ComplaintsforMassage Envy Spa (Severna Park)

• Initial Complaint

  11/28/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  An late March 2022, I had gone to massage envy for my final service to use the credits I had before my membership would be cancelled. The location's computers were down that day, and they had me fill out a paper stating any allergies I had along with basic information. I had written down 'propolis' and when asked further what this was, I stated that it is a chemical found in honey and beeswax. As soon as I got home from the service, I began noticing that I couldn't breathe and I was breaking out in hives. Soon, my face, eyes, and throat began to close shut. I ended up having to visit the ER for anaphylaxis. At the time of this, I was a minor, and so my mother emailed them demanding compensation for their negligence as well as stressing immediate cancellation. Rather than doing any of this, massage envy ignored us. I could have died due to this business's negligence, and beyond that, we have continued to be charged for the membership (75 a month) for the past 8 months, since April. Today, my mother and I went to the location since we finally realized they had continued to charge us, and we were told to sign a cancellation agreement, and then it would be cancelled. Understandably, both my mother and I were furious that they were not compensating us for their negligence of my allergies and for continuing to charge us. We are seeking the $375 ER copay that this caused us, the $350 my mother lost due to missing work and needing to take me to the hospital, and the $600 that we have been continued to be charged for a membership I am unable to use. I have a disease called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome which makes me unable to receive massages or any sort of stretches, and due to my honey and propolis allergy, simply being in the building where that is stored and likely not well contained could send me into anaphylaxis. This has been an awful customer experience trying to get this resolved.

  Business response

  12/19/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 10, 2022/12/07) */ The client has received several Jan Marini facials with Massage Envy with no reported reactions until her facial with us on 3/31/22. It was reported to us the next day by her mother. We were sent screenshots of their conversation about her experiencing a reaction almost 24 hours after the service. After looking further into what product could have caused the reaction, Skin Zyme and Clean Zyme are the only 2 products that have anything close to something bee-related, Miel. The products are used in every Jan Marini facial and would have been used in her previous facials, with no reported reactions. We did submit an incident report for the reaction and refunded the service immediately after we were made aware of her reaction. Upon submitting the incident report, we noticed she did not list propolis as an allergy on her electronic medical form that was used for all her previous sessions. It would appear that the previous esthetician had no knowledge of the allergy or the facial itself would have been changed to a different product line or noted to remove Skin Zyme entirely from the facial. We reviewed her history, notes, and products used by the previous esthetician. Skin Zyme has been used in previous services with no issues. Clean Zyme, also containing Miel was used on the client with no reaction. Also, Jan Marini does not use any animal-derived raw material in any of its products. All of their ingredients are either synthetic, plant-derived or natural equivalents. It leads us to believe that since both products were used in the past with no reaction that the incident was not caused by her facial. We are not her home location so we are unable to process a cancellation of her membership. It does state she was sent a cancellation form by her home location on 2/2022, being her membership is still active she did not send the form back. She was told in our error by a new front desk employee that she could fill out a cancellation form with us, but we quickly corrected that mistake and informed her that she will need to contact her home location. Consumer Response /* (3000, 12, 2022/12/14) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) The reaction was not 24 hours after the service, though the text message and email may have been considering I was resting after needing steroids from the hospital. I was more concerned with keeping myself safe than immediately sending an email. I began having a reaction on the car ride home. I have received facials like this before, though I did not have the propolis allergy then. I acquired the allergy during an incident of prolonged direct exposure to propolis. The allergy has continued to develop and get worse. I have since been prescribed an epipen for it due to anaphylactic episodes specifically due to this allergy. Propolis is what I am directly allergic to, and it is something found in everything bee-related, even if it is remote. Whether the propolis is synthetic, a natural equivalent, or plant based does not change my reaction. It is the substance itself. This is not an allergy I had forever, and as such, once I knew it was a major issue (which was some time before I had this specific facial as I hadn't had one for a while before), I wrote 'propolis' down on the paper I was given. Your computers were out that day, so I had to write it on a physical sheet of paper. The person who gave me the facial asked what propolis was, and I explained that it's a chemical in anything bee-related such as beeswax, honey, ect. I was told that nothing in the facial contains propolis. You said there is something close to bee related in the skin zyme and clean zyme, Miel. If there was any lack of clarity in what I was allergic to despite my listing and explaining it, perhaps things should have been double checked or maybe I should have been refused service on the basis of it possibly being unsafe. As I am looking up Miel now (just on a simple google search), it seems that propolis is found in this substance. I specifically listed I was allergic to that at the appointment in question. I would not have listed it at prior appointments since I had not noticeably developed the allergy yet. The incident seems pretty obviously caused by the Miel which contains propolis. I have since had the membership officially canceled by my home location, though I don't understand why canceling it had to be like pulling teeth. I was told many wrong answers or ways to cancel it which never went through. At one point, I was told by your office that it only needed to be written that I needed it canceled (like in the email my mother sent) though I see that was also told in error. Business Response /* (4000, 14, 2022/12/15) */ We are happy to hear your home location was able to cancel your membership. We wish you nothing but the best and a great new year!

• Initial Complaint

  08/30/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I tried to cancel my membership with Massage Envy last summer, 2021. I was told I could not but I could freeze it. I said I needed to cancel, I was told the same. I did not have the funds, I had major life changes and was unable to afford this. I spent months going back and forth, I asked for my credit card to be removed from the file. I was charged again, and finally told, over a year later, that I can cancel my membership. I was also informed I could not receive a refund. My credit card should NOT have been charged, I asked for this to be removed from their system a year ago. Sarah * came on the phone combative and rude immediately. I cannot recommend this location or business to anyone. I want my money back that they did not have authorization to take.

  Business response

  10/20/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/08/31) */ We are regretful that the client has decided to end her membership with Massage Envy Severna Park. She joined our Wellness Program on 2/22/21 and was to be charged on the 25th of every month. Per her membership agreement signed 2/22/2021, "during your initial term you may cancel this agreement if you provide written proof you have moved more than 25 miles away from Massage Envy or provide a written statement from your DR that you no longer can receive services." Four months into her membership she decided to freeze her payments for 6 months. Since she was still in her term it extended her term 6 months. Which is also outlined in the Freeze Form she signed on 5/25/21. Once her membership became active her payment for 1/2022 was declined. Upon contacting her about the past due payment on 1/30/22 she informed us she could not make the payment at that time. I spoke to her the following day about her membership and informed her since she just had been on a freeze and was also suspended that payment for January had to process. Also informed her that she had up until the day before her February payment to make the 1/25/22 payment and then could freeze after that was made to avoid getting further behind, she hung up on me. She was able to make the payment on 2/4/22 and requested freeze again which extended her term again. She was also informed at the time of freeze when her payments would resume. Yesterday she called in regards to her 8/2022 payment and requested a refund and to cancel her membership. The associate she spoke with yesterday informed her that we cannot process a refund as it was a normal scheduled payment. The client did go over her financial hardship and expressed her desire to cancel her membership. Since she made 6 out of her agreed 12 payments the associate felt that it was a fair compromise and sent her the form even though she was still obligated for 6 more payments. The client then hung up on the associate again. We feel our decision to not refund the payment but allow her to cancel 6 payments early as well as have access to the massages in her account until the date provided on the cancellation form was fair for both parties. If any additional information is needed please let me know.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