didn't say was that it takes 6 treatments on AVERAGE, so later down the line he could have potentially suckered me into paying for 12 treatments (not to mention financing interest if you can't afford it). don't waste your money just so they can keep their suede sofas and pushy salesmen!

Posted 06/10/09 | Report Abuse

0 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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I just have to tell everyone who is reading this, it is worth it! SO worth it! I just want to tell everyone that I meet, but I won't be rude, so here is my way of telling everyone. The Lasers aren't the ones that will cure your acne. It is actually the knowledge & skill of the doctor. I am experienced at this! I am just so impressed at the skill of the Doctor, it is the first time I had these kind of results.
I have NO MORE ACNE!

Posted 06/10/09 | Report Abuse

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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Highly recommended! I am from India, and we women from India are hairy! It's no joke, when we pluck our chin hair, we get massive zits in the pores, and it is not pretty. At LaserHQ I got hair removal and then acne treatments, and scar treatments.

I look like Ashwariya Rai now! I have no more hair, probaby best of all, but no weird acne in the "beard" spot!

Posted 06/08/09 | Report Abuse

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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Honestly, I usually don't write reviews, but this time, I have to tell everyone about my personal experience at Laser Dermatology Institute. You know first thing is, I read all the reviews before my initial appointment. However, with reason, I could distinguish which ones were actually true and which ones were false. I noticed that they receive a lot of attention, so I knew that they would be the best candidate.
My condition: I have many sun spots, acne scars, combination skin, hormonal acne, and a never ending cycle, that only leaves my skin clear for a few days. I knew I couldn't live like this anymore, and that is why I opted to go for laser treatments.
I am not a vain person, I like to think I am quite humble in fact. Anyhow, when I first went in, I was afraid to meet the guy that everyone talks about. I actually met the staff, and when I did, I was really bewildered, because what I had thought, was totally not what I experienced. I was treated with respect and concern, and the treatments were not cheap, so I said I will be back and decided to continue shopping. I went to a couple of other places, which, I won't even mention their names, but they ended up being the same price! And when I tried walking out the door, they immediatley offered me 50% discount. I hated that fact. I knew something wasn't right, so I walked out anyway. For the same price, and the reputation, I went to obviously the place with the most experience. I went to Dr. Rispler, at LASERHQ. I couldn't be happier with my decision, because based on the reviews, I would've never thought, that my experience would actually be this different from what others are claiming. Even after my first laser treatment, I noticed significant improvement. It was perfectly done, and the Dr. was extremely skilled, he just knew 100% what he was doing without a doubt. And when it comes to the face, that is really the way it should be done.
8 days ago, was my very last treatment. For the very first time, I went out to my dry cleaners and local grocery store, without absolutley no makeup whatsoever. When I was in the bread section, a lady came up to me, and she said, your skin is amazing, what cream do you use? I was stunned, and I took the compliment in a humble manner, but of course, I gave all the credit to LASERHQ. She said ran to the front clerk, and asked for a pen, ran all the way back to me, and made sure she wrote it all down.
I just cannot believe somebody made the effort to write down the information, at the grocery store! I was so happy, I kept looking at my reflection in any window, even the milk carton window! And I just want to shout "I AM FREE!!" And I have beautiful skin!
Finally! I would do this over and over again, and would only choose LASERHQ to do the job.
I hope everyone reads my story, and believes that there is a way to get beautiful skin. There is actually a solution out there. You just have to be in the best of hands, otherwise, you are asking for trouble! I hope I can inspire all you out here, who don't know what to do, and where to go to... Please, do what I did. You will not believe and regret your decision. Because the most important factor, is the outcome of your skin, and to even be told by peers, you do in fact have beautiful skin.
Much Love xoxoxoxoxoxo
Betty. "don't hate me cause I'm beautiful.... Now."

Posted 06/04/09 | Report Abuse

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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If you are reading these reviews, then you are like me. I wanted to make sure that this company was good before I went in for their free consultation. LET ME SAVE YOU THE TIME AND MONEY. At their consultation, I didn't like their pricing and thought that they were ripping me off. Let me tell you what is really a rip off; getting services that don't work. I was like you shopping around and I bought services from 2 different places: one place claimed to be a dermatologist and another was a MED SPA. I wasted a ton of money on those places to find that there is a major difference between laser treatments and lasers. The real waste of time and money was committing to 6 months of time and 8 laser treatments from a company that pretends to have comparable laser. Oh yes, the other places were really nice people until your last treatments they can't wait to kick you out the door. I know the treatments were sub par now because my acne scars were not reduced or improved at all. Who cares about great customer service when you still have acne scars. I would rather have results. I came back to these people to get it done from them and yes my acne scars improved with only 4 treatments. You will see for yourself when you go to the other places.

