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Sono Bello Reviews, Complaints & Contacts

Sono Bello is a US cosmetic-surgery chain, in business since 2008 and based in Bellevue, Washington, that performs laser-assisted liposuction and excess-skin procedures (branded TriSculpt, AbEX, LiftEX) at more than 100 locations, with patients awake under local anesthesia and minimal sedation. It is BBB-accredited with an A+ rating, yet BBB lists 502 complaints in the last 3 years and a 1.67-out-of-5 average across 303 customer reviews; complainants most often describe sales pressure, results that fell short, and refund or deposit disputes. A 2025 KFF Health News/NBC News investigation counted more than 60 malpractice suits against Sono Bello, its affiliates and surgeons since April 2013, four of them over patient deaths. In 2011 Washington State suspended a Sono Bello surgeon's license for 30 days after a 2009 patient death from lidocaine toxicity. Alaris Equity Partners has invested in the company since 2018, and Brookfield Special Investments took a minority stake alongside Alaris in February 2023. A proposed class action filed in 2024 alleges the website shared visitors' health-related browsing data with Meta through a tracking pixel.

REVIEWS & COMPLAINTS18on USAComplaints · none in last 3 yrs · latest 2016
WEBSITEsonobello.com
HEADQUARTERSBellevue, WA
PROFILE CHECKED2026-11-05
Submit a Complaint Read reviews & complaints ↓ Official website ↗

Contacts

PhoneEmailAddress

Customer service & general contact

  • Listed by BBBMain phone, consultations and patient questions800-995-1136

Privacy requests

Other contacts

VERIFIED

Locations

  • Headquarters3075 112th Ave NE Bellevue WA 98004
EDITORIAL

Is Sono Bello Legitimate?

BBB

Legal name
Body Contour Centers, LLC
Founded
2008
Business type
Cosmetic surgery / liposuction and body-contouring clinic chain
Website
sonobello.comSource: Sono Bello official website, checked 2026-10-27
Headquarters
Bellevue, WASource: Sono Bello Privacy Policy, checked 2026-10-27

Sono Bello is a cosmetic-surgery brand that has operated since 2008. Its privacy policy names Body Contour Centers, LLC as the registered company, and lists Aesthetic Physicians, P.C. and state practices such as Aesthetic Physicians of California, Inc., Aesthetic Physicians of Colorado, P.C. and Aesthetic Physicians of Massachusetts PC as affiliates; malpractice suits name these medical practices as the providers of care. BBB lists Aesthetic Physicians PC as an alternate name of the Bellevue business. Sono Bello has been a BBB Accredited Business since October 16, 2018 and holds an A+ rating. BBB's letter grade does not take customer reviews into account: the same profile lists 502 complaints in the last 3 years and a 1.67-out-of-5 average across 303 customer reviews, so the grade and the complaint and review figures should be read separately.

A July 2025 investigation by KFF Health News, published with NBC News, reported that Sono Bello, its affiliates and surgeons had defended more than 60 malpractice suits since April 2013, four of them over patient deaths, and had settled three of the four wrongful-death cases filed since May 2018, with one pending. It counted at least 19 suits filed since March 2023 and described patients who alleged disfiguring injuries and serious infections. KFF reported that Sono Bello trains surgeons from several specialties through its own six-to-eight-week fellowship, does not require them to hold local hospital privileges (a spokesperson said many do), and pays surgeons for procedures based in part on the patient's BMI, using what it calls a "surgical value unit" formula. A Sono Bello executive told KFF its surgeons undergo very rigorous training and that more than 90% of patients are comfortable during procedures, and in a joint court filing in one of the suits KFF described, Sono Bello and the surgeon denied the patient's allegations.

In September 2011 Washington's Medical Quality Assurance Commission suspended the license of Sono Bello surgeon Dr. Marco A. Sobrino for 30 days, placed him on three years' probation and fined him $5,000 after a patient died of lidocaine toxicity following liposuction at the Bellevue center in May 2009. The state found he had not met the patient before the day of surgery, documented the procedure inadequately, did not check on her before discharge, and allowed a non-certified medical assistant to let her leave without an escort or caregiver. Her family's wrongful-death suit settled for $1.8 million (see the court entry on this page).

