KUALA LUMPUR: A facial treatment at a beauty centre in Banting turned into a nightmare for a hair salon owner after it left her with severe acne, swelling and redness on her face.

Hong Peak Cheng, 31, said the after effects of the treatment had caused her much embarrassment.

“It is a torture. Whenever I go out now, I don't know how to face people. And it's very painful, too.

Before and after: Hong showing pictures of herself at MCA Public Services and Complaints Department. With her are (from left) Chong and Hong’s husband Yau Chee Wee.

“It was supposed to be a normal treatment to remove blackheads but I ended up with these problems,” said Hong.

She had gone to the beauty centre on the recommendation of her relatives.

“The first session went well, but after the second treatment I started to suffer from acne and redness on my face,” Hong said.

“The beautician told me these were normal symptoms and to continue using the products they recommended,” she at the MCA Public Services and Complaints Department.

After the eighth session, however, her acne severely worsened, forcing Hong to see a skin specialist.

Hong said the skin specialist told her the treatment would cost her about RM8,000, and that even if she recovered, there was a possibility of permanent scars.

She said the beauty centre told her the acne was a result of hormone imbalance.

Hong also claimed that she was not warned about possibilities of allergies before the start of treatment.

She said the beauty centre refused to compensate her the costs of the facial treatment, which included skin products, amounting to RM1,704.

She has since lodged a police report.

Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong said their lawyers would write to the beauty centre on the matter.

He also advised women to be more careful and always seek second opinions on beauty treatment.

“Its easy to get carried away with advertisements offering the chance to look beautiful. Please see a specialist first before trying any new products,” he said.

• Travel Picks: Top 10 golf resorts around the world
• Chinese premier criticizes EU move on trade measures
• Justice Department opposes AMR's $20 million severance for CEO Horton
• News Corp to take charge of up to $1.4 billion this quarter
• Wall Street Week Ahead: Investors look for signs in the rally's break
• Unhappy with how your fave series is faring? Amazon gives you a say
• Visa, Mastercard ask U.S. court to declare card fees are lawful
• Wall Street posts first weekly loss since mid-April on Fed angst
• IMF's Lagarde escapes formal investigation in court
• Politics of development pays dividend
• A thematic play seen
• Sarawak counters hogging the limelight
• Getting GST acceptance will be tough
• A yen for the unloved dollar standard
• Bitten by the music bug

• French soldier stabbed on patrol in Paris
• Thousands run final mile of Boston Marathon as memorial
• Trio arrested over London soldier murder

• Sweet revenge as Froch defeats Kessler
• Pandelela-Mun Yee and Yan Yee-Jun Hoong bag bronze medals in Mexico
• World No. 1 Nicol sinks Waters to reach British Open final
• China confident of sweeping aside their final opponents
• Koreans in the final despite Dong-keun’s loss
• Macdonald and Marques share the lead
• McIlroy among big names who miss the cut as Molinari leads
• Kuchar leads in weather-hit second round
• Two tied at the top as rain stops play in the Bahamas
• Nico Rosberg revels in the rain as Mercedes stamp their mark
• Whitmarsh: McLaren’s hopes were too high this season
• Affendi brushes off hand injury to win CP130 race in Terengganu
• Hafizh needs to step up a gear after coming in fifth
• Vignesa right on track to retain GT Open title
• Dragons’ Melton confident of getting the better of Pringle in Game 2

• Please wait.

• Too blessed to be stressed
• Indian warships visit Malaysian waters
• It takes nearly 72 hours to get a new polycarbonate passport now
• Give birth naturally, women urged
• ‘Harry Potter Wong’ casts his spell
• Theme parks and long holiday help fill Johor hotel rooms
• Exemplary educators
• DAP’s Ngeh in hot water over subservient tweet
• Rela man in coma after being rammed by biker
• The Wall Street Journal: Anwar asked Jusuf to broker deal over GE13