28 April, 2005 by Kimberly in Five Star Electrologist©

The first recorded Laser Parlor deaths in America was Blanco Bolanos of Tucson, Arizona which happened in 2004 and was kept quiet and suppressed during the Shiri Berg death on 1/5/05. Furthermore you will made aware of the events that led to Ms. Blanco Bolanos death at 25. For the record The Five Star Electrologist© has reviewed that the out of control unregulated Laser Parlor industry so far has remained immune to the laws of our nation. Without one doubt Miss Bolanos and Miss Shiri Bergs deaths are a warning that the Laser Parlor Industry should be held accountable their tragic deaths. Without one doubt America’s most dangerous unproven unregulated Laser Parlor Industry have been on a virtual campaign of false, deceptive misleading advertising. With their army of legal thugs (lawyers) who have done their best to keep the truth about these tragic death out of the papers and the media.

FIVE STAR ELECTROLOGIST© FEATURED ARTICLE

The unregulated Laser Parlor Industry is ruled by insatiable greed and avarice and with impunity by non-licensed quacks that flagrantly disregard the laws that are meant protect to the American consumers. Furthermore, the Laser Parlor Industry is Americas most dangerous unfettered industry that routinely protects and endorses uneducated non-licensed laser technicians who claim that physicians do not need to be present during temporary laser hair removal treatments. In addition, the Laser Parlor Industry has not made one public gesture or an offer of condolence to show any remorse to the deceased Bolanos and Berg families.

That's why The Five Star Electrologist© Americas Online Electrolysis News & Education For The Consumer and Electrologists© reports how Shiri Berg died on 1/5/05. For the record she used a prescription strength Lidocaine-Tetracaine numbing cream on her lower half of her body to numb the skin before her so-called painless laser hair removal treatment. The autopsy report stated, “The Lidocaine-Tetracaine was applied from her waist to her feet.” In addition, Shiri Berg also had seizures on the way to the Laser Parlor and she died from heart failure and brain damage. Fact, the Lidocaine was 10% and the Tetracaine was also 10% as later reported.

The gel that killed Blanco Bolanos used and contained Lidocaine-Tetracaine cream which was made up of 6% Lidocaine plus 6% Tetracaine which is a weaker solution than that was sold to Sheri Berg, which was 10% Lidocaine and 10% Tetracaine.

Fact and for the record the Laser Parlor Industry words all their advertisements deceptively as being gentle, tingling or virtually painless without saying virtually painless which violates FDA adverting statutes. by take a look at their advertisements where they flagrantly defy, FDA statutes state that Laser Parlors cannot advertise laser hair removal as painless or permanent hair removal. Fact certain Laser Parlors consider third degree burns and physical mutilations as acceptable risks and the costs of doing business. Some Laser Parlors patients are administered I.V. sedation with Morphine, Demerol and Valium without a physician who has left or was never on the premise to begin with. Quite few laser parlors physicians prescribe dangerous narcotic prescriptions such as Vicodan, Percoset, Oxycodone and Oxycontin as an incentive to have laser hair removal. Many of these unlicensed laser technicians have a direct referral to Dr. Feel Good.. Furthermore the risk for addiction and drug abuse for their clients and underage teenagers is a clear and present danger that needs to be investigated.

Certain Non-Licensed Laser Parlors declare that you do not need a physician to be on the premise when laser hair removal treatments are in progress. From now on you can bet the medications that resulted in the deaths of Ms. Blanco Bolanos of Tucson, Arizona and Ms. Shiri Berg of Raleigh, North Carolina will hopefully be regulated because too my laser parlors break the law every time when it comes to their bottom line. However, if the American public wants to prevent future deaths of this nature they need a Congressional Investigation on national level so they can become aware of just how may people have actually died and how people have been physically mutilated and ripped off by this dangerous unproven technology that uses the consumer for it's guinea pig. Some Laser Parlors routinely defy FDA and State Medical regulations and statutes requiring mandatory reporting of accidents that result in disfiguring third degree burns and deaths.