On September 11, 2024 Sono Bello filed a data-breach notice with the Montana Attorney General and mailed letters to affected people: an unauthorized party had accessed one employee's email account between May 14 and May 16, 2024, and on August 21, 2024 the company confirmed the account held some individuals' names and Social Security numbers. A separate proposed class action in federal court in Seattle, T.S. v. Body Contour Centers, LLC, alleges the website shared visitors' health-related browsing with Meta through a tracking pixel; the case is still open and the court has not ruled on the claims. On its own site Sono Bello cites 50,000+ verified 5-star reviews and more than 300,000 procedures, figures the company reports itself.

EXTERNAL SOURCE

Independent Sources

Shown for context — not merged with USAComplaints' own numbers.

BBBComplaints in the last 3 years
303 reviews · 502 complaints · BBB business grade A+ · average customer rating 1.67 / 5
EDITORIAL

Complaint Themes

High-pressure sales before meeting the surgeonResults falling short of what was promisedRevisions offered only for an extra feeCalls and messages unanswered after surgeryDeposit refunds denied or delayed

Themes summarize what people write about most often. One complaint can touch several themes, and some complaints (a positive report, or one later retracted by its author) fit none, so themes are not a count of complaints.

CONSUMER ALLEGATION

Reviews & Complaints on USAComplaints

USAComplaints currently maintains 18 historical complaints about Sono Bello, published between 2009 and 2016. No approved complaints have been published on this site during the last three years. For a current reputation snapshot, see the independent sources on this page.

Show 13 more on this page
EDITORIAL

What Complainants Allege

Sales and deposits. The most common BBB complaints are about money paid before surgery. Customers say procedures were presented and priced by a sales consultant with no medical background before they met a surgeon, that deposits were described as non-refundable, that they were charged after cancelling, or that a promised refund took weeks or months to arrive. Others say a promotion or price quoted at the consultation was not honored, and one reports a finance-company collection call and a credit-report entry after cancelling.

Results and revisions. A second group of complaints concerns outcomes: lumps, uneven or sunken areas, scarring, loose skin, or less change than expected. Several patients say a correction was offered only for a further fee, quoted in their complaints at roughly $2,500 to $3,000. In its BBB responses Sono Bello points to its Satisfaction Commitment, which states that no physician can predict or guarantee the final result of a cosmetic procedure, and in at least one dispute it said no refund was due because all purchased services had been performed.

Care and communication. A smaller number of complaints describe post-operative problems, including an infection and an incision that came apart, pain during procedures done under local anesthesia, and follow-up visits handled by nurses or managers rather than the surgeon. Many customers say calls, texts and emails went unanswered. Sono Bello's responses usually say a Patient Relations Manager has spoken with the customer about options, and some customers wrote back to BBB rejecting the company's reply.

Had an experience with Sono Bello? Tell other people what happened.

Submit a Complaint
EDITORIAL

Before You Book — and If You Already Have a Complaint

  • Before you pay a deposit: ask in writing which surgeon will operate, what that surgeon's board certification is, and meet the surgeon before you sign the financial agreement. Ask for the deposit and cancellation terms in writing and keep a copy of everything you sign.
  • Know what the Satisfaction Commitment covers: Sono Bello says it cannot guarantee a specific result. Ask before booking whether a touch-up or revision would cost extra and how much.
  • Cooling-off rights: the FTC's three-day Cooling-Off Rule covers sales made at your home or at a temporary location, not a contract signed at the seller's own clinic. Your cancellation rights come from the agreement and your state's law, so read the cancellation clause before signing.
  • If you financed the procedure: the loan is usually with a separate lender. Promised 0% terms or charges after cancelling should be raised with that lender in writing; if it does not fix the problem, you can complain to the CFPB.
  • If you paid by credit card: for a charge for services not delivered as agreed, send a written dispute to the card issuer within 60 days of the statement that first showed the charge, as the Fair Credit Billing Act requires.
  • To complain: call Sono Bello at 800-995-1136 and ask for Patient Relations. Then put the complaint in writing and send it by certified mail to Body Contour Centers, LLC, 3075 112th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004, with your patient name, center, procedure date, what went wrong and what you want (refund, revision, records), plus copies of receipts and agreements.
    More detailShow less

    If that fails, file with the BBB, the Washington Attorney General (it takes complaints about businesses based in Washington, wherever you live) or your own state attorney general, and the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

