Complaint Review: Dr. Suzan Obagi American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery - Chicago IL

Consumer Complaint against Dr. Suzan Obagi and American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery (AACS), cosmeticsurgery.org

 

This is a NON-COMMERCIAL posting/website. Any statements I make below are my own opinion ONLY.

Dr. Suzan Obagi, 2018 President of American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery (AACS, cosmeticsurgery.org), and AACS are a COMPLETE DISGRACE because members of AACS’ faculty engaged in FRAUD. Dr. E. Antonio Mangubat, Permanent Faculty with AACS, engaged in fraud, proof just search in Google for "tony mangubat" " and see this website:

 

sites.google.com/site/aacsobagi/

or keep reading below.

Mangubat performed surgeries on me that left me severely scarred & disfigured. Mangubat also completely misrepresented about the results of the surgeries, undoubtedly because his main interest was greed and profits.

WHY was Tony Mangubat misrepresenting and creating this false premise of a “full head of hair” [see below] in the minds of potential patients? Because building FALSE HOPES in patients is good for BOOSTING SALES. Tony Mangubat ONLY cares about SALES, and patient’s welfare was NOT a main concern.

For proof Mangubat is Permanent Faculty with AACS, follow this link for his online resume:

 labelleviecosmetic.com/practice

 

Also, screenshots of Mangubat’s online resume as of 9/24/2018 are in these links:

 

drive.google.com/file/d/1pu1I-gbDqFPoqol21Qv1E_HKlft8B90n/view?usp=sharing

drive.google.com/file/d/19JOXPyAmmXJcJ1IbJIv0tpfuaczinC6U/view?usp=sharing

drive.google.com/file/d/16nB_e0-DRNLZclVC7_dXoB6O836Pxkgs/view?usp=sharing

 

I have found several other victims who created their own websites documenting their HORRIBLE experiences as a patient of Puig Medical Group (PMG) [aka Cleveland Hair Centers], where Mangubat was Physician/Surgeon from 1989 - 1996. See example in this link:

 

[WARNING: GRAPHIC images in this link]:

hairtransplantrepair.blogspot.com/

 

A copy of the content in the above link is saved here:

drive.google.com/file/d/1mqNCiu5LHuomj_rteGK6wniPjZ0waY4N/view?usp=sharing

 

I filed an ethics complaint against E. Antonio Mangubat with University of Washington Medicine (UW Medicine), an organization Mangubat said he is affiliated with. I received a response from Dr. Lawrence R. Robinson, M.D., Vice Dean, who said “He [Mangubat] has never had privileges to practice medicine at Harborview Medical Center or the University of Washington Medical Center. Please be assured that we will take the actions we consider appropriate regarding Dr. Mangubat’s website. Thank you again for taking the time to share your concerns with me".

 

See Dr. Robinson’s bio here: sunnybrook.ca/media/item.asp?i=1115

A copy of Dr. Robinson’s bio’s is also saved here:

drive.google.com/file/d/1Wo4OG5LnDAaUMC10WujW4O4rH2rhnFzl/view?usp=sharing

 

Based on my ethics complaint, UW Medicine required Mangubat to correct his resume and make clear he is not currently associated with UW Medicine. You can see full details of my complaint in this Google website:

 

sites.google.com/site/tonymangubatisincompetent/

 

Unlike University of Washington Medicine (UW Medicine), even though I filed an ethics complaint against Mangubat with Dr. Suzan Obagi & AACS, Obagi and AACS chose to do NOTHING about my complaint, because Mangubat is still “Permanent Faculty” with AACS [see link above to his online resume].

Dr. Suzan Obagi & AACS claim AACS is an “organization committed to patient safety” [Source: AACS Code of Ethics]. This is a COMPLETELY LAUGHABLE claim given that Obagi & AACS have done nothing at all to disassociate AACS from Mangubat. Because of Obagi’s complete inaction in this matter, I am totally justified in calling Suzan Obagi & AACS a COMPLETE DISGRACE to the medical profession.

