Complaint Review: Michael Santillanes MD - Newport Beach California

Do yourself a favor: Do your research. Educate yourself. It is YOUR FACE we are talking about. Learn about the complications you can have from injectable fillers, learn about fillers! Please search for “vascular occlusion from injectable fillers”. It can have irreversible consequences like leaving you blind, cause a necrosis on your face and leave you permanently scarred. Now feel free to read my story and make your own conclusions about this place, their ethics and business practices:

I initially came to Dr. Michael Santillanes for Botox. It was all good, I had done it before somewhere else and it kept my “11’s” in check. In June 2013 I inquired about what is known as “non-surgical nose job” because I have a hump on my nose. He told me how filler is injected into the bridge area to reduce the appearance. I went ahead and did it. Looking back the only thing he mentioned to me was the amount of time one filler or another will last. Ignorant me for not asking more questions or the differences among the different products on the market, or the potential complications from each one of them. I liked the results. It lasted about 4-5 months and then I went back for a touch up since I had filler left from my original purchase. Total time was about 9 months between the two injections. In all honesty, I trusted the knowledge of the doctor. One comes to them because they supposedly know what they are doing.

On December 16, 2016 I went back for Botox and the “non-surgical nose job” again with Dr. Santillanes. This time just two weeks later the filler had migrated, meaning it moved to the hump area. The total opposite of the desired effect, since it emphasized it. I had visits over the holiday season so I couldn’t go back immediately since I live in Los Angeles County. On January 2017 I called the office for two weeks and nobody picked up the phone, left many messages and no call was returned. I finally tried again on January 26th and made an appointment for the 30th, which I had to cancel last minute. Next couple of weeks I tried calling to reschedule my appointment and again, nobody picks up the phone. February 28th finally I get an appointment for March 8th for revision.

“DAY 1” Wednesday March 8th, 2017 During my appointment at 3:30 pm, Dr. Santillanes saw my pictures showing the migration of the filler within days of the initial injection. He told me he would give me a touch up and proceeded to inject into the area of the nasal root. I experienced bleeding and immediate bruising which was evident at the moment of the injection. By 10 PM of that day I had to take analgesics due to the pain, it was much more painful than the first time and I noticed a strange discoloration on my skin. I could elaborate about every detail of what happened after, and by all means feel free to contact me if you want more information but here is in short: My nose and forehead area started getting worse by the minute. Every passing hour my face was getting swollen, purple, red, full of white pustules, I was in pain and in horror.

Friday the 10th I spent all day chasing an incompetent girl at the Bella Derma office who received my pictures on her phone , who was supposed to show the doctor because by then it was obvious that I had a bad complication. All day I called, begged to speak with the doctor and for her to show the pictures so I could head down to OC and be seen. Not only she failed to show the doctor anything or have anyone contact me to find out what was going on, but ignored my further communication asking for information since I was about to go to the ER without knowing exactly what the heck had been injected. “if he doesn’t call you back today he will be back on Monday” She wrote on text messages. In the meantime, I am in panic looking how my face gets worse by the minute.

Saturday morning I am lucky to find a Board-Certified Dermatologist who takes me without appointment and immediately identifies that I have a vascular occlusion due to the filler (again, do your research!!) he injects me with HA (Hyaluronidase) to dissolve what he believes is a Hyaluronic acid filler, I mentioned that it could have been Radiesse. His face shows disbelief and he tells me that he hopes not, because Radiesse is not approved for that area and it is a semi-permanent non-reversible filler. He also prescribes antibiotics oral and topical. I had a weekend from hell, sleeping 3 hours per night, panicking about what I am finding out about this dreaded complication. You should do your reading.

Monday morning I am at Dr. Santillanes office fuming over the unbelievably unprofessional and negligent attitude of the front desk girl. Office “manager” Bobbie immediately takes me to the back and whispers as she asks me questions about what happened. Dr. comes in and tells me “oh its nothing, it’s an infection”. INFECTION???? Not only that, he says that I CAUSED it by touching the area. Are you kidding me?! Now is my fault too! He tells me the other doctor doesn’t know what he is talking about and that I need to be on stronger antibiotics. Total denial of what I have been diagnosed with. Again, make your own conclusions after you look at the pictures of vascular occlusion vs. infection and do your research. I was livid.

After 3 weeks I sent Dr. Santillanes documents with pictures showing how my face is not healing and now it is scarred. I am told by my new dermatologist that I am going to need IPL treatments to get rid of the redness. I ask Dr. Santillanes not only for my money back from the initial failed injection but also to be reimbursed for all the expenses I incurred due to the neglect from his office personnel handling my emergency. Excuse my analogy, but I don’t think is different than getting highlights on your hair. If the stylist messes up your hair she can either fix it or give you your money back. It is not only reasonable but is the least the person can do to make you whole again, especially after a failed procedure. I mentioned that I want a reasonable resolution so I can take care of myself and move on. Because initially the doctor had given me positive results I don’t want to go to the extreme, so I offer that if he does the right thing I will be discreet about this injury and not trash his reputation by disseminating my situation on the internet to make others aware of this complication. I am even willing to release liability upon reimbursement. Again, I just want to move on!

But here is the best: Manager Bobbie had been “kindly” following up with me via text messages. I confirm that the doctor got my letter asking for the reimbursement. I try calling her at the office many times in which she never picks up and only gives me a message that she will call me back. After 4 days trying I am done. I contact her via text and mention again how appalling it is that in spite of her saying she is there for me for whatever I need she doesn’t even pick up the phone. I had questions about my situation and I was requesting my medical records but she couldn’t be bothered to take my calls. She then mentions that my letter requesting a reimbursement is a “demand” and that I am “threatening” and “black mailing” the doctor which is a “criminal offense”. She says that I am verbally slandering the doctor. My “threatening approach of trying to get money from the doctor is not appropriate in “this country” and could lead to a lot of trouble for me”. Really??? Requesting a reimbursement for $1550 is extortion? Black mail? $1550 dollars…hahaha. What the procedure, medicines, visit to new Dermatologist and the TWO IPL treatments I will require in the future, receipts attached. Not even a penny for pain a suffering but she claims to be a lawyer and she uses the word “slander”. Slander is spreading LIES and defaming people. What is false about what was done to my face? Is my permanent scarring fake? Did I do this to my face? I am sure she assumed that because I have an accent I am not a citizen of this country in which I have consumer rights, maybe she thought that I am not aware that there is a medical board as well. Talk about being condescending. I wanted a reasonable resolution and move on and now on top of all the physical and psychological pain I am also being told that I am committing a “criminal offense”. Talk about placing blame on others and taking zero responsibility for the well-being of a patient.

Well, here I am and you have been informed. It is now “Day 30” and things are not looking better. I am supposed to start the IPL in another month and I hope that helps. It is still unbelievable to me the indifference that this doctor, the “manager” and even the girl on the front desk have for their patients. It is inexcusable to me. Make your own conclusions and think if you also want to be ignored if you have an emergency, dumped like a hot potato, and blamed for someone else’s mistakes all while you are permanently injured and scarred.