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RealSelf has a rating of 2.7 stars from 104 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers complaining about RealSelf most frequently mention plastic surgeons problems. RealSelf ranks 3rd among Doctor Reviews sites.
I first found RealSelf years ago when I was looking into a tummy tuck. It was very difficult finding prices, real reviews, doctor information, photos, etc and this site has it all! Since then, I've used this site for other cosmetic options ranging from non surgical to surgical. I'm back on again documenting and gathering information for another procedure I'm having done. It is very comforting to see real reviews on the doctors you're considering opposed to just what they want you to see. It has saved me a ton of time and money in consults alone by being able to narrow my selection down to a few doctors and feel comfortable with doing so. I highly recommend this site to every single person I come across that is researching something such as cosmetic surgery. It's a serious lifesaver!
RealSelf has responded to my review with false information. I never created multiple profiles and post multiple reviews for the same doctor. That is a brazen lie that you are publishing online to attempt to destroy a patient's credibility. I contacted you saying that your website perpetuates fraud by not authenticating users as real patients. Your response and retaliation to me inquiring about the safety of consumer information on your website -- when in fact you are clearly perpetuating fraud related to dangerous medical procedures so that you can profit -- is, like, super gross and super pathetic. You guys are liars and your business model is inherently unethical. It is my hope that the FTC will come after you.
RealSelf has responded to my review with false information. I never created multiple profiles and post multiple reviews for the same doctor. That is a brazen lie that you are publishing online to attempt to destroy a patient's credibility. I contacted you saying that your website perpetuates fraud by not authenticating users as real patients. Your response and retaliation to me inquiring about the safety of consumer information on your website -- when in fact you are clearly perpetuating fraud related to dangerous medical procedures so that you can profit -- is, like, super gross and super pathetic.
You guys are liars and your business model is inherently unethical. It is my hope that the FTC will come after you.
Date of experience: June 9, 2022
Shady, shady, shady. This website receives paid promotions and then manipulates and skews the review process. When i confronted them about the lack of authentication mechanisms to prevent dummy accounts from posting reviews, as well as the prevalence of blatantly fraudulent reviews on their site, they deleted my genuine patient experience and banned me from the website. If you have witnessed fraud or experienced fraudulent behavior associated with information that was misrepresented to you on this website, PLEASE file a report with the Federal Trade Commission.
Tip for consumers:
Report fraud and misrepresentation found on realself to the FTC.
Date of experience: June 2, 2022
Please reply if you're starting a class action against RealSelf. Their blatant false advertising cost me hundreds of thousands in medical and cosmetic complications that I could have avoided had they not false advertised their Doctors by silencing real negative reviews and uploading fake positive reviews. There are about 10 women I know who had the exact same happen to them who would join any legal action happening.
Date of experience: January 28, 2023
I first found RealSelf years ago when I was looking into a tummy tuck. It was very difficult finding prices, real reviews, doctor information, photos, etc and this site has it all! Since then, I've used this site for other cosmetic options ranging from non surgical to surgical. I'm back on again documenting and gathering information for another procedure I'm having done. It is very comforting to see real reviews on the doctors you're considering opposed to just what they want you to see. It has saved me a ton of time and money in consults alone by being able to narrow my selection down to a few doctors and feel comfortable with doing so. I highly recommend this site to every single person I come across that is researching something such as cosmetic surgery. It's a serious lifesaver!
Date of experience: June 10, 2020
Realself community and reviewers helped me learn about the different options available, what can reasonably be expected, and which doctors I might consider. Saying this is a site funded by 'doctors' has one major flaw: Call up any surgeon and ask what their wait time is. Every surgeon I spoke with was word of mouth only; no advertising needed. Why? Because they were good at what they do. Who is out there looking for sub-standard providers at a discount? Those are one star consumers; RealSelf is not the website for those folks. In all, this is a great place to come for honest experiences and reviews.
Date of experience: October 30, 2015
I was initially impressed with the content, level of engagement and information available on this website. Therefore I signed up to be a member but sadly find out that all what they care about is getting doctors to sign up for various levels of membership and get the money. Before signing up I was receiving regular calls from their advisors on how to "optimise" you profile to maximise visibility... etc. These phone calls stopped as soon as I signed up a 6 months contract which turned out to be extremely overpriced with delivery close to nothing.
Surgeons: I would not recommend you spend any penny on this platform. You would get much more for any money you spend on other marketing campaigns.
Date of experience: September 29, 2019
RealSelf was a good tool when it originally started before doctors figured out how to cheat the system and use it to lure patients. If you are on the site for any length of time you start to see a pattern emerging of fake reviews mixed in with real reviews which result in a doctor's overall scoring being higher than it really is. They have started marketing a new "verification" system to show all reviews are legit, but its nothing but smoke and mirrors. I flagged 5 reviews I found written by my doctor for himself which were clearly fake and RealSelf never looked into it nor did they remove any of them.