Let me warn you that other places are using their name to sell you sub grade services and lasers at even a cheaper price and that is what you are getting; a cheaper laser treatment.

If you ask me, I can see for myself that a few negative reviews were written by those other places to fool you and me.

By the way, I was not the only one that went here to fix what the other places screwed up. During my visits, I have heard of several people coming from other places complaining about their services from even the places that I have visited. I am not an unusual case. Those other places are just scam.

Look, do you go to a DENTIST to FIX YOUR EYES? Then why would you go to anybody else besides a dermatologist to fix your skin? It just makes sense right? For me NOW it does. I didn't think before and I was screwed. So don't get screwed. And if you want laser treatments, you have to go to a place that specializes with lasers.

Honestly, the treatments are not that cheap. If you can't afford it right now, then don't go to the free consultation. Even if you want to finance the treatments, you have to know that it is really what you want and ready to make payments every month to pay off your treatments. My credit is good and so I did the financing and I am finally happy with my treatments.

So really do your research about these companies. You will see what I am talking about. Good Luck!

Posted 06/03/09 | Report Abuse

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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First of all, I am starting a blob, that is documenting everything I am going through. Stage by stage. I have continued to take pictures throughout this whole ordeal. I always thought, I'm way too old for this, it's just my hormones, it will subside. NO. It just kept getting worst. So, I finally admit to myself, I need the extra help. Just like when I had to quit smoking, I had to admit to myself I needed Nicolette, any help...But honestly, for the face, I knew that I had to choose the right place. A place where they won't burn my sensitive skin.... A place where I won't have to go to another for re-fix.I took new pictures today of my face in the sun. When I uploaded it to my computer, I started to compare the pictures. i just can't believe how much my skin has changed. I didn't notice it in the mirror, but the pictures really show the detail. Which I will of course include in my blog.LDI, the Doctor and the nurses, are really amazing. Within two months, from suffering from this disease for two- three years... they have changed my life. I find myself smiling in the car mirror during sunlight hours again.What a relief. Whew~ It is the age of healing, and I totally believe in this medical laser practice. * about the bad reviews... I just get really annoyed because they obviously didn't do any treatments right? They just complain about rudeness? Are you kidding me? They dont understand the bigger picture, and what these people do to treat people. something and some place that really works. Trust me, I am 100% honest and real person, I wouldn't even waste my time on writing a review if it wasn't worth it.

Posted 06/02/09 | Report Abuse

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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I would never recommend this place to anyone. My experience was extremely HORRIBLE! I am a 25 year old female who has been to several dermatologists in my life, this was BY FAR MY WORST EXPERIENCE. I was helped my an assistant named Dr. Judson Hamlin, who was incredibly rude. The first 2 minutes of my consultation he told me that it would cost $6500-$10,500 to make any type of difference on my face. When I asked questions regarding the lasers, how they work, how they have worked for other patients, if they have before and after pictures etc, he was extremely impatient with me, and gave me one word answers. I tried to explain that I just wanted to understand what the process was and that I was not familiar with lasers, his pat response was "look it up online." That was the end of my consultation, he proceeded to leave the room and told the front desk that I had a brochure and with that he left without saying goodbye. He just walked away like I had been a major burden to him. I cannot express to you how uncomfortable and upset I felt when I left. I wish I had visited this site to read the reviews before I went there because it was a major waste of time and a huge disappointment. I called the help desk and left a message of how poor their customer service was. Once I hear back, I will let you all know how they respond to their bad review.

Posted 05/29/09 | Report Abuse

0 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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Laser Dermatology (LaserHQ) seems like they are from the future. It was not painful at all. I have no longer acne scars, and I just finished my 4th treatment. I think the staff is super cool, not to mention, there was a guy there that was super hot. LOL! I was so embarrassed when they asked me to take off my makeup, but honestly, I don't even need it anymore. Really really works!

Posted 04/26/09 | Report Abuse

5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

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I DON'T RECOMMEND THIS PLACE AT ALL!! I was seen in their Irvine office and had a series of six sessions total over several months. Never once was I seen by Dr. Rispler, just by some physician's aide. I spent thousands of dollars and did not achieve the results they promised. Furthermore, they tried pressuring me into getting another series of 6. When I called the office manager to complain, she said I should take them to court and that the doctor would be happy about that. She was the rudest person I've ever met!

Posted 04/08/09 | Report Abuse

2 out of 8 people found this review helpful.