  • Concerns about medical care: first ask the center in writing for a copy of your medical records, including the operative report. Then report the surgeon to the medical board of the state where you were treated; in Washington, complaints go to the Department of Health, with the surgeon's full name and what happened. Malpractice filing deadlines are set by each state and can be short, so talk to a lawyer promptly.
  • After surgery: fever, spreading redness, worsening pain or wound drainage can signal infection. Get medical care right away instead of waiting for a scheduled follow-up.
PUBLIC RECORD

Court & Public Records

Wrongful-death suit by the family of Aura Javellana (settled 2011)

Settled

Source ↗

SettledWrongful-death suit brought by the family of Aura Javellana, 28, who had liposuction of the abdomen, flanks and upper arms at the Sono Bello center in Bellevue, Washington, in May 2009, left alone by taxi, and was found dead in a hotel room the next day; the autopsy found acute lidocaine toxicity. In June 2011 Sono Bello and Dr. Marco Sobrino settled the suit, paying the family $1.8 million, according to Outpatient Surgery Magazine; the family declined a confidentiality agreement. Sono Bello's attorney said the lidocaine dose was within legal limits and that the company now requires surgeons to meet patients before surgery and patients to be driven home by someone they know. The same death led to the 2011 Washington license suspension of Dr. Sobrino.

Sue R. Klopfenstein and Tim S. Klopfenstein v. Aesthetic Physicians, P.C.

Filed

U.S. District Court, Southern District of IndianaDocket 1:25-cv-01806Source ↗

Filed — no final outcome recordedMedical-malpractice complaint filed by Sue and Tim Klopfenstein against Aesthetic Physicians, P.C., the Sono Bello medical practice. It alleges that after liposuction and a mini tummy tuck (AbEX) at the Indianapolis surgical center on March 1, 2024, Ms. Klopfenstein developed a staph aureus necrotizing fasciitis that needed emergency treatment, several surgeries and burn-center wound care, and blames a non-sterile operating environment, missing prophylactic antibiotics, incomplete records and lack of informed consent. The case is still open before Judge Tanya Walton Pratt, with deadlines extended by court order in October 2026. These are allegations; the court has made no finding on them.

Angela Anderson v. Body Contour Centers, LLC, d/b/a Sono Bello

Dismissed

U.S. District Court, Central District of CaliforniaDocket 2:26-cv-02065Source ↗

DismissedSuit under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (47 U.S.C. § 227). The plaintiff filed a notice of settlement, and on April 27, 2026 the court dismissed the action on that notice; the parties filed a stipulation of dismissal under Rule 41(a)(1)(A)(ii) on June 1, 2026. The settlement terms are not public.

T.S. v. Body Contour Centers, LLC, d/b/a Sono Bello

Filed

U.S. District Court, Western District of WashingtonDocket 2:24-cv-01944Source ↗

Filed — no final outcome recordedProposed class action brought by a plaintiff identified only as T.S., on behalf of California residents who used Sono Bello's website. It alleges the site's Meta Pixel code sent visitors' activity and health-related details, such as procedures of interest, to Meta without consent, in violation of state and federal privacy laws. The case is still open before Judge Lauren King: Body Contour Centers filed its answer to the complaint on October 13, 2026, and the court issued a scheduling order on October 16, 2026. The court has not ruled on the merits, and the privacy claims remain allegations.
EDITORIAL

What Sono Bello Does

Sono Bello is a US cosmetic-surgery chain that does only body contouring. Its main procedures are TriSculpt laser-assisted liposuction and a family of excess-skin procedures: AbEX for the abdomen, LiftEX (a 360-degree body lift), ArmEX, ChestEX and WaistEX, plus breast lift and breast augmentation. The company says it has operated since 2008, starting with one center in Washington State, and now has more than 100 locations and more than 100 surgeons. Procedures are done with the patient awake, under local anesthesia and minimal sedation rather than general anesthesia.

The business is registered as Body Contour Centers, LLC; its privacy policy gives the address 3075 112th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004, while BBB lists 1200 112th Ave NE in Bellevue. Medical care is provided through Aesthetic Physicians, P.C. and related state practices. Alaris Equity Partners first invested in 2018, and in February 2023 Alaris and Brookfield Special Investments raised $546 million in equity and $180 million in debt for the company, with Brookfield taking a minority stake. KFF Health News, citing PitchBook, put total private-equity investment in Sono Bello at $816 million, most of it since 2023.