For your information North Carolina and other states have no laws requiring a doctor to be on site during laser hair removal treatments. The North Carolina Medical Board will hear arguments whether or not laser hair removal should exclusively be the practice of medicine and what roles physicians should play.

In Raleigh, North Carolina the Medical Board some times has the reputation and has been known to procrastinate and take their time to investigate medical malpractice before taking action against a physician. However, However the Medical Board moved swiftly in this particular case, which began in late December. Mr. Dale G. Breaden director of public affairs of the board refused to answer questions as to why the board took such swift action is most likely because of the public outrage and demand for a complete thorough investigation. The Medical board filed three counts against a physician, who was the director for the Laser Parlor Clinic. Count one accuses the unidentified physician of not performing a complete medical history and physical examination at The Laser Parlor Clinic before the pain prescription Laser-Gel-Plus was dispensed. Count two stated that the clinic provided clients their own individual prescriptions for the gel, as required by law. These tubes of the gel were haphazardly sold to clients just before laser hair removal treatments without a prescription.

According to The Medical Board's finding and notice the physician who became medical director of the Laser Parlor Clinic placed an order via email for 142 tubes of Laser Gel Plus Lidocaine-Tetracaine 10-10 manufactured and sold by the Triangle Compounding Pharmacy. The Laser-Gel-Plus is made with a combination of two anesthetics 10% Tetracaine plus 10% Lidocaine. In Addition, the Medical Board alleges the physician failed to properly register with the North Carolina Board of Pharmacy. Furthermore he was writing and dispensing prescriptions for individual patients in whom a physician would have had to apply for special permission to prescribe and dispense controlled pharmaceuticals of which he did not apply for permission to dispense the drug at the Laser Parlor Clinic. It was discovered during this time that the physician who served as medical director of the Laser Parlor Clinic failed to take requisite steps to ensure that the safety of patients having laser hair removal treatments at The Laser Parlor Clinic for whom he was totally responsible that patients where appropriately evaluated.

Furthermore the Laser Parlor Clinics physician failed to guarantee the staff of the Laser Parlor Clinic, for whom he served in the position as the medical director and employees were not properly educated, trained, qualified and supervised to perform laser hair removal treatments. Additionally the notice failed to mention the reason for the death of Ms. Sheri Berg a 22-year-old biochemistry senior at North Carolina State University who died January 6, 2005 as a result after applying Laser-Gel-Plus to her legs before her laser hair removal appointment. Furthermore it is my professional opinion that Laser Parlors routinely violate FDA advertising regulations that laser Hair treatments are painless and permanent. I reiterate some laser parlors use I.V. narcotics and other powerful anesthetics for their so-called painless laser hair removal treatments! The Laser Parlors Industry's gross mismanagement and abuse of medications is common knowledge and its about time they have a full FDA investigation as to the misconduct of this unregulated industry.

Ms. Berg suffered painful seizures in her vehicle and went into a coma and died from the Lidocaine overdose, which in no way was her fault. This tragedy could have been worse if during her seizures she had struck another vehicle or pedestrian. Fact and without one doubt the Laser Parlor Industry is dominated by uneducated, unlicensed laser technicians who wield abusive financial and political power for this dangerous unproven technology that abuses the law also they do not give a second thought when they defy and break the laws that all honest citizens must live and abide by.

Mr. David Kirby the lawyer representing the Berg Family stated, “All the findings of the board are completely consistent with the investigation we have done to this point that Kirby said his examination found that Ms. Berg was not provided a prescription for Laser-Gel-Plus that she was sold. Mr. David Kirby said the tubes that Shiri Berg purchased were labeled “For Office Use Only." The public is outraged, the deceased family is in morning and the people want justice and the physicians license should be limited, suspended or revoked after a Coroners Inquest if the Medical Board finds against him. Presently a hearing has been tentatively set for 6/15/05. However the board said, charges could be formally addressed and dealt with earlier if this physician and The Medical Board resolve all issues to the satisfaction of all concerned parties in what is commonly known as a "consent order." The charges against the unidentified physician suggest and indicate that The Laser Parlor Clinic in November that performed procedures such as laser hair removal will most likely be subject to increased scrutiny from the Medical Board. Recently a committee of the board met to consider whether or not physicians should be on site for such procedures and what degree of training should be requisite for people performing these treatments.