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Very skeptical about laser. Realized that it was not just the lasers, it was the medical staff that cured my acne. First off, I thought that I was only going to receive laser treatments. So I got a combination of lasers done. I can't tell you what. It's like very hush hush. Almost like a secret they don't want people to know. I asked and they didn't tell me the laser names. They just said what frequency or some scientific terminology. I think that they are using so many different lasers on me and it seems that they are not concerned about the brand names or what the machines can do. They seemed more concern about what they can make the machines do. Do you know what I mean? I did take a peek and saw some the names like smoothbeam and mixto. Too many lasers. Oh my gosh. And there was this huge machine that did an amazing job on my acne scars. I couldn't rave enough about it. In total, I did 5 laser treatments. Well, let me get to the point. The entire program for my face was a complete regimen. It was not just lasers. They gave me some cleansers and other medical grade stuff that I think really cured my acne all together. Dr. Rispler was always at the office. Although he is like running around. I felt very comfortable knowing that I was getting a Dermatologist looking after me and offering the best in medicine and technology for me. Overall, a great and rewarding experience.

Posted 01/04/09 | Report Abuse

6 out of 8 people found this review helpful.

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My face is clear, clean, and not so oily. I have had clear skin now for 6 months and no acne in sight. I was very concerned about laser treatments because I kinda feared the possible long term effects. I am truly glad that I got treatment for my acne and now I am more confident and more as people have said, glowing. The office is high class and trustworthy. I felt confident and comfortable with the entire staff. It only took 3 treatments for me. At first I only purchased 1 treatment and my acne improved quite a bit. I discussed with them that I wanted to continue on with more treatments and bought the next 2 upfront. They also suggested to use a laser to smooth out my skin. Maybe I will go back after the new year.

Posted 12/28/08 | Report Abuse

7 out of 9 people found this review helpful.

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All the negative reviews are completely true. I am a nurse I initially went in for treatment of acne/scars and freckles the salesman said that the treatment would include the removal of freckles also known as a photofacial, but after 8 treatments the said they were done never adressing the freckles. Its been a year since my treatments at the beverley hills office and i still get acne as i use to get the only difference now is that I have a huge bill to pay. Luckily I refinanced that high interest loan. I wish I had read the reviews sooner, the only reviews they have are the ones from radio personalities I am certain they received a discount for giving the treatments praise.

Posted 12/26/08 | Report Abuse

3 out of 10 people found this review helpful.

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I am a highschool teacher and let me tell you. The kids aren't the only ones who gets bullied. I decided to put this issue to rest, and finally get my acne scars removed. I didn't know it would be such a big impact on my teaching career. But I didn't know also that there was a bigger impact when you try an excellent physician and top brand lasers. It has really improved the quality of life that I am living, at home, at school, -- everywhere.

i noticed my results on the third day of my treatment. Fantastic!

Posted 12/23/08 | Report Abuse

8 out of 10 people found this review helpful.

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I went to the free consultation and felt a little pressured to buy. I gauked at the price and they were about to kick me out. I'm glad that I didn't leave though. I seen all the diplomas and degrees on the wall when I walked into the hallway and that they really did have all the laser machines that I read about. I wanted to know what they were going to do on my face. I told them to give me a minute because they were going to cut the price by 10 percent. Then I told them that I was ready to buy. They made it easy to sign up for a payment plan and I thought yes, I can do that. Once I signed my life away all of a sudden they just opened up to me. Like a 180 turn. I got my first treatment done that day. After a week I noticed a major improvement on my acne. My face was feeling a bit dry, but felt really good. In total I did 4 treatments with like 8 different lasers and some really good face cleanser. I wish they sold this cleanser on the market. I would tell everyone to buy it. My last treatment was with a laser that was phenomenol. I wished I took down the name of that laser. It made my face look brand new. My acne is gone and my tiny little acne scars are gone too. Just in time for New Years.

Posted 12/22/08 | Report Abuse

7 out of 9 people found this review helpful.

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I had bad acne and done treatments here. My last laser was 1 week ago with a CO2 that really made a huge difference. I loved the results and I am acne free and acne scars free. Major improvement to my overall skin complexion and my skin is so smooth.

Posted 12/09/08 | Report Abuse

9 out of 11 people found this review helpful.

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After reading some of the other reviews on here, I empathize with the others who had to go through what I did when visiting this horrible place. They call themselves one of the best treatment centers, yet they treat potential new patients like dirt. I scheduled a free consultation and was very excited to get started on a journey to heal my acne and leave my scars behind me. Once I had arrived, the waiting room was very comfortable and nice... I was feeling pretty good about the place. Nice front staff. Then, after about a five minute wait, I was escorted to a small room with only two chairs. I was instructed to take off my makeup for a complete and thorough evaluation. It all went downhill from there.

