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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 was a great tool for me a few years ago while preparing to have a breast augmentation. It can be awesome if you're looking for information about a cosmetic procedure, researching plastic surgeons, or simply want to share your cosmetic experience with other people. However -- the website seems to have undergone a redesign and it's now a bit clunky to find information. And what I mean is, as a user I simply want to know "Who are all the doctors in XXXX city who perform breast augmentations? What are their prices? What are their reviews?" Or, if you have a question, you want to be able to click somewhere and find a list of similar questions which have already been asked. This information is available but it takes a bit more navigating now to really find what you're looking for. The other thing is, there are some elements of the user experience which can be frustrating. Like if you submit a question, you can't ever edit it and it has to be reviewed prior to being asked. I think they need to solicit and implement feedback from users. The concept is great but it's not the most user friendly place to find information.
Date of experience: October 3, 2018
Please be careful. This is an advertisement site for plastic surgeons. For example Thomas Jeneby, San Antonio, TX, has had at least 5 court cases for malpractice, one as recent as 2018, and you can't find any bad reviews for him after 2016. The reviews seem to favor surgeons even though they might be doing a deplorable jobs. More than a dozen woman in San Antonio have claimed to have botched breast surgeries by Dr. Jeneby, please refer to news reports for more information. There is even a blog out from one of his victims. Please be careful, I can only imagine how many other PS are pumping this site with misleading reviews. Do not use this site as your only tool to make your decision.
Date of experience: April 12, 2019
Having just had a procedure a couple weeks ago and dealing with a rude, unresponsive practitioner, I posted a question last night, looking forward to getting some feedback today. Instead, I get a response from a moderator telling me to contact my doctor. Apparently, my question wasn't good enough to make the cut. The moderator lied to me and told me that they were not accepting post-op questions anymore. As someone else mentioned, this looks more like an advertising website for doctors than a forum designed to help patients..
Date of experience: October 17, 2018
Hi Zach -- Thanks for getting in touch and we're sorry to hear about your experience.
We recently changed our Doctor Q&A at the request of both consumers and doctors. We do share post-op questions, but specific post-op concerns (such as aftercare) are referred back to your doctor. We made this change because doctors told us they didn't have enough information to answer these questions adequately and, in turn, consumers weren't receiving great answers.
We hope this helps to explain these recent changes, and we hope your recovery process is now going well.
When I first started looking at realself I found it on accident from searching on google. I made an account and started researching other women's reviews about breast augmentations the good and the bad. Overall it took me about 5 years of building up the courtesy to get a consultation then surgery. I love the realself community. I would have given it five stars but some of the website can be frustrating to search and I wish they had more emojis and an option to edit your post after it's been posted. Other then that I absolutely love this site! I always recommend this website to anyone looking to get any work done.
Date of experience: December 31, 2019
We’re so glad RealSelf helped you make a confident decision!
We appreciate you sharing your ideas about how we can improve. Our community is the reason we’re here and we’re always improving the site in response to feedback. Thank you!
When I first met Dr. Henderson I immediately knew she was very passionate about her work. She took the time to go over the options and tailored my surgery to what I wanted to see as the end result. I am extremely happy with my forehead lift and no longer have heavy eyelids and fatty tissue under my eyes. I look and feel rejuvenated and refreshed with out looking like I had surgery. I highly recommend her and have referred many of my friends to her.
Tip for consumers:
Always ask to see before and after photos of people who the Doctor has done surgery on. Do your research.
Date of experience: May 14, 2017
I had breast reduction and skin removal. Dr Johns and staff. Where so great. He truly is an artist. The hospital was also very sweet to me and I'd suggest anyone too see Dr John's. Only thing is I saw him twice during the whole process, but I understand he's very busy. Great job everyone. Thank-you so much! I was very scared and you all put me right at ease. That means alot.,,,,, Kitty
Date of experience: December 13, 2016
As a phyisican in Aesthetics, I signed on to get some additional exposure to potential clients in my area. What a racket and was of time. Heavy monthly fees and extensive time answering questions with no leads in my area. We had calls from other states (not even reasonable clients 400 miles away) Definitely not worth the money.
Date of experience: March 3, 2020
Real Self is a scam. They delete negative reviews about Plastic Surgeons. They get their money from advertisers. I received a private email massage, which I believed was actually from my doctor. I laid out the entire truth in my reply. I was booted off the site. Before, I would receive about 10 emails a day from them.
Date of experience: November 6, 2014
I like it because you can find out a lot of information about different cosmetic options (surgeries, tattoing (eg permanent makeup), orthodontics, etc.), so it's disappointing that I have to register in order to view pictures that people post. I don't think I'd use it to find surgeons or centers that perform these procedures, but as a resource for finding more information about what people think of them, I'd say it's mostly legit.
Date of experience: June 28, 2018
Thanks for sharing your feedback!