Below is PROOF of Dr. E. Antonio Mangubat committing FRAUD, FALSE-ADVERTISING, & TOTALLY UNETICAL CONDUCT:

Dr. E. Antonio Mangubat [aka Tony Mangubat], cosmetic surgeon/Medical Director at La Belle Vie Cosmetic Surgery Center,  labelleviecosmetic.com/ & Permanent Faculty with AACS, was a Physician/Surgeon with Puig Medical Group (PMG) from 1989 – 1996. Follow these links for the truth about PMG:

 

sites.google.com/site/puigmedicalgroup/

angelfire.com/indie/hairtransplant/94book.html

picasaweb.google.com/117812991164449030691/DrCarlosPuigDrEAntonioMangubat#

 

I am one of the many victims who were left SCARRED and DISFIGURED undergoing procedures by Mangubat while he was a surgeon with PMG. As clearly shown below, Dr. Mangubat was a FULL PARTICIPANT in PMG’s incompetent, unethical, and illegal conduct that is a COMPLETE DISGRACE to the medical profession.

Tony Mangubat is a sick individual, with no morals or ethics. I am justified in saying this because, as proven below, he was perfectly willing to permanently disfigure many patients, including me, just for a few thousand dollars that PMG charged for each “Brandy” scalp-reduction surgery. Mangubat’s only motivation is GREED, and he is fully willing to lie, cheat, disfigure, and ruin innocent people’s lives just to make money and support his lifestyle. For these reasons, Mangubat belongs in a mental institution for depraved individuals, and should definitely not be practicing medicine or be “Permanent Faculty” with AACS!

According to Dr. Tony Mangubat’s OWN resume posted on his website (see copy of first 3 pages of online resume below), he was a cosmetic surgeon for Puig Medical Group (“PMG”, aka Cleveland Hair Centers) from 1989 – 1996. From Dr. Mangubat’s official resume, “Professional Affiliations” section:

 

Physician/Surgeon, Puig Medical Group, Chicago, IL, Washington, DC      1989-1996

 

In mid 1990s, Dr. Tony Mangubat and PMG promised to cure my premature baldness in my 20s and give me a “full head of hair” [these words are an exact quote of a complete LIE from the PMG cover letter, see below] after the hair transplants and “Brandy” scalp reduction surgeries.

Instead, Dr. Tony Mangubat (aka Dr. E. Antonio Mangubat ) left my head COMPLETELY SCARRED AND DISFIGURED with only a few hairs growing that was of VERY LITTLE, if any, cosmetic significance!! He basically left me looking like a FREAK!! I have had AT LEAST 10 reconstructive cosmetic surgeries to reverse what Dr. Tony Mangubat did to me, and to look at least somewhat normal.

I became a patient of PMG in the mid 1990s and I received the 1994 brochure and letters filled with lies, hard sell tactics/false-advertising, and deceptive language. Below is a link to the “cover letter” I received from Puig Medical Group’s (PMG) [aka Cleveland Hair Centers] in 1994:

 

drive.google.com/file/d/1UR0j6cpoa5klEftbLcxusur3WeNKMohe/view?usp=sharing

 

The letter above is Puig Medical Group’s (PMG) 1994 Cover letter. This letter is FILLED with lies, hard sell tactics/false-advertising, and deceptive language.

 

The most BLATANT and COMPLETELY 100% LIE is when in the cover letter, PMG promised the potential client that PMG’s hair transplants will result in a “full head of hair” [2nd line of 2nd para of letter] that is "virtually non-detectible." [5th bullet in letter] No HALF-competent hair transplant doctor would ever say this because of the limited amount of donor hair in the back of the head of a typical hairloss patient, such as me. But PMG was perfectly willing to say this to MAXIMIZE its sales and LURE unsuspecting clients into selecting PMG instead of one of its competitors.

If Tony Mangubat & his former boss at PMG Carlos Puig were HALF-honest with their patients, they would have NEVER claimed to restore a “full head of hair” in the PMG’s cover letter to me and other potential clients!!