Date of experience: October 9, 2018
This website is the bible for doing your research on plastic surgery procedures. It has personal accounts, with pictures, of various types of surgeries and also experiences with particular doctors. You can't put a price on being able to read first hand accounts from others who have already gotten the procedures you are considering. Also, it is an incredibly supportive community, where people post updates on their recovery and others give advice and support. It lets people know they are not alone and gives them a place to share what they are going through with other people who understand. I love that a website like this exists!
Date of experience: May 15, 2020
Dr. Song did my Tummy Tucker (excellent) He did my breast augmentation (excellent) His staff are all so helpful. He is THE best plastic surgeon in the world. Ladies you're worth it. Sometime dieting and exercise is just not enough. Stubborn fat & loose skin require surgery to remove it. Go get your dream body with Dr. Song. Free consultation
Date of experience: April 11, 2016
Big brother is always watching at realself, and he wants to manipulate you into handing over cash to some hack doctor for plastic surgery. Nothing but fake reviews and manipulation and paid partnerships with doctors, it is not a tool for honest information. BEWARE!
Date of experience: September 9, 2018
Hi Jerry -- We appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback.
We're an independent resource; doctors (or anyone else for that matter) can't pay to alter reviews or ratings. Doctors can pay for advertisements but these have no bearing on the information posted on the site.
Review authenticity is very important to us. All reviews go through a multi-step moderation process, which includes manual (human) and automated (software) moderation. This takes place behind the scenes before reviews are published, and periodically throughout the time a review is live.
We also depend on the community to let us know when something doesn't seem right. If you have concerns about reviews, please email us (contactus@realself.com) and let us know. We look into all reviews that are flagged to us.
Thanks again for your input.
Had numerous honest reviews from patients' deleted at the whim of realself. Patients go to realself to post reviews hoping to express themselves and help others. It seems as though Realself will delete any reviews they want, either positive or negative, depending on how much doctors pay them. That is wrong.
Date of experience: August 20, 2018
I hope this is not a trend that you cannot go back and edit your own review without begging the website creators for permission to do so and then they refuse.
What a sure fire way for a customer not to participate in the site at all. I am now questioning the character of any doctor who is affiliated with Realself.com.
Date of experience: October 19, 2018
Hi Caroline -- Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention.
You can edit your review at any time by emailing us. It sounds like you did this but there might have been some miscommunication on our end. Please feel free to get back in touch directly (contactus@realself.com) and we'll be happy to assist.
We're also working on a feature to allow you to edit directly, and we appreciate your patience while we perfect it.
Thank you!
RealSelf is an amazing online source comprised of professional and consumer knowledge of cosmetic/plastic surgical and non-surgical procedures. The reviews provide numerous sources of information, from doctors' answers to questions posed by members to reviews and pictures that are really essential in forming educated decisions on treatments from injections to surgery. I love RS!
Date of experience: June 15, 2019
We love you too! Thank you for sharing your feedback — we really appreciate it — and we’re so pleased that your procedures have gone well.
10 years ago this site was somewhat useful. Now its a huge scam. 99% of the positive reviews are FAKE and made by employees, friends, family and paid for. Do NOt take advise from Real Self! Even here you see fake reviews for DR's. The laws need to catch up to technology. It should be a CRIME to post fake reviews. Realself is nothing but a paid advertisement for Dr's... FRAUD!
Date of experience: July 20, 2019
Thanks for your feedback. Consumer trust is important to us too and everyone’s opinions help us improve.
We make sure providers are following FTC regulations around who can endorse them online and what must be disclosed about their relationship. That means we don’t allow reviews from anyone connected to the doctor, including employees, friends and family. We only want to hear from real patients who have unbiased experiences with the doctors they’re reviewing.
We put every review through moderation (where reviews are checked by both humans and proprietary technology) to ensure they meet those standards.
Trust is the backbone of what we do and we’re glad to hear that consumers are taking it seriously too. If you have other questions, please reach out: contactus@realself.com We’re here to help.
Hi, I am a RealSelf insider and I have had many procedures done. Before I had one thing done, I was a member for 3 years doing research and talking with other Real Self'ers about their procedures, surgeries, outcomes and aftercare. I learned a lot before I started. It is a friendly place where people help each other and doctors answer any questions you may have. It has been the most supportive place for me and I value the connections I have made there. A great place!
Date of experience: December 10, 2019
Thank you for writing a review and we’re so happy to hear you’ve connected with other community members for support. That’s what we’re all about!
I got banned from the website because the doctor I wrote the review about contacted them. While I see him and many other doctors have fake reviews by simply asking their staff members with different ip addresses to write reviews but I got mine deleted! Do no pt believe on this site reviews
Date of experience: October 23, 2015
Writing an outstanding review for Valerie Daly is such a pleasure as it is so well deserved! Anytime you're having something done to your face, the most visible and vulnerable area to be touched, it is imperative to have confidence in the person injecting you and refreshing that image you show the world... and that is Val. She is warm, kind, gentle, listens to what you want, suggest, takes away your worries and the result is always even better than you hoped for!
Date of experience: September 20, 2017
Real Self is my go to for Real experiences and tips for any type of beauty treatment you might be considering having Done. Real self make it easy for you to choose from a wide array of service providers and see real reviews on them. Send requests for virtual consultants and more.
