KUALA LUMPUR: A 39-year-old self-employed single woman was "burned" during her two-year beauty package after things went wrong during a routine visit to her beautician.
The victim, who only wanted to be known as Lee, suffered second degree burns on her private parts during her sixth laser hair removal session on July 22.
She said she signed a two-year nano-light hair removal treatment package in January and had been receiving treatment since.
"I had gone to the centre several times. However, during my last visit on July 22, a new therapist attended to me and she explained the previous treatment sessions were wrongly carried out," she said.
"She then proceeded to use a stronger light as she said it would be more effective in removing the hair. As soon as the treatment started, I felt a sharp pain and detected a burning smell in the air.
"I told the therapist I was experiencing pain unlike before and she consoled me by saying it was normal and proceeded to place an ice pack on the affected area to ease the stinging sensation."
Lee said she could hardly walk because of the pain and a skin specialist diagnosed her as suffering from second degree burns.
"The doctor told me the affected area was swollen, red and blistering. The doctor told me I had more than 30 burn marks," she said.
Lee has since been on antibiotics and received steroid injection treatments besides 12 sessions of ultralight treatment costing her RM35,000 to RM55,000, as advised by her doctor to heal her burns.
Recovery is expected to take three to six weeks.
She said the beauty centre attributed her injuries to procedural risks and offered a refund of the RM3,500 she had spent but she had yet to accept it but would be contacting her lawyer to advise on compensation and other action.
MCA public services and complaints services department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong said he hoped the authorities would act against the beauty outlet.
"I hope the government will impose strict regulations on beauty centres to ensure such incidents do not happen again," he said.