We require registration for photos because our community members like the additional security that this offers. We understand that not everyone wants to register, but we do give you control over your account, such as whether you receive emails, and the ability to close your account. We've also recently introduced sign in via Google and Facebook, which can be helpful if you don't want another account.
The doc I used from this site had five stars all the way, but the surgery I ended up with was far less than a five star outcome. Also, I received email from Real Self and opened one in particular. I had posted a negative review about the doctor on Real Self and was bullied by horrible people unknown who posted comments against me that went way over the line. Back to the email: I opened an attachment and it had NOTHING in it. Within a few days my computer contracted the Cryto 3.0 virus and crashed. I found out that it was likely an "exe" attachment. These are widely used to spread this awful ransom ware virus to your computer. Beware of the reviews, don't post there or open any email from them.
Date of experience: June 6, 2015
Real Self truly believes in its mission and it shows through every employee. The thoughtfulness they have from the encouragement of new members to the design and layout of the website is unmatched. Real Self truly cares about modern beauty and remove the stigma of plastic surgery. I can't say enough about the amazing experience I've had.
Date of experience: June 14, 2019
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We love to help people make informed, confident decisions and we’re so happy to hear that RealSelf has been helpful to you.
"I rarely write reviews, but I felt that if this could help someone else out there who was in as much pain as me it might make a difference. I had tummy tuck done last yr, and was in so much pain from the compression garment they had given me. I was told I would have to wear for 6 weeks 24/7. I was black and blue, and had to find something else. I was fortunate enough to find Bonito & Co., and I cant even begin to tell you the difference it made. It truly does fit like no other garment that I have ever bought, and I was able to sleep for the first time since the surgery. Very rarely do you find a company that treats you like family, and makes you feel safe and comfortable to purchase from. I would have given anything if the doctors would have given me the option to purchase this compression garment before the surgery so I could have had it post op. I truly believe that it would made all the difference in the world. Good luck to all :): )
Date of experience: March 7, 2017
I want to let people know, that Dr Dale R Reynolds has changed my life. He helped me go through my Breast Cancer Journey. He is very professional and compassionate. He is the best Plastic surgeon I have ever met. If you are looking for a plastic surgeon, he is the best. Thank you again Dr Reynolds, for everything you have done for me. There are no words to express my gratitude.
Date of experience: September 17, 2019
Thanks for sharing! We’re so glad to hear that you had a positive experience with Dr. Reynolds during what is no doubt a very stressful time in your life. If you have not yet, please share your story on RealSelf so others can learn from your experience! https://www.realself.com/review/write
This is the best place to get real reviews by real people. This website offers not only a community to reach out to other people but a way to reach out to surgeons. Real self is the best place to read information on several cosmetic options, they even have photo galleries that you can look at in the privacy of your own home. The community is absolutely amazing I've spoke with real people and I've received real feedback.
Date of experience: December 10, 2019
Thanks for the kind words! We’re thrilled to hear the doctors and community helped you in your journey.
I posted a honest experience on a surgeon whom butchered me at 35yo I looked tired and maybe with some thing as easy as botox and skin peel would have helped. A charlatan doctor took advantage of me. He had convinced me I needed a facelift. He withered my ear lobles so bad that they are in repairable. My scars are hideous and o looked exactly the same after the procedure. After some years I was contacted by Real self. Advising me that my review is being removed!?. I am baffled at this post was years ago. Well upon some research I noticed Real self has changed and some how only post positive reviews. Mainly fake obviously as reviews only Bragg about wonderful experiences. Will no longer trust that site not a reliable source of information
Date of experience: August 5, 2018
Hi Sky -- Thanks for getting in touch with your concerns.
All reviews, both positive and negative, are welcome on the site. Reviews go through a moderation process before they're published and they're also periodically re-moderated to ensure they meet our Terms of Service. Because our moderation tools improve over time, reviews are re-moderated periodically and may subsequently be removed as our processes improve. This is true for both positive and negative reviews.
Please get in touch about your review so we can look into it and provide more specific information.
I've used RealSelf to research several cosmetic procedures. The real patient reviews and the "Ask A Doctor" function are the most useful. Overall I find RS to be an informative, credible site for research.
Date of experience: July 25, 2019
Thanks for the kind review! Happy to hear you’re finding the site helpful in your journey.
RealSelf started off well with good intentions to help public get real deal reviews. Greed soon caught up and they sold their souls for money. They started to buy doctors and corporates to taint the views and reviews. They hound us doctors to pay money to them to get better favors and visibility. Now I want to throw up every time I log into Realself... very sad...
Date of experience: March 17, 2019
Hello Dr. Atluri -- Thank you for getting in touch with your concerns. We're sorry to hear you didn't have a positive experience. We tried to get in touch but haven't heard back from your office. We'd appreciate if you could contact us so we could discuss your concerns in more detail.
