Complaint Review: DR. MEHRYAR TABAN

DR. TABAN AGED me at least 25 years. Note the heavy, added skin folds in the creases which gave me a hooded look and the uneven lids. He refused to correct or reimburse me a dime. Keep reading.

If I were Dr. Taban, the last thing I would do is order an attorney threatening to sue me for defamation in a YELP review. Yet that is what he did. Dr. Taban’s upper blepharoplasty cost me dearly: in dollars, time, facial aesthetics, pain, and distress but his surgery left me looking a decade older and angry. When I complained, Dr. Taban wrote me off and referred me to another surgeon. That surgeon corrected Dr. Taban’s work -- for an additional $5800. Again, that surgeon was Dr. Taban’s own referral. My experience with Dr. Taban has been an expensive and dispiriting ORDEAL. I have paid for TWO upper blepharoplasties and Dr. Taban still refuses to reimburse me for his defective results. He simply walked away. Rather than confront his professional negligence, he hustles for positive YELP reviews.

BACKGROUND: Dr. Taban managed to solicit some glowing testimonials (Caveat Emptor). I filed in Small Claims court in Nov. 2015 as a last resort after 23 mos. of unsuccessful attempts for recompense. His botched blepharoplasty surgery in late Dec. 2013 resulted in an overhang: heavy folds of upper eyelid skin running down to lower lids. Two independent cosmetic surgeons attested that Dr. T. had failed to follow my “high, natural eyelid crease”, as evidenced by my Before photos. Post-surgery, I sported Yoda eyes (old, angry, reptilian) .





I asked Dr. T. to rectify the situation but he only recommended a browlift (which he’d earlier said I did NOT need), or upper eyelid fillers! 2 expert surgeons whom I consulted later said adding filler would only worsen the overhang from increased weight. And I’d previously told Dr. T. that I did not want filler. He claimed I needed so much extra skin to close my eyes so I asked why I needed a blepharoplasty in the first place then? His response: “whaddya want from me?”





I requested a refund from Dr. Taban - just for the surgery (nothing extra for meds or aftercare). I even stated that IF he issued a refund, I’d sign paperwork releasing him of all actions or demands including that of professional negligence and also agreed not to discuss or to post reference to his practice. I pled with him to at least listen to second opinions from MDs whom he respects. His response: “Not gonna happen”. My entreaties fell on deaf ears: he fled the exam room to phoned about a new Porsche. I stated I’d return weekly if need be, but deserved better treatment.

Dr. Taban’s next move was to send me a letter of referral to 2 colleagues saying he no longer wanted me as a patient. I was out a considerable chunk of money AND still couldn’t look in the mirror w/o cringing. I duly consulted 1 of the colleagues he recommended and this MD agreed to redo Dr. Taban’s work -- at an added cost of over $7000. He normally will not touch botched blepharoplasties but felt my case was egregious enough.

In taking Dr. Taban to Small Claims, I again only asked to recoup surgery expenses (nothing else for meds, aftercare, nor additional corrective surgery fees). But Dr. Taban has no integrity: he pointed out to the judge that I’d had a previous blephoroplasty, as if to suggest it’s unclear whose work was actually responsible for his horrid outcome! That first bleph was performed 25 years ago. It’s clearly irrelevant as my Before photos were taken only mos. prior to his surgery and still clearly depict my high, natural crease.

Though I displayed the Before/After photos in court, the judge decided in Dr. T’s favor because I hadn’t subpoenaed cosmetic surgeons who would testify against him (good luck with that).

Throughout this long ordeal, Dr. Taban’s accepted no responsibility. His lack of accountability remains inexcusable and his professional conduct unconscionable. I hold him personally culpable for my disastrous results. Such substandard care is wholly inexcusable and a clear breach of medical ethics.