 

Below is a link to page 1 of Dr. Tony Mangubat’s (aka Dr. E. Antonio Mangubat) resume in the mid-1990s that I received from PMG:

drive.google.com/file/d/14lF316f_-8YB7tbKDFM2bI9aoXF-FXA4/view?usp=sharing

 

Above is a link to Page 1 of Dr. Tony Mangubat’s (aka Dr. E. Antonio Mangubat) mid-1990s resume. Please note that on Page 1, the part underlined in red clearly shows that Dr. Tony Mangubat was a doctor with Puig Medical Group from 1989 until the date of the resume (i.e. mid-1990s). So Dr. Mangubat cannot deny that he was a doctor with PMG in the mid-1990s, even if he may want to now!!

Below is a link to Page 2 of Dr. Mangubat’s 1994 resume while at PMG. Please note the text at the bottom [underlined in red], which CLEARLY shows that Dr. Mangubat performed “Brandy”-style scalp surgeries that left me SCARRED and DISFIGURED. “Brandy” refers to Dr. Dominic Brandy, who was in 1996 SUED and PAID damages for performing such scalp reduction procedures, see news articles about this in these links:

 

community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19960915&slug=2349352

deseretnews.com/article/514377/HAIR-DOCTOR-HAS-A-BRUSH-WITH-THE-LAW.html

 

Link to Page 2 of Dr. Mangubat’s 1994 resume:

 

drive.google.com/file/d/17ZN3LQOxGqVzSPZ2ac-96xMLpKwhguvH/view?usp=sharing

Above is a link to Page 2 of Dr. Tony Mangubat’s mid-1990s resume. Please note that at the bottom of page 2, it clearly says [underlined in red] that Dr. Mangubat performed “71 Modified Brandy Flaps”, and he did a few "Brady" scalp reduction procedures on me. As I just mentioned, “Brandy” refers to Dr. Dominic Brandy, who was in 1996 SUED and PAID damages for performing such scalp reduction procedures; here again are links to news articles about this:

 

community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19960915&slug=2349352

deseretnews.com/article/514377/HAIR-DOCTOR-HAS-A-BRUSH-WITH-THE-LAW.html

 

Below are links to the cover page & page 1 from PMG's 1994 brochure that are FILLED with MISLEADING STATEMENTS, UNETHICAL HARD SELL tactics, and OUTRIGHT LIES:

 

drive.google.com/file/d/1nzJG1_VDVHI_dR-IpYvguoLd7uaDLb-4/view?usp=sharing

drive.google.com/file/d/1ZdnnBqAKa3tA4FOe-EZJGTqkpHfwe94c/view?usp=sharing

 

 - E.g. OUTRIGHT LIES: “Advances in surgical techniques now allow for complete and permanent correction of this cosmetic imperfection.” [Page 1 of PMG booklet]  A COMPLETE LIE: even in 2018, advances in surgical techniques do NOT allow for a complete correction of baldness (i.e. a “full head of hair” as claimed by PMG”) for many hairloss patients. The key challenge is limited donor hair in the back of the head, and any HALF-competent, ethical doctor would know this and never make this claim (i.e. this 100% LIE) of “complete correction” made by PMG.

- E.g. of HARD SELL tactics: “Let's face it: baldness suggests premature aging.” [Page 1 of PMG  booklet]. Male pattern baldness is due to a person having genes programmed to result in hairloss, and that’s it; baldness has NOTHING to do with premature aging!!

- At the bottom of Page 1 it states that the purpose of this booklet is to give patients "all the information" a patient would need regarding hair transplants, and that the staff is not going to "try to sell" them on the surgery. Baloney! As PROVEN below (see page 8 below), this booklet was created to sell surgeries, NOT "educate patients". This misleading booklet can't even tell the truth about its own purpose!

