AHMEDABAD: A clinic that failed to deliver on its promise to give an Ahmedabad woman fair skin told her it had no grey areas to argue about in court and offered her a full refund.
The woman was aggrieved not only because the skin treatment clinic’s procedures on her failed but also because she had endured severe pain during the process. When dragged to a consumer court, the clinic clearly told the customer that it did not want to contest the case.
The matter involved a Jivrajpark resident, Khushubu Soyantar. She visited Skinsight Clinic on Sindhu Bhavan Road in February for laser treatment to whiten her face, and eliminate stretch marks and body hair. She was given to understand that the treatment at the clinic would change her skin tone and remove black marks from below her lips.
Soyantar’s treatment began the following week. She underwent the treatment but did not find any change in her skin. She finally sued the clinic in October, moving the consumer dispute redressal commission, Ahmedabad (rural). She complained that she was charged Rs 20,000 for fraction laser treatment and Rs 4,000 for skin whitening.
As the treatment began, she felt severe pain and requested the dermatologists to administer local anesthesia, but it was not used during the first sitting. There were four sittings and the clinic charged about Rs 840 extra for the anesthesia.
Soyantar also said that the medication prescribed by the clinic was not effective and she did not witness any change in her skin colour even months after treatment.
When the clinic came to know that Soyantar had sued it, its management quickly approached her and settled the dispute by expressing willingness to return the full amount. In its e-mail written to her on December 5, the clinic maintained that there was nothing wrong in its treatment. “You are not satisfied with treatment results and we do not want to argue or fight with you on this in the consumer case and that is why we will refund the total Rs 24,000+Rs 838 which you had spent on the treatment,” the email read. After receiving the refund, the woman withdrew her complaint on Monday.