As usual when someone dies a tragic unnecessary death the State rattles its sword and says, “Well we probably should have a law on the books that a physician be on the premise at the time of the laser hair removal treatments.” Sounds good, looks good and the public will think they are doing their jobs however, I have to ask how may women must die or be permanently maimed and mutilated before America's Laser Parlor Industry takes any real action that will prevent further needless deaths and tragedies.

They are wrong, for the publics information most laser parlor operators in North Carolina and right here in Arizona are former Certified Wonder Electrologists who have become instant Laser Parlor Operators. These under educated unprofessional wannabe's have not completed more than a 50-hours of training to use the laser. Fact many of these Laser Parlor Operators where Certified Wonder Electrologists and they say, “Trust me I use to be Certified Wonder Electrologist.” Again sounds good, looks good until your realize and are made aware that there education did not consist of more than a week-long wonder course. Now these hacks want you to believe that a physician does not need to be on the premise when they are performing laser hair removal treatments. These under educated former fake electrologists are nothing less than uneducated bums that have taken a free ride on the backs of hard working trained, tested, licensed and registered electrologists. Now they are Laser Parlor Operators who want the general public at large to swallow the big lie that a physician is not needed and they are more qualified than anyone else to do laser hair removal.

Through out the USA the big question is should doctors be present during laser hair removal treatments? However the Laser Industry's public relations department is good for sweeping tragedies like this under the rug. Additionally the real evidence and truth always come forward after the sensationalism dies down. However after the second and most recent death of Shiri Berg what is the reason for even asking should doctors be present when performing laser hair removal?

While it was already on the medical board's agenda, the recent death of a North Carolina State student Sheri Berg and Blanco’s Bolanos in Arizona is putting the debate of their deaths under the watchful eye of the public.

The North Carolina Medical Board will hear arguments about whether laser hair removal is a practice of medicine and what roles physicians should play in that practice. Dr. Robert Clark of the Cary Skin Center feels having a doctor on site is the only way to ensure patient safety. Furthermore he stated, "Should any type of unusual emergency event occur, we have licensed providers on the premise that are trained to resuscitate, and take care of any patient,” no matter what the emergency may be.

The board also is also investigating the doctors affiliated with the former Laser Parlor Clinic, which sold the Laser-Plus-Gel to the deceased. Former patients at the Laser Parlor Clinic stated they where not surprised about the closing of the Laser Parlor Clinic shut down at the end of January. Some people who expected to have a laser hair removal treatment on Monday where surprised that they where closed and that they would not be offered a refund.

One client of Laser Parlor Clinic by the name of Dawn Berkey stated, “She's allergic to most of the numbing creams and says she carries an epi-pen (adrenalin injector) in case she has a bad reaction and stops breathing. Ms. Berkey claims a so called administrator at the Laser Parlor Clinic required testing Lidocaine on her hand before a laser hair removal treatment. Berkey claims she is deathly allergic to Lidocaine and informed the staff at the Laser Parlor Clinic. Ms. Berkey said. "The administrator put Lidocaine all over my hand and by the time I left, my hand had become completely swollen"

Ms. Berkey and others have said, they are shocked and where quite distraught to hear about Shiri Berg's death from what appears to be a simple but inexcusable Lidocaine-Tetracaine overdose prior to her laser hair removal treatment at the Laser Parlor Clinic.

THE AFTERMATH

They all stated it shouldn't have happen to somebody like that. Wrong it should never have happened in the first place and mistakes like this will continue to happen because The Laser Parlor Industries get rich quick schemes are at the expense of the consumer’s health, only this time the price tag was death. The people at the Laser Parlor Clinic knew they where in violation of the law especially since Ms. Berkey had stated, “They saw the reaction I had and they should have been allot more careful." Nonetheless the first laser hair removal death of Blanco Bolanos of Tucson, Arizona had been quietly swept under the rug while it took her 2 years to die on a respirator. Of course the Laser Parlors public relations department was busy because I know that if they knew of the cause of Blanco Bolanos death where made known to the public they would have been more than outraged.

