Toronto laser clinic accused of fat-shaming customers in email blast

Feb 14 2023, 11:22 pm

A well-reputed Toronto medispa with multiple locations across the city is being accused of using insensitive imagery — a pig in lingerie — to promote discounted “body contouring” services.

Like most cosmetic facilities of its ilk, Bellair Laser Clinic had been pushing a whole host of promotions for botox, filler, and the like to clients ahead of Valentine’s Day.

One patron who wishes to remain anonymous told blogTO that she was “beyond disgusted” to find one such promotional email from Bellair’s Yorkville clinic in her inbox this afternoon.

“I received a horrifying fat-shaming Valentine’s email from Bellair Laser clinic,” she said when sharing the email. “Baffled as to how someone thought it was okay to send out.”

The email in question, sent out at 1:49 pm on February 14, 2023, contains a subject line reading: “You’ll want to check out this Valentine’s sale.”

At the top of the message can be found a photo of a toy pig with false eyelashes in sexy underwear.

“When your lingerie says Victoria’s Secret but your body says McDonald’s,” reads a text overlay on the image, suggesting that overweight women in lingerie look like pigs — and not only pigs but pigs in police hats.

“EMSCULPT NOW 55% OFF,” screams the email. “BYE BYE FAT.”

bellair laser clinic

At least one customer who received this email from a Toronto-based laser clinic chain says she felt fat-shamed. Image via Bellair Laser Clinic.

According to Bellair Laser Clinic’s website, Emsculpt is “FDA authorized/cleared for improvement of abdominal tone, strengthening of the abdominal muscles, development of firmer abdomen.”

The treatment uses electromagnetic technology to “induce muscle contractions not achievable through voluntary contractions,” eventually improving the appearance of stomachs and butts.

Bellair Laser Group has yet to respond to a request for comment regarding the email blast and reaction to it, but as one upset recipient of the email told blogTO: “It’s pretty brutal. It’s just really wrong and I think they should be held accountable.”

Lauren O'NeilLauren O'Neil

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