VERIFIED

Company Relationships

  • Affiliated withBody Contour Centers, LLC
EDITORIAL

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sono Bello a legitimate company?

Sono Bello is an established company: the business, Body Contour Centers, LLC, has operated since 2008, and medical care is provided through Aesthetic Physicians, P.C. and related state practices. It is BBB-accredited with an A+ rating. That grade does not count customer reviews, and the same BBB profile lists 502 complaints in the last 3 years and a 1.67-out-of-5 average across 303 reviews. Malpractice suits, a 2011 license suspension of one of its surgeons after a patient death, and a proposed privacy class action are described on this page; being an established business and having good patient outcomes are separate questions.

How much does Sono Bello cost and does it offer financing?

Sono Bello says its price depends on how many areas are treated, the amount of fat to be removed, BMI and overall health. A personalized plan and an exact quote are given at a free consultation, where financing options for qualified patients are also reviewed. Sono Bello also says its procedures are elective and cosmetic and typically not covered by insurance.

How long is recovery after Sono Bello AbEX?

Sono Bello says recovery after AbEX excess skin removal is generally shorter than traditional tummy tuck healing. Most patients can safely return to light activities within a few days, and noticeable results appear as swelling decreases over the following weeks. Compression garments support healing. Sono Bello's website also states that individual results may vary.

How is Sono Bello AbEX different from a tummy tuck?

Sono Bello describes AbEX as an alternative to a tummy tuck for excess abdominal skin. It says tummy tucks typically require general anesthesia, involve muscle repair and can require drains, while AbEX is performed under local anesthesia and combines removal of sagging skin with fat reduction. Surgery involves risks, and individual results may vary.

Where are Sono Bello centers and how do I book a consultation?

Sono Bello lists its centers by state on sonobello.com/locations and offers a ZIP code search. Fort Wayne, Indiana (7230 Engle Road, Suite 309) and Baton Rouge, Louisiana (6100 Corporate Blvd., Suite 100) are among the listed centers. Each listing has a Get a Free Consultation link, and the main line is (800) 995-1136.

Has Sono Bello had patient deaths or serious injury lawsuits?

A July 2025 KFF Health News and NBC News investigation reported that Sono Bello, its affiliates and surgeons had defended more than 60 malpractice suits since April 2013, four of them over patient deaths; Sono Bello had settled three of the four wrongful-death cases filed since May 2018, and one was pending. An earlier death, of a 28-year-old patient after liposuction in Bellevue in May 2009, led to a $1.8 million settlement in 2011 and a 30-day suspension of the surgeon's Washington license. In September 2025 an Indiana patient sued in federal court, alleging a necrotizing infection after liposuction and AbEX at the Indianapolis center; that case is still open and the court has not ruled on the claims.

Can I get a refund if I'm not happy with my Sono Bello results?

A refund after surgery is unlikely. In its BBB responses Sono Bello cites its Satisfaction Commitment, which says no physician can predict or guarantee the final result of a cosmetic procedure, and it has told complainants that no refund is due once the purchased services were performed. Patients unhappy with results describe being offered a revision for an added fee, quoted at roughly $2,500 to $3,000. Money paid before surgery is the more common refund dispute: customers report deposits described as non-refundable and refunds that took weeks or months. Read the deposit and cancellation terms before you sign, and if you paid by credit card for services not delivered as agreed, dispute the charge with your card issuer in writing within 60 days of the statement.

Who owns Sono Bello?

Sono Bello is privately held and registered as Body Contour Centers, LLC. Alaris Equity Partners first invested in 2018. In February 2023 Alaris and Brookfield Special Investments raised $546 million in equity and $180 million in debt for the company, with Brookfield taking a minority stake. KFF Health News, citing PitchBook, put total private-equity investment at $816 million.

What procedures does Sono Bello offer?

Sono Bello's website lists TriSculpt laser-assisted liposuction, excess-skin removal procedures (AbEX for the abdomen, LiftEX 360-degree body lift, ArmEX, ChestEX and WaistEX), male chest reduction, breast lift and breast augmentation. The company says the procedures are done with the patient awake, under local anesthesia and minimal sedation rather than general anesthesia. Prices depend on the areas treated and are set at a free consultation.

Sources (11)

Sono Bello (own site)

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