The Berg family must be in a great distress to lose a 22-year-old daughter to an incompetent mistake. It's horribly difficult for a family to lose a child for such routine procedure. Fact and for the record The Laser Parlor Industry uses and abuses such medications to sell that laser treatment.

Recently they changed the law in Arizona that will allow non-licensed laser parlor operators to continue to perform laser hair removal treatments without the supervision of a physician. Furthermore unidentified individuals have told me that Laser-Plus-Gel and Photo-Cain are sold under the counter at local laser parlors right here in Arizona without a physician providing a physical examination or prescription.

Furthermore they had a close call with the exact same situation right here in Scottsdale, Arizona however the laser Parlors public relations department hushed up that situation again. However, if one looks carefully they will learn that Blanca Bolanos a 25-year-old community college student who resided in Tucson, Arizona, died on 11/1/04 after being confined to a respirator in her Mother's house for two long miserable years.

The death of Ms. Blanco Bolanos,

On Jan. 25, 2002, Blanca Bolanos applied the anesthetic cream to her legs and than wrapped both of them in cellophane just as Shiri Berg was advised to do a few hours before her appointment at the Golden West Laser Parlor. Miss Bolanos became disoriented while driving, had seizures and fell into a coma. She never regained consciousness and died of respiratory failure.

The deaths of Shiri Berg and Blanco Bolanos where almost identical and they have raised questions about Laser Parlors continued non-stop campaign of lies that Laser hair removal is painless and permanent while prescribing dangerous controlled anesthetics for pain. It's a known fact that laser hair removal is extremely painful and the doctors and laser technicians know this to be true that's why they sell Laser-Plus-Gel made by compounding pharmacies that are widely used by every laser Parlor in America. However after you have read their lie ridden laser parlor advertisements where they continue to claim that laser hair removal is a gentle tingling sensation. Nevertheless people are so eager to believe the lies they don't care when the local neighborhood laser parlor pulls out the old bait and switch scam and tells them they need a topical anesthetic for their painless laser hair removal treatment.

It is unknown how many cases there have been, since the FDA does not regulate compounding pharmacies, and those pharmacies are not required to report adverse effects of their drugs. There was an unreported case in Westover, Massachusetts where young man who applied Lidocaine all over his face, neck, back and chest just before his laser hair removal treatment he died, however it is rumored that it was hushed up and paid off as usual.

At issue is why these women were given the above-recommended 5% prescription-strength cream to use outside the clinic? Also, what was the reason the laser hair removal treatment was scheduled to be performed without a doctor present, as the lawyer for Blanco Bolanos contended?

Why was their no written prescription?

The Laser Parlors wide spread use of compounded creams is now a major issue. Compounders who manufacture custom drugs in small quantities operate just like Laser Parlors in a regulatory vacuum and so far have gone unnoticed by the FDA and State Pharmacy Boards which are supposed to oversee Compounders, however they rarely have the funding and resources to do so.

Spokesmen for Pharmacy Board in North Carolina and Utah, where Photocaine was used said, “They claimed they never heard of the Blanco Bolanos case. ”Well its not to difficult to understand why a settlement was paid to the deceased family and without one doubt part of that settlement between the insurance company requires the settlement cannot be made public. In many cases this prevents the truth from coming out which violates FDA and State Pharmacy regulations and statutes where you are required to report all accidents and the actual causes of death.

Ms. Bolanos had no prescriptions for Photocaine and Laser-Gel-Plus, which was sold to her by non-medical employees at the clinic where she was to have her laser hair removal treatment done. However some of these employees are the same laser technicians in Arizona who recently won the right to perform temporary laser hair removal treatments without a physician being required at the time of treatment. These non-licensed Laser Parlor Operators think they know more than anyone else. In my professional opinion strict laws and tough penalties should be passed with those caught withholding or suppressing evidence in case of a death.

