Hello to everyone,
I am new to this site, and have to admit I am loving it with all the info. i am getting.
My wife is an esthetician for about 17yrs and has been doing the Hot wax for all those years and I believe its time to move on to new technologies especially that her client base has dropped.
So being a hairy techie husband that i am looking for the best for my wife, Please advise us on what would be your different pros and cons for IPL and Laser.
Our budget is limited, so up to 25K range more or less.
We are looking for somthing that will work and we believe in being ethical with clients rather than business minded sharks. Especially that those treatments could get quite costly for them compared to Hot wax.
We are also concerned about training since most of the suppliers that offer the machines you recommend (i.e GentleLase) dont really have any re-sellers in Montreal area.
Please get back to us with your experience, recommendations, and any pertinent info that can help us go to the next level.
thank you all and kudos to those who put up and maintain this site with VERY interesting and informative facts
First you need to know the laws for your area. In many areas an esthetician can only operate a laser in a physician’s office, if at all. And the laws are changing, so even if she could have a laser without direct supervision now, that could change in the near future.
Next, $25k will not buy a decent piece of equipment if you really want to be ethical with your clients. Even a used laser is going to require maintenance which is thousands of dollars per year. I would bite the bullet and go for a good used GentleLASE, a good maintenance contract, and good interest rate.
You and your clients are going to be disappointed with an IPL. They are cheaper because they are not as effective as an actual laser. Dont be fooled by a sales rep.
Make sure to find out the insurance costs, whether you can operate it in your city with your certifications, how much maintenance is going to cost, etc. Also, keep in mind that GentleLASE will only be able to treat clients with skin types up to type IV. You will have to turn down anyone darker than that if you truly want to be ethical. Or you’ll need to invest in an ND:Yag machine in addition to an alexandrite. A machine like Apogee Elite or GentleMAX has both alex and Yag settings, but you probably won’t be able to afford it.