IPL or laser?

Hair Removal Methods Laser hair removal
#21

I’m located in central VA. An MD who is an ear,throat, and nose doctor in the area told me their consultation for laser hair removal is $70. I asked if this included a sample treatment and she asked me what did i mean by that… I was a little shocked so I explained to her I assumed they could give me a free sample treatment to see how I respond to their machine. She sarcastically laughed and blatantly said no. She needs customer service lessons in addition to how to run a laser hair removal business.

The only local electrolysis place told me they would charge $40 for my consultation my intended treatment area was below the neck! There are 2 salons which are massages, etc and laser hair removal. One of them charged 100$ for a consultation, but yes this did include a skin patch test and the other was 60 and did not include a sample. I am not going to pursue professional treatments as of now unless I find a place maybe in Charlottesville

#22

Depending on the business’ situation, the laser tech may have to pay the supervising physician $50+ to look at your chart and approve you for treatment. The consultation fee is often deducted from the first treatment fee.

Physician’s rarely give away their time. I won’t win any popularity contests with this next statement, but…I think it’s ridiculous for electrologists to give away our time. How many other professions give away their time? When I’m not running an ad that states “free consultation,” new clients are stunned that they are not charged. My hairstylist cuts my hair in 15 minutes. Do you think she ever gives away a sample haircut?

#23

I would vote full thumbs up for you, Choice in any popularity contest.

Paying the doctor for her/his time is necessary, but if the the fee is deducted from the first treatment, that is certainly fair. Most people charge for their time and perhaps an electrologist should do the same. I resist charging for a consultation, doing so because once you get a client and start moving forward with a plan, they are paying you plenty enough for their treatments. When they are finished and happy, they usually refer a friend or relative. These clients will call through their life span for new hairs that develop, so you more than get paid for that 45- 60 minute consultation in other ways.

Charging for an electrolysis consultation certainly would be much fairer for the electrologist, but I’m not there yet. I guess that’s just another distinguishing feature of a woman dominated profession :crazy:. (I’m waiting for that call from Suzie Orman)

#24

Physicians typically don’t do free consultations because their time is more valuable (in terms of how much they typically make per hour). An electrologist may charge $60/h for everything included but a physician’s time is valued at much more than that and additional compensation for staffing fees due to their education and experience.

#25

Anyone that has spent 25 to 30 years in the classroom working up to the point where they can JUST BEGIN to start earning money to pay back their $200,000 in medical school student loans along with daily living needs, should be charging money. Not to mention living through all the organic and inorganic chemistry classes they had to endure back in those early days of their education. We never whince or whine about what NBA stars or movie stars get paid for doing their thing.

It took me one year to get prepared and licensed to practice electrolysis at a cost of under $10,000.

#26

I assumed the MD would charge for a consultation just to cover the overhead and because the place is mainly an ear,throat, and nose place and not a laser hair removal salon and I understand that… However in my opinion I believe salons who operate under laser hair removal and where their income mostly comes from laser hair removal should have free consultations.

A fee based consultation scares away lots of new customers whether its deducted from the first treatment or not. I believe a “FREE consultation” is catchy enough to bring in tons of new customers… First step is to bring them in and they came in because you lured them in with the word “free”

#27

I understand your point. I lean your way for the reasons you stated.

#28

Have you checked out every place in your area? Did you use our links for how to find a practitioner?

I don’t know if you’ve checked these out already, but here are some I found online:

UVA
Hospital Dr # 4621, Charlottesville - (434) 924-5088

Charlottesville Skin & Laser Ctr
908 E Jefferson St, Charlottesville - (434) 984-4491

Signature Medical Spa‎
3263 Proffit Road, Charlottesville, VA‎ - (434) 923-4646‎

Meadowcrest ENT‎
3360 Emmaus Rd, Harrisonburg, VA‎ - (540) 433-9399‎

Accent On Beauty‎
530 Greenfield Ter, Charlottesville, VA‎ - (434) 973-3295‎

Valley Laser & Skin‎
1589 Port Republic Rd, Harrisonburg, VA‎ - (540) 442-7546‎

Blue Ridge Dermatology PC‎
1151 13th St, Waynesboro, VA‎ - (540) 949-6934‎

Aesthetic Center‎
70 Medical Center Cir # 203, Fishersville, VA‎ - (540) 932-5771‎

Electrolysis:

Taylor Nancy M‎
2115 Hydraulic Rd, Charlottesville, VA‎ - (434) 979-9984‎

Paragon Limited‎
1706 Emmet St N # 1, Charlottesville, VA‎ - (434) 295-3871‎

Accent On Beauty‎
530 Greenfield Ter, Charlottesville, VA‎ - (434) 973-3295‎

Image Reflections International‎
169 Seminole Ct, Charlottesville, VA‎ - (434) 974-7500‎

Crawford Margaret S‎
Charlottesville, VA‎ - (434) 973-3295‎

Hair Free‎
118 W Cameron St # 5, Culpeper, VA‎ - (540) 825-115

Advanced Electrolysis of Harrisonburg‎
320 S Main St, Harrisonburg, VA‎ - (540) 433-9444‎

#29

After doing lots of research on this site, I’ve found a few laser clinics around that are using the “Cynosure Apogee Elite 2000-755 Alexandrite and 1064 YAG” Which this site said would be the best option for me (type II skin). I have consultations at 3 of these places tomorrow.
What are the top 5 questions I should remember to ask (in case I go blank)??
One of the clinics also does electryolysis and will try and determine which is the best route for me to follow.
I’m also checking out other electrolysis places around the city - just no consults yet.

#30

There is a sticky post on the forum with questions to ask at the consultations. Take a look there.

A place that does both electrolysis and laser is a good route, especially if they’re honest and are not biased to one vs the other due to cost.

#31

I have a question, my apologies if it’s not the right thread.

I have many moles. I think I have a type 2 skin with dark hair, though not very coarse.

I was wondering, since the lasers and IPL target skin pigment, do they also nuke the moles (which are brown/black and basically concentrated skin pigment). What would this result in? More pain during the treatment or scars/discolouring, etc.?

Thank you for your answer.

Bernard

#32

Moles can be covered with something white or red. If they’re hit, they will lose some pigment and lighten.

#33

Freckles always lighten, moles can sometimes scab. If your practitioner is going to treat over the moles, make sure you treat them during the test spots to see how they are going to react.