Dubai: She calls herself a "burnt bride-to-be" and not without reason. Due to be married on January 29, 26-year-old Mona Ameen will now have to go through the ceremony badly scarred after a beauty treatment at a Dubai salon turned ugly, leaving her with second degree burns.
Groping for a solution as she shuttles between doctors and police, the Dubai-based Bangladeshi national said she was drawn by an online offer on Cobone Deals — a 90 per cent discount for three sessions of laser hair removal from the face or underarms at Moksha salon on Oud Metha Road in Dubai.
Steal deal trap
At Dh150 instead of the usual Dh1,500, it was a steal deal, she said, adding that she lost no time in making an appointment. While the first hair removal session went fine, trouble began on December 23 after the second session, Ameen said, adding that the removal of hair from under her arms caused her much pain.
"The technician assured me that the pain was normal and would subside with the application of some cream," she said. Moreover, she had also signed a consent form warning her of "blisters and light burns" as possible side effects of the procedure.
However, a worried Ameen decided to visit a neighbourhood clinic when the pain became unbearable. But she said the doctor refused to examine her on grounds that it might be a potential police case. Ameen said she panicked and rushed to the private Welcare Hospital where doctors confirmed that she had suffered second degree burns with both axillae showing "erythema with hyper-pigmented streaks". The report said she came in "distressed" with a pain scale of 10/10 and that she was treated with 10mg of morphine IV.
"The next day, when I went to the salon to complain, Ujala Ali Khan, the owner, recommended another private hospital for my treatment," Ameen said.
"Even this doctor refused to see me as he said this might be a police case, following which I went to another dermatologist whom the salon owner had recommended," Ameen added.
Ameen, who has filed a police complaint, said: "I did not want to go the police initially as I thought the matter would be settled amicably. I trusted the salon owner to take responsibility for her action," she said. Ameen alleged that Khan was willing to cover only the cost of the treatment so far — around Dh1,400 — and not the total damage of Dh15,000 that she had claimed for long-term treatment.
When contacted, Khan said: "I have discussed the scenario at length with Mona and we have agreed to compensate her with the total amount she is quoting. We are meeting at the police station today [January 5] to exchange the compensation to her satisfaction and to close the case."
"My issue is not about money. I want action," Ameen said, adding that she had approached Dubai Municipality which has since slapped a fine of Dh1,000 on the salon. But this would make little difference to the salon, she said, adding that unsuspecting clients would continue to run the risk of being burnt.
Stricter protocols
However, Khan said: "We've stopped the treatments until stricter protocols are in place. We will increase the frequency of trained refresher courses by the IPL training company to ensure that no human errors are made, while the machines are also being checked again to rule out mechanical errors."
As for Amin's scars, she said: "I will now have to wear make-up and cover my arms during my wedding."