 

Below is a link to page 7 of the 1994 booklet that contains LIES based on what is OMITTED from the text:

drive.google.com/file/d/1IoGI-gk3y7UUWxIQhpGcWaar0qCgTjSq/view?usp=sharing

 

-Another E.g. of OUTRIGHT LIES, “Bald Area Reduction … can eliminate a major portion of the bald area.” [Page 7 of PMG’s 1994 booklet] This is a LIE because of what is OMITTED from this claim. Bald area reduction is MAJOR surgery that leaves the head with LARGE SCARS around the scalp area that is removed. In my case, Mangubat performed a few “Brandy” scalp reduction procedures that left a HUGE horse-shoe shaped 8+ inch long and 1/2 inch thick SCAR from one TEMPLE to the CROWN and back down to the other TEMPLE on my head!! Again, see below for news articles on LAWSUIT in 1996 regarding “Brandy” scalp surgeries:

 

community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19960915&slug=2349352

deseretnews.com/article/514377/HAIR-DOCTOR-HAS-A-BRUSH-WITH-THE-LAW.html

 

But PMG in its marketing brochure makes NO MENTION of any scarring!!!! Talk about doctors (PMG doctors like Tony Mangubat) who leave out CRITICAL info needed for a patient to make an informed decision about the major surgery!!!!

 

drive.google.com/file/d/1ilWYSHwU0rDtctq-OzRU7XEkE7jP7kGH/view?usp=sharing

Above is a link to Page 8 of the PMG booklet which showed an illustration of a patient going from almost complete baldness at his consultation, to having a full head of hair, with the PMG asserting "final result eight months to one year later". This is COMPLETELY MISLEADING since nobody can realistically expect to go from almost complete baldness to a full head of hair in only eight months to a year.

Hair transplants CANNOT restore a full head of hair on a man with extensive baldness, yet this "sample patient" has restored everything, including his crown. Hair transplants are limited to the amount of donor hair a person has, and showing a final result of a full head of hair is AN OUTRIGHT LIE & TOTALLY UNETHICAL. The graphics on this page PROVE that PMG’s intent was to MISLEAD and LIE because ALL PMG and Mangubat saw in the patient was DOLLAR SIGNS and profits!! PMG’s doctors didn’t care in the least about the patient making an informed decision.

The booklet also claims that virtually anybody can get a hair transplant, and that the biggest factor in a hair transplant being a success is the experience of the clinic (and not the characteristics of the patient himself). This is also misleading. The unique characteristics of the patient, such as the extent of the hairloss, are equally important to the level of success they can expect. It is important that a prospective patient is told right away that different patients will have widely varying levels of success. But that's not so good for business, so that is kept "hush-hush" here.

Then it is stated "You know you have a problem or you wouldn't have requested this material". HERE PMG IS STOOPING TO HUMILIATION TO TRY TO “CLOSE THE SALE!! Would a legitimate physician tell a self-conscious patient that their hair loss is a problem?? OF COURSE NOT!! Maybe the balding men who don't get cosmetic surgery "don't know they have a problem"?!

Didn't this booklet begin by claiming that the clinic would not try to pressure anyone into a hair transplant? Clearly the MAIN POINT of this booklet was to SAY & DO WHATEVER IT TAKES (PRESSURE, MISLEAD, LIE), no matter how UNETHICAL, to close the sale for PMG!!

 

Below is a link to the insert page from the 1994 PMG booklet that has more LIES!!

drive.google.com/file/d/1JkSOfvn6h0OaJ48CWg7YWnpGnHVnRYjP/view?usp=sharing

 

- E.g. of Misleading statement/LIE:  “The most natural hairline that is virtually undetectable...Cosmetically incredible….You will look and feel the way you hoped to AGAIN!!” [Insert page above of PMG booklet]…in the case of most patients, including me, another COMPLETE LIE. My hairline was anything BUT natural after Mangubat's procedures with a few hairs growing in different parts of the hairline and the majority of the front hairline with no hair at all!! With the LIMITED amount of donor hair and hairloss on the front and crown in many patients, there is NO WAY there would be enough donor hair for hair transplants to result in a "full head of hair" with a "virtually undetectable" hairline!!!!