Martin Rodriguez attorney for the Bolanos family called it right and said, “A lot of these clinics are a cattle call, and they want to get people in and out. They don't take the time to do a full history or to make sure the patient is observed. To me, it's reckless." Congratulations, Attorney Rodriguez it's wonderful to hear the truth spoken.

Martin Rodriguez attorney for the Bolanos family filed a lawsuit against the Golden West Medical Center in Tucson, Arizona in addition the clinic's physician, alleging wrongful death and medical negligence. Martin Rodriguez has already arrived at an undisclosed out-of-court settlement with the Compounder, University Pharmacy of Salt Lake City.

However in my professional opinion the Laser Parlor Industry needs a complete and through Congressional Investigation to prevent any further tragedies. Because if they had fully investigated the illegal advertising policies of Laser Parlors Industry they would have found who is responsible. In addition the manufacturer of Laser-Gel-plus and other compounders will most likely get away with just a fine.

The gel that Blanco Bolanos used contained Lidocaine-Tetracaine cream which was made up of 6% Lidocaine plus 6% Tetracaine which is a weaker solution than that was sold to Berg, which was 10% Lidocaine and 10% Tetracaine.

In most states Lidocaine anesthetic are available at the counter up to 5% strength. It is not available in concurrence with Tetracaine except through compounding pharmacies.

Rodriguez stated,“A technician at Golden West Medical Center squeezed the cream registered under the trademark name of “Photocaine” from a tube into a small-size sealed plastic container.” The technician then gave it to Bolanos to use from her groin to her ankles without any written instructions or oral warnings. Correct me if I am wrong, but all medications are suppose to be clearly marked with instructions and warning. Oh yes, lets not forget, “This was where Arizona Laser Technicians claim they know better than anyone else and what is safe.”

“The technician had no education at all with regard to the Photocaine," Rodriguez said. "They did not know it had potential side effects. For all they knew it was Oil of Olay or Jergens Attorney Martin replied"

On the day of her next appointment Ms. Blanco Bolanos who was born in El Salvador applied the deadly cream to her legs. She went to see her dermatologist who was also treating her for acne. Rodriguez said her dermatologist wrote her a prescription for antibiotics but did no other treatment.

When that appointment was over, Ms. Blanco Bolanos drove to the Golden West Medical Center for her laser hair removal treatment. When she was halfway there, she called her friend on her cell phone to tell her something was wrong. She said she was lost and could not find her way, Rodriguez said, Ms. Blanco Bolanos then called her boyfriend with a similar complaint of Sheri Berg, and he told her to stop and wait for him to pick her up. She pulled into the Pueblo Inn parking lot and started having seizures.

Her boyfriend arrived soon afterward, but she was unconscious, Rodriguez said. In an emergency room, physicians found the cellophane on her legs, and secondary burns where she had applied the cream. Physicians called the clinic, but a nurse practitioner on call told them the cream on Bolanos legs contained no medication, Rodriguez said, “Ms. Blanco Bolanos spent the last two years of life tethered to a respirator at her mother's home."Her Mother prayed I was waiting for God to work a miracle," said Denise Rodriguez, Mother. "I wanted him to give her back to me."

Rodriguez, who is no relation to her lawyer, has described her daughter as a hard working ambitious woman. In addition to her education she was also the office manager of a Greyhound Race Track and she also waited on tables at her mother's Salvadoran restaurant.

Mrs. Rodriguez said she was devastated when she learned of the identical same death happened to Shiri Berg in North Carolina, and she stated, "Now another Mother is going through what I have been going through."


The deceased Berg family said it just wants answers.

The Medical Board claimed that because the Laser Parlor Clinic has closed it would not alter their investigation. They say they are going to get to the bottom of this and discuss with the family what their recourse will be, Kirby said.

Presently the Laser Parlor Clinic is not offering refunds to those who paid in advance.

As much I dislike predicting the future the outcome about Blanco Bolanos and Shiri Berg's deaths is predictable. First of all the insurance company will offer a larger settlement than the Blanco Bolanos case. In addition, Miss Berg's parents have been placed in horrible situation because her sudden death was senseless and possibly could have been prevented. A Father and Mothers love for the loss of daughter will be unending and no matter how much money they offer them you cannot replace a human life with dollars and cents and they will bare the pain and her deaths will remain an open wound on both families and friends that will take a life time to heal.