A sleazy ball of a guy walked through the door and didn't even have the courtesy to shake my hand when I offered. He didn't look me in the eye. He didn't even ask my name. He sat in the chair next to me, bouncing his knee up and down like he had one too many crack-filled-coffees that morning. He gave a mirror to me and told me to look at my face to see "what he was talking about". He pointed out all of the areas that needed improvement... all areas of which I already knew. He then gave me a disgusted look as if I were scum and pulled out a blank sheet of white paper. After jotting down two number ranges and circling them several times, I was convinced that this guy was a used-car sales man in a previous lifetime. I asked if I could speak to the doctor, and he gave me serious attitude. He told me that I could spend about 13,000 to 15,000 dollars and start treatment that day or (with a snotty look on his face) walk out and leave looking the way that I do. What an A HolE!

I stood up and gathered my belongings to leave and he opened the door and told me to leave through the back door which led me out onto the curb behind the building. I felt like I had just been chewed up and spit out. Nobody has ever treated me with such disrespect and has had so little regard for my feelings as he had. For someone who wanted that much money from me, he should have been kissing my feet. Instead, it all seemed like a scam. Basically, pay this amount of money for a procedure and results, of which we will disclose details about later, when it's all set in stone.

I just can not believe that a medical place has such a horrible method of trying to SELL. A salesman in a dermatologist office? Please...

Long story short, go somewhere else. Rip off. Rip off. Rip off. Oh, and sleazy salesmen. It's just not my cup of tea.

Posted 11/13/08 | Report Abuse

4 out of 14 people found this review helpful.

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Complaints - Laser and Dermatology Institute of CA

I heard about the Laser and Dermatology Institute of CA on the radio. They have tons of "radio commercials" that sound like a real radio program. I made an appointment for the center in Beverly Hills on Wilshire for a free consultation. I wanted to resolve an issue of sun damage on my face, which I had hoped that laser skin resurfacing could help. When I got to the office they quickly escorted me in to a small "chat room" (not an examination room.) A young gentleman came in and gave me a wet wipe to wash off my face. I assumed that my makeup was being removed as a prep prior to meeting the doctor. Nope! Next guy entering the room was a salesman! He was worse than ANY used car sales guy I have ever met. He became irate and snippy when I asked questions about the lasers. He said it was "far too complicated" for me to understand. He then said that any treatment to my face would cost between $8, 000 and $9, 000 and was I willing to commit to spending that amount today. No meeting with the doctor, no explanation of what the treatment entails and no respect or courtesy. I need to commit to spending up to $9, 000 before I can MEET the doctor. Unbelievable! I should have known. On the table of our "chat room" was brochures on how to finance your treatments. When I announced to my salesman that I wanted to do more research before making a commitment, he jumped up and opened the door and said "you can leave by the back door." Apparently they don't want "rejects" (i.e. those that question the cost and treatment before coughing up money) walking out through the lobby. The backdoor dumps you with a clear exit back to the parking lot. They don't even say "thanks for coming."

I have seen health clubs that don't really care about helping people get healthy, they only care about running their business and signing up members so that they can make $$$. I've also seen educational institutions that seem more concerned with the making money that with educating people, but in the medical community we would like to believe that they can care for patients, provide high quality medical treatment and still earn a fair income from their practice. The Laser and Dermatology Institute of CA is pathetic. Potential patients walking through their doors are looking for help - hitting them with some slimy salesman with a rude and unprofessional attitude is disgraceful.

Posted 10/16/08 | Report Abuse

5 out of 15 people found this review helpful.

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Best Derm I have ever seen. Does the right job and this office is as perfect in their work as perfect can be. Cleared up my skin without any side effects or trauma. I thank God for Dr. Rispler and his amazing staff.

Posted 10/01/08 | Report Abuse

10 out of 13 people found this review helpful.

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Let me save you some TIME and MONEY "DON'T GO" These people are very rude and don't care about you, they just want your money. They will try to get you to spend money before they even tell you what they are going to do. They want the full amount up front which can range from $8,000 to $20,000 so they force you to apply for a a high interest loan before explaining anything to you. I worked in sales before and I know when someone is just trying to ripe you off, and trust me these people just want your money. You feel rushed and as soon as you start to ask questions they will kick you out. The doctor never sees you, they just use a salesperson to do all the dirty work for the doctor. SAVE YOURSELF THE TIME AND PLEASE DON'T GO

Posted 03/20/08 | Report Abuse

5 out of 15 people found this review helpful.

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