So WHY is the Puig Medical Group creating this false premise in the minds of potential patients? Because building FALSE HOPES in patients is good for BOOSTING SALES. Tony Mangubat was part of the team at PMG that ONLY cared about SALES, and patient’s welfare was NOT a main concern. That is why doctors at PMG (e.g. Dr. Tony Mangubat & his boss Dr. Carlos Puig) were willing to say ANYTHING, EVEN OUTRIGHT LIES, to ensure that the potential client would select PMG, and not one of its competitors, for hair transplants.

NO ONE has to just rely on my review to decide that Dr. Tony Mangubat is COMPLETELY INCOMPETENT FRAUD & CON-ARTIST. Anyone can just read the 1994 cover letters & marketing brochures of Puig Medical Group themselves to come to your own conclusions.

 

 (again available here:

 

sites.google.com/site/puigmedicalgroup/

and here:

picasaweb.google.com/117812991164449030691/DrCarlosPuigDrEAntonioMangubat#)

 

When you read these documents, you’ll see for yourself the TOTALLY deceptive practices, false advertising, and outright LIES that PMG’s doctors like E. Antonio Mangubat engaged in to lure unsuspecting clients.

 Let me STRESS again, Dr. Tony Mangubat himself on his online resume PROUDLY says that he worked as a cosmetic surgeon at PMG from 1989 – 1996, and he therefore was a FULL PARTICIPANT in PMG’s incompetent, unethical, and illegal conduct that is a COMPLETE DISGRACE to the medical profession. I know this FIRSTHAND because of what Tony Mangubat  did to me, i.e. promised me a “full head of hair”, and left me SCARRED and DISFIGURED!!

As I said before, I am only one of many victims of Puig Medical Group [aka Cleveland Hair Centers]. I have found several other victims who created their own websites documenting their HORRIBLE experiences as a patient of PMG. See example in this link:

 

[WARNING: GRAHPIC images in this link]:

http://hairtransplantrepair.blogspot.com/

 

Also as I said in the beginning, Tony Mangubat is a sick individual, with no morals or ethics. I am justified in saying this because he was perfectly willing to permanently disfigure many patients, including me, just for a few thousand dollars that PMG charged for each “Brandy” scalp-reduction surgery. Mangubat’s only motivation is GREED, and he is fully willing to lie, cheat, disfigure, and ruin innocent people’s lives just to make money and support his lifestyle. For these reasons, Mangubat belongs in a mental institution for depraved individuals, and should definitely not be practicing medicine!

Tony Mangubat’s and his former boss Dr. Carlos J. Puig’s licenses to practice medicine should have been REVOKED a LONG TIME AGO!!!!

Below are links to screenshots of the 1st 3 pages of Dr. Tony Mangubat's resume as HE POSTED it online on HIS website on September 24, 2018, La Belle Vie Cosmetic Surgery Centers (used to be known as Southcenter Cosmetic Surgery & Medical Spa): labelleviecosmetic.com/practice#md1

In pages 1 & 2, you can clearly see Mangubat boast that he is "Permanent Faculty" with AACS. In page 3, he CLEARLY STATES that he worked for Puig Medical Group from 1989 – 1996:

 

drive.google.com/file/d/1pu1I-gbDqFPoqol21Qv1E_HKlft8B90n/view?usp=sharing

Above is a link to Page 1 of Dr. Tony Mangubat's resume as HE posted it on his website on September 24, 2018. Please see page 3 of the resume below for confirmation that he worked as a Physician/Surgeon at PMG from 1989 – 1996.

 

drive.google.com/file/d/19JOXPyAmmXJcJ1IbJIv0tpfuaczinC6U/view?usp=sharing

Above is a link to Page 2 of Dr. Tony Mangubat's resume as HE posted it on his website on September 24, 2018.

 

drive.google.com/file/d/16nB_e0-DRNLZclVC7_dXoB6O836Pxkgs/view?usp=sharing

Above is a link to Page 3 of Dr. Tony Mangubat's resume as HE posted it on his website on September 24, 2018. The part underlined in RED confirms that he worked as a Physician/Surgeon at PMG from 1989 - 1996.