Patients Report Injuries After Cosmetic Surgeries

Patients allege painful injuries and poor oversight at fast-growing cosmetic surgery chains.

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Across the country, more patients are speaking out about painful and life-altering results from cosmetic surgeries performed at large chain clinics. One of the most well-known names in the growing body-contouring industry, Sono Bello, now finds itself at the center of a wave of lawsuits. These suits describe not only infections and scarring but also emotional trauma, financial burdens, and in some cases, death. Former patients say they were rushed through high-pressure sales pitches, barely spoke to their surgeon before the operation, and left the clinic with far more damage than they had imagined possible.

In Florida, a woman named Erin Schaeffer underwent a procedure marketed by the company as a safer, easier version of a tummy tuck. After receiving sedatives and a numbing injection while remaining awake, she described the surgery as nearly unbearable. Just days later, she found herself hospitalized with a serious infection. In court filings, she accused the company of using a doctor who wasn’t properly trained to perform cosmetic procedures. Her story is not the only one. At least a dozen wrongful death cases have been filed against similar clinics in recent years. Many of these suits share common threads: doctors with unrelated specialties, limited emergency backup, and a lack of oversight.

Private investment firms have poured millions into these chains. Advertising emphasizes fast results, credit options, and dramatic makeovers. But the promises don’t always match the outcomes. Patients often sign contracts that allow the companies to push disputes into private arbitration, keeping the details out of the public eye. Sometimes these agreements even include penalties for speaking negatively about the experience online. Even when problems are reported, there’s no national system tracking complaints about cosmetic surgeries like there is for medical devices or prescription drugs.

The business model of these chains often rewards speed and volume. In some cases, doctors are paid more to operate on people with higher body mass index, even though such patients carry higher risks. One patient in California said her concerns were brushed off for weeks after surgery, despite signs of a severe infection. She eventually ended up in the hospital with sepsis. Her case, like many others, was settled under terms that keep most of the facts sealed.

Some traditional plastic surgeons warn that cosmetic clinics run like businesses instead of medical practices may be cutting corners. While complications can happen in any surgery, critics argue that the combination of minimal pre-surgery contact, aggressive sales tactics, and limited emergency support creates a dangerous situation. They say patients deserve time to consider their options, clear conversations with their surgeon, and full awareness of risks, not a sales pitch with a payment plan.

In one Nevada case, a 79-year-old woman underwent multiple procedures at once. When she landed in the hospital shortly afterward with a severe infection, her legal team argued that her age and weight should have disqualified her from the surgery. The surgeon involved had received extra pay for performing the operation, based on a system that values patient characteristics like BMI. Again, the case ended in a confidential settlement.

Despite ongoing questions about safety and training, these clinics continue to grow. Television and internet ads promise change, confidence, and beauty. But as more lawsuits emerge, patients like Schaeffer say the results can be devastating. She believed she was making an informed decision after a major weight loss. Instead, she faced weeks of recovery, deep physical pain, and emotional fallout she never saw coming. Her story serves as a reminder that cosmetic surgery carries real risks, and that not all clinics are prepared to handle what happens when things go wrong.

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Cosmetic Surgeries Led to Disfiguring Injuries, Patients Allege

Cosmetic Surgery Chains Are on the Rise. So Are Allegations of Injury and Death.