RealSelfReviews of realself.com

Despite being a critical thinker, I was unable to discern independent reviews from site-owned reviews of many websites for plastic surgeons in US, Canada, and Mexico. Then a local dermatologist told me about Real Self. While reviews on Real Self can be “moved up the queue,” the site also monitors itself for irresponsible representation. I appreciate that. The clinical information provided for face lifts (that’s the procedure I had done) was rich with options sharing much science-based info and little opinion. I confirmed this info through other well known sites on the web. Once I decided on my geographic location-Mexico, I searched for a surgeon who specializes in faces only. The Real Self structure allowed me to do this easily. From that point, I had only to compare reviews and fotos from that group of surgeons…I ended up going to Guadalajara. Again, the Real Self platform was user-friendly. Connecting with the surgeon-Nashielli- was easy and she responded quickly; which indicates her care for patients, and again, the seamless interface of Real Self and its providers. I cannot recommend Real Self and Dr. Nashielli highly enough!

I don’t even see my review

Lots of horrendous issues with this highly suspect site. Doctor collusion and false advertising. When a real patient does manage to post, their every move thereafter is controlled by the mods or admin. The rules are outlandish, the reviewer has no freedom. They cannot be their real selves. The site does not let vulnerable people delete comments with sensitive information or comments made under duress or severe stress from the psychological burden of having one's face and body altered while also traversing societal taboo. They endanger anonymity by merging old accounts with new ones and only allowing one account even if the person was unaware of that stipulation beforehand and merely wanted to keep procedures, questions, comments or experiences separate so as to ensure personal information was not combined to identify them. The site does not let you edit your review either, they make you beg for everything and threaten to remove your review entirely when you do ask for only sections to be edited or specific comments you wrote to be removed. They force you into an all or nothing situation. This site gives no graces to those who make the mistake of posting there. Your words are used against you and you are held to every single thing you share even if you were a young person with no support, influenced by medication/sleep deprivation etc at the time, or any manner of damage or circumstance that guides how someone may communicate at a given time. If you find a way to communicate more appropriately, with more accurate information and understanding of your situation, they don't care. They will not let you edit your review to reflect that, they will hold your entire review over your head and if you care about leaving it up, they'll use that desperation to manipulate you. The surgeons who take advantage and ruin lives love this site, as they can glean all sorts of excuses from their patient's public and permanent diary entries to dismiss the patient's valid complaints and woes, to possibly label them as some flavor of crazy. Look up the article titled Psychiatrization of Consumers after Harm from Plastic and Cosmetic Procedures. This outlines one of the problems that this site directly contributes to by failing to put the victim and their privacy first, failing to uphold said victim's right to post an accurate review without baggage. The whole site is set up to torment any patient or client who starts off naive to the site's machinations. This site is responsible for worsening the degradation of many member's mental health, trust and hope. Legal action should have been taken against this operation a long time ago, the same can be said about the cosmetic surgery industry itself and all of those who play god and prey on the inevitable insecurities and panic in people who suffer the most in this absurdly superficial world.

I had to re-enter the review two or three times because I got in a vicious cycle with trying to submit it. I got hung up in the same spot a couple of times and had to redo everything. It was frustrating because I left a very lengthy review. Also, it seemed like it took a while for the review to be approved and posted.

Not a user friendly website. It is not intuitive and on my mobile device, I see no way to alter my review. I am unable to remove my photos. I also changed my username and it somehow reverted back to the old one. This website needs some serious maintenance.

I was able to read about a variety of treatments for the concerns I had and get information from real people on their experiences. I've checked the information on RealSelf with other sources and scientific studies and found it validated and correct.

I submitted a question but it has not been published and no reason has been given.

I'm always wary of online support, but in your case it was easy and prompt!