What kind of beauty treatment costs 70,000 yuan for just two hours? When confronted by the consumer's family, the salon couldn't produce a price list.Last Sunday, while she was receiving a beauty treatment at the salon, staff attempted to charge over 30,000 yuan to her card. He rushed to the salon, only for staff to then demand over 73,000 yuan."I noticed needle marks on both sides of my wife's face, so I sent her home first while I stayed to negotiate," Mr. Zhu said. The staff refused to provide the names or prices of the beauty treatments, first claiming the services performed that day weren't listed on the price sheet, then arguing they were confidential customer information that couldn't be disclosed to anyone.
With negotiations deadlocked, a manager surnamed Li finally wrote a note: "May 13, 2012 charges: Facial tightening lift ¥36,800, nasolabial fold removal ¥36,800." Yet this still failed to convince Mr. Zhu: "Without verifying the details, I refuse to pay."
The billing entity lacked cosmetic qualifications
Mr. Zhu later learned his wife had undergone eye bag liposuction at this salon on April 20. "They maxed out three credit cards that day, totaling over 120,000 yuan." Only after his repeated demands did the salon provide a transaction breakdown, which listed only two entries for "cosmetic supplies" priced at 68,000 yuan each.
Bank records provided by Mr. Zhu showed the charges were made by an investment management company registered in Minhang District. Its business scope included "investment management, consulting, graphic design, protocol services, corporate branding, and sales of beauty and hair care equipment"—with no mention of cosmetic services or branch operation qualifications.Additionally, liposuction is a medical aesthetic procedure that can only be performed by licensed medical institutions with a medical aesthetics department, and the institution's medical license must explicitly include "liposuction" as an authorized service. Mr. Zhu believes that "SOHU Shuhao Skin Care & Styling" is not only suspected of operating beyond its authorized scope but also of practicing medicine illegally. He has taken photos of his wife's face and filed complaints with the Changning District Administration for Industry and Commerce and the Health Supervision Department.
Administrative and Health Authorities Launch Investigation
Yesterday, this reporter contacted Mr. Ye, a responsible party at the styling salon. He acknowledged that the Dingxi Road "SOHU Shuhao" location belongs to an investment management company. "This store was recently acquired. Previously, it only offered hairdressing services. Now, a beauty area has opened on the second floor, and the relevant licenses are still being processed."
How Can Beauty Services Be Provided Without Qualifications?Mr. Ye stated the beauty services were provided by a "partner company." "We only refer customers; the treatments aren't performed by our staff, so we lack specifics." He added that besides referring clients to the partner company, the partner sometimes brings equipment to the salon to serve customers. When pressed for the partner company's name, Mr. Ye hung up, citing "need to verify details," and did not answer subsequent calls.
Subsequent inquiries with health supervision authorities confirmed the salon holds only a hair salon health permit, lacking authorization for beauty services—let alone medical aesthetics. Following the incident, inspectors found no medical equipment on-site, prompting authorities to request additional evidence from consumers. Currently, Changning District's market regulation and health supervision departments have launched investigations.