Date of experience: November 22, 2019
Thanks for sharing your RealSelf experience! We’re excited about virtual consultations too; they improve access to doctors and make it easier to get the info to help you move forward in your journey.
Being disfigured by a liar surgeon wasn't enough that realself removed my review right after I spoke to the doctor office. This is misleading potential patients who don't see the whole story. Is dangerous
Date of experience: April 11, 2017
Had lower facelift performed, upper eyelids and pixie eyebrows in August 2016. The following 4 days were very uncomfortable with ice packs and sleeping in an upright position in lounge chair. The care give by Dr. Ricciardelli and staff was impeccable. The office called and checked on progress several times, After a week, the bruising started to subside and after 3 weeks disappeared. My husband was very pleased with results and said I looked 10 years younger. I am 68. Highly recommend Dr Ricciardelli and staff for your cosmetic procedures.
Date of experience: April 6, 2017
RealSelf is just an advertising forum for plastic surgeons. It's not a genuine, impartial, review board where the members can share true experiences.
If you are a doctor, you can buy yourself a top spot on RealSelf and market yourself with glowing self-submitted reviews. And if somebody posts a less-than-stellar review of your skills, you can have it removed.
RealSelf is NOT a genuine review site. Please don't rely on the reviews there to select a plastic surgeon!
Date of experience: May 28, 2018
Hi Christianna -- We appreciate you sharing your concerns.
All reviews go through the same moderation process, which includes both software and human moderation, and they're subject to the same guidelines. Reviews that don't meet our Terms of Service, whether positive or negative, aren't published.
We are an independently-owned resource. Doctors cannot pay to alter consumer content on the site. They are also not allowed to post positive reviews about themselves, and they can't pay to remove reviews.
Please feel free to get in touch if you have concerns about any particular reviews. We're always willing to look into them further.
I have had the fortune to find this website a While back and I have to say it's been life changing. Not only do I find new treatments but I have been able to find amazing doctors / providers in my area. RealSelf has become my go to for any cosmetic procedure I want to try or find out about. Real people with real honest reviews. Best of all its free and very user friendly. I would recommend this to anyone looking for real honest reviews and resources. Can't say enough good things about the site or its moderators.
Date of experience: August 16, 2019
We’re so happy you’re enjoying your time with us! Although we love what we do, getting to know community members and follow their journeys is quite the gift too.
Dr. Brian S. Glatt is truly an amazing doctor. I have spent most of my adult life dreaming about having breast implants. I knew one day I would finally do it. After a few referrals from my friends/patient's of Dr. Glatt, I knew he was the doctor for me. He is such a genuine, warm and understanding doctor. He truly has the best interest of his patient's in mind. If you are looking for a 5 star plastic surgeon, Dr. Glatt should be your first choice! Having 3 kids, I don't normally have the time to post reviews or take surveys, but this is one time that I felt it was necessary. If I can change one person's mind about whom they choose to be their doctor, then it was worth it. Best of luck and remember... you won't be disappointed with Dr. Glatt, he is the BEST! I have a new found love for my body and confidence in me that I never knew existed :)
Date of experience: February 16, 2016
If you are interested in exploring cosmetic procedures or plastic surgery, RealSelf is a must visit site! I have used it to look into several procedures; and the real person reviews are invaluable. The before and after photos have helped me to choose the procedure that is best for me. I have looked for the best Doctors, and actually used the site to make an appointment! RealSelf is a must use tool for self research!
Date of experience: June 12, 2020
OMG what isn't there to LOVE: the procedure for Exilis Ultra is truly remarkable. This procedure is comfortable, relaxing and affordable. The best thing is IT WORKS. I was somewhat skeptic but wanted to try something besides a total face lift. My skin has tightened, glowing, less puffy and jowls are nearly gone. I love it and will return again as needed... no down time, no pain and did I say affordable... sign me up again in a year. I will return
Date of experience: September 18, 2017
I look for a new beauty products and seem like this site gives a unique beauty products I have been looking for so long. Though I read some negative reviews here, still this I get the products on time. Great service too!
Date of experience: January 27, 2016
RealSelf is the leading and most trusted source for people considering an elective cosmetic treatment. More than ten years ago, we built RealSelf as the destination for people to learn about cosmetic procedures, share their experiences, and connect with top providers.
Today there are more cosmetic treatment options than ever before—from Botox to laser hair removal, microneedling to CoolSculpting. That’s why RealSelf provides unbiased information about cosmetic procedures and the doctors and clinicians who perform them.
Hi Rachel -- Thanks for getting in touch.
The authenticity of the reviews is extremely important to us. All reviews go through a multi-step moderation process that includes both software and human moderation. We're also constantly adding tools behind the scenes to improve our processes.
Any time someone emails us about a review, we look into it and put the review back through our moderation process. Because this is an internal process, we don't share the results with anyone outside the company (unless action is taken against the accounts). We understand this can make it feel like your concerns aren't being addressed, and we apologize for that.
Please get back in touch (contactus@realself.com) and let us know what reviews you're flagging and we'll take another look. We appreciate your diligence in looking out for the community.