With Shiri Berg being the second recorded death the insurance company has most likely already decided on what amount to pay the grief stricken Berg family. In addition insurance companies in the behalf of the insured always require as part of the settlement they must agree not to divulge or talk about the case as part of their settlement. Insurance companies should not be allowed to silence victims after compensation because it denies the general public protection from further tragedies of this nature happening again.

In this case it is my opinion that if Laser Parlor Operators shared information and knowledge of how medications like Lidocaine and Tetracaine compounds work than tragedies like this possibly could have been avoided. The Laser Parlor Industry is unregulated with no mandatory State or Federal Licensing. However we learn by our mistakes and as a practicing Massachusetts Licensed & Registered Electrologist I double check and make sure what medications my patients are taking and their side effects. For the record topical anesthetics like Lidocaine and Tetracaine are not needed for electrolysis because there are no nerve fibers inside the follicle. Therefore if the electrologist inserts the probe correctly there is no sensation of it and some times the patient senses a slight pinch from the electricity. However when it come to topical medication I will not use them and I do not allow patients to self-medicate with them. For the record this has been my policy since I started my practice in 1979.

The laws needs to be changed so that Laser Parlor Operators have to be educated in a state monitored school that results in them earning a real two year State License and Registered degree. Their present 50-hour "Fly By Night Courses" hour course which is what most of them take must be banned. Furthermore like other professionals they are to be held strictly accountable and must report all medical incidents, accidents, close calls, complications and deaths directly and indirectly related to medications used for temporary laser hair removal pain. Serious fines and penalties must be meted out to violators by the State or the FDA or both that are directly related to temporary Laser Hair Removal violations.

Fact only licensed physicians should be able to use the laser for temporary hair removal and lets take away the electric torch that has been placed in the hands of their hired uneducated non-licensed 50-hour trainees or Laser Parlor Techs as they are called. These Certified Laser Parlor Operators are a real risk and without one doubt they are the catastrophies just waiting to happen.

There will be further deaths, tragedies and pain down the road because the next step will be for the Laser Parlor Industry resists any kind of regulation. During this time America's Laser Parlor Industry will continue to prosper and right now with them it's business as usual.

Without one doubt the direct cause of Blanco Balanos and Shiri Berg's death where caused by America's Laser Parlor Industry wanton greed and avarice. Fact, without one doubt America's uneducated, non-licensed Laser Parlor Industry owners-technicians flagrantly disobey and defy Federal and State laws and statutes with reckless willful abandonment. Without one doubt the laser Parlor Industry is America's most unregulated menace to society who habitually lies to the public by violating FDA laws and statutes that laser hair removal cannot be advertised as painless and permanent. Fact and without one doubt only a physician should be allowed to use the laser for temporary hair removal. However anyone considering laser hair removal must ask themselves how many other deaths have been covered up and how many burn victims have been paid off to them keep quiet?

Summation, temporary laser hair removal has been on the market for 11 years and counting and still the FDA has ruled that laser hair removal is not permanent and not painless. In addition the FDA vehemently states that Laser Parlors cannot claim or advertise that laser hair removal is permanent or painless. Furthermore laser parlors cannot advertise virtually painless or almost permanent. However there advertising is slick with Barbie Doll models and they tell you how the laser is just a gentle tingling sensation.

However if you have an unwanted hair problem ask yourself do you want to risk your life, your looks and be exposed to cancer causing radiation emitted from the laser for something that is not proven to be safe and permanent?

Furthermore, The Five Star Electrologists wants to say thank you to the News & Observer for information that made this article possible.

Kimberly Williams, R.E., Dean Investigative Reporter for The Five Star Electrologist©

Have you or someone or you know been the victim of a Laser Parlor malpractice? If so, send your story to Kimberly Williams, R.E., Dean and email to fivestar@bostonschoolofelectrolysis.com.

Boston School Of Electrolysis™ All Rights Reserved Copyright 2007
Go back