We do sell advertising and enhanced profiles (e.g. Adding photos, a weblink, etc.) to help doctors market their practice to consumers. However, purchasing advertising on the site doesn't have any impact on consumer activity, such as reviews. Advertising grants exposure, not special treatment.
We look forward to speaking with you so we can understand your specific concerns. Even if you're not advertising on the site, we want to make sure it's the best possible platform for both doctors and consumers.
I had a very uncomfortable eye lid because of my age, it blocked the angle of view.
And since I had a eye lid surgery from Dr. James Gordon at Westchester Eye Associate, I was starting have a quality of my life that I can see much better.
He is one of the finest doctor I had been met and I thankful for this.
Margaret Lee
Date of experience: June 29, 2016
This company is trying to take over internet reviews of facial plastic surgeons and body plastic surgeons. They only promote the doctors that pay to belong to the group and provide untrustworthy content.
If you're not aware of them, it is difficult to distinguish when doing an internet search to get honest reviews of surgeons.
Tip for consumers:
Shady organization /cult
Date of experience: April 14, 2023
Thank you for sharing your feedback. RealSelf was created as a resource for our community to research cosmetic treatments and procedures. We provide the space for real patients to share their experiences; we don’t endorse any particular doctors, and all of the ratings are provided by consumers, like you.
On 3/13/17 I had a complete Face & neck lift & lower eyelid surgery done by Doctor
Prendiville of Fort Myers, Florida. Where do I begin, the doctor's bedside manner,
Responsiveness to my needs & overall professionalism... I rate as... A-Plus.
I made the right decision in choosing Dr. Prendiville for my surgeon. Doctor "P" and
Staff treated me with extreme kindness, encouragement, patience & professionalism
Throughout my entire experience. I will highly recommend him in the future. I am
So pleased with my results... Thank You Dr. "P" and all the staff... Mrs. Margaret Cacci.
Date of experience: May 2, 2017
I am a surgical nurse with 45 yrs of experience and have assisted many plastic surgeons in the Dallas area.
Dr. Ho at Beyond Beautiful/Beautiful Faces was recommended to me by an anesthesiologist. He made me look
10 yrs younger! Thank God I listened to his advice. I thought I wanted a facelift to get rid of my sagging cheeks and lip lines. But at 66 yrs old what I needed was fullness! He saved me the cost and pain of surgery and injected Bellafill in my laugh lines, under my eyes, filled in my lip lines, and gave me fuller cheeks. It was all done in his office in about an hour and I could drive home! The Bellafill lasts at least 5 yrs, unlike the other fillers that need redone every year, if not sooner. I would definitely recommend this procedure.
Date of experience: September 12, 2020
Dr Michael Sullivan and his staff are wonderful. Dr Mike is a great surgeon and wonderful doctor. I have been his patient for over 7 years. Very professional and patient. Always answers my questions, I never feel rushed. He did a great job on my face. My healing time has been quick, no change to my features and I look so much younger. Feeling great!
TJones
Date of experience: February 14, 2017
Dr. Aldea is the best plastic surgeon in Memphis TN. He was very through and listened carefully to all of my questions about my procedure. My BBL turned out amazing! Lilly his assistant was sooo very kind and helpful. She really put me at ease. I can't say enough about how fabulous Dr Aldea's work really is. I would highly recommend for all of your plastic surgery needs.
Date of experience: November 12, 2019
Thanks for sharing your experience and we’re so happy you found a doctor you love!
The RealSelf site is the first I place I look when I'm considering any type of cosmetic or surgical procedure. There's a ton of incredibly useful information about products, new procedures and, most importantly to me, the Doctors or clinicians that perform them.
The reviews (good AND bad) are by REAL people who have had them performed. The pictures of their results are invaluable.
Date of experience: August 29, 2019
Thanks for the kind words. It warms our hearts when we hear that many parts of the site have been useful in your journey!
Dr. Marie Montag at Aesthetic Surgical Images was my plastic surgery doctor. She is outstanding! I was so nervous when i went to my first consultation. Dr. Montag and the staff made me feel at ease. They are knowledgeable, professional, but most important awesome bedside manner. Dr. Montag is a true artist. She gave me back my confidence after having kids. She gave me exactly what i wanted. Full breast after kids! They look and feel natural! I will not go to anyone else! HappyHappyHappy! Who wouldnt want that E. Mcallister
Date of experience: June 10, 2019
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 Christina -- Thank you for sharing your feedback! We always want to hear from our community members.
We have millions of pages of information and we understand that delivering the right information at the right time is critical. We know this can be difficult and we're working to make it better. Thanks again for letting us know your thoughts.
We are listening, and will incorporate your specific concerns into site improvement initiatives, so please feel free to email us at contactus@realself.com if you have other ideas or concerns.