My Smooth Solutions Consult Today

Hair Removal Methods Laser hair removal
#1

Saw the people at Smooth Solutions today. To be honest, I didn’t like it as much as Ideal Image. The office seemed hot and poorly ventilated (but I guess that is the property manager’s fault) and it certainly wasn’t as swank as Ideal was. At Smooth Solutions, a nurse sets the laser’s settings, but a technician (who I was informed had 120 hours training with the doctor who started the company) does the actual treatment. They use the Apogee Alexandrite laser. I know Alexandrite is good, but I don’t know anything about the Apogee.

The prices, though, are the best I have ever seen. 5 treatments (you get the 6th free with package purchase) of the chest are only 395 dollars during this months’ special. Underarms are only 230 for the same package. This is ridiculously cheap (almost too cheap; one wonders how they can afford it.) Ideal Image wanted more per treatment on the chest than I would be paying for the whole package at Smooth Solutions.

With prices like these, I would almost seem to be a fool if I didn’t do it. My transition is built upon mainly luck, and it seems luck to find such a good deal. Then again, I promised myself I wouldn’t just go to the cheapest I could find, but the best. Anybody have any info on Smooth Solutions?

Tomorrow, I see Advanced Skin Fitness, the last of my 3 laser consults. I will make up my mind then on who I want to go to.

#2

The doctor, dermatologist, who is the owner of Smooth Solutions posts on the other forum pretty regularly now. Check it out for yourself and send him a private message if you want. He has said there in the past that he wonders about places that give guarantees because it costs them to maintain the equipment (coolant spray, parts, etc), so any company that does, is losing money on those free treatments under a guarantee and is bound to go out of business after a while when a lot of people are just getting free treatments. I think his policy is to offer the cheapest treatment possible on a per-treatment basis and he also firmly believes in refunding unused portions of the packages, which is I think a good way to do it to make sure the client is happy rather than going because he’s stuck in a package. In general, he’s very knowledgeable on LHR. Here are sample links:

http://cosmeticenhancementsforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3939&start=0

http://cosmeticenhancementsforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4032&highlight=sslhr

In terms of my opinion on the situation, I think you still need to check out a private doctor’s office. These last two are chains, and the next one seems a bit more hyped up than a private clinic would be. i would look at one that doesn’t advertise much.

Also, in my opinion, these are not dirt cheap prices, however they are very good. The ones at Ideal Image were overly high, more than 2 times the average. I’m all for the most effective treatment over price, but those are really very high. Another thing some others have done is take a lower quote from a competitor to a clinic you prefer and see if they can match or lower their prices.

#3

The bad thing about doctor’s offices is, how do you find a good one? Pretty much ALL of the plastic surgeons/dermatologists in the area list “laser hair removal” under services they provide. There are too many to simply pick one out of the phone book and hope for the best.

I may call my old derm and see if he still does it. If so, maybe I should use him? Right now, I am leaning towards Smooth Solutions since several people seem to have had good experiences with them.

#4

I would pick 2 with GentleLASE machine and first ask on the phone about how long they’ve done laser hair removal in particular, who performs it, etc. I found a doctor here who does it himself in a small office. I would also try the ones listed on Candela website first…

#5

Saw the people at Smooth Solutions today. To be honest, I didn’t like it as much as Ideal Image. The office seemed hot and poorly ventilated (but I guess that is the property manager’s fault) and it certainly wasn’t as swank as Ideal was. At Smooth Solutions, a nurse sets the laser’s settings, but a technician (who I was informed had 120 hours training with the doctor who started the company) does the actual treatment. They use the Apogee Alexandrite laser. I know Alexandrite is good, but I don’t know anything about the Apogee.

The prices, though, are the best I have ever seen. 5 treatments (you get the 6th free with package purchase) of the chest are only 395 dollars during this months’ special. Underarms are only 230 for the same package. This is ridiculously cheap (almost too cheap; one wonders how they can afford it.) Ideal Image wanted more per treatment on the chest than I would be paying for the whole package at Smooth Solutions.

With prices like these, I would almost seem to be a fool if I didn’t do it. My transition is built upon mainly luck, and it seems luck to find such a good deal. Then again, I promised myself I wouldn’t just go to the cheapest I could find, but the best. Anybody have any info on Smooth Solutions?

I happen to be the owner of Smooth Solutions. I normally don’t read this site, but I was alerted to the thread and thought this would be a great opportunity to ask a few questions of the public at large and I would appreciate anyone responding (except for the first question). I have opinions about what people want but would like to hear others opinions.

Question 1 is specific. What location did you go to for your consult? Our centers shouldn’t be stuffy and poorly ventilated unless the A/C was not working.

Question 2. We are not as swank as Ideal Image. In fact, we don’t try to be. We aren’t trying to be a high end spa, nor do we want to charge those prices. Our model is based on efficiency. Kind of the difference between flying first class on American Airlines and flying on Southwest. How important is the “swankyness” of a location? How much more are you willing to pay for “added value” with the caveat that the “added value” won’t have anything to do with the quality of the treatment?

Question 3. What is more important, getting in and our on time? or being pampered? And how much more are you willing to pay for being pampered.

Question 4. How importat is the “credentials” of the person doing the treatment? I am not talking about training but about the person’s degrees. And why is it important? How much more are you willing to pay for that credential?

That’s probably enough questions. As far as Smooth Solutions, thanks for considering us. And as far as a couple of your questions. How can we afford it? Only by being efficient and having lots of clients. We are the only laser hair removal company that I know of that has been around since the beginning of laser hair removal. We started in 1997. Everyone else who started back then has gone out of business or no longer does laser hair removal to any serious degree (if I am wrong please tell me). And there is a philosophical difference between us and our main competitors such as Ideal Image. They count their income by selling packages and whether you come in or not for the treatment is really not that important. In fact, they are better off if you don’t go in for treatments. Which is why a couple of their locations in Dallas always seem to be closed when I go by. We only count income when you come in for the treatment, so we have to make sure that the experience is good and that our clients are happy. We aren’t perfect, we make mistakes. But that philosophy lies at the core of everything we do.

#6

Wow, thank you for the frank answers. I plan on shopping around again when I have enough money to do my legs, and I will keep smooth solutions in mind.

I do have to say one of the reasons I chose Ideal Image was b/c I felt very comfortable in their posh waiting room where they offered me juice and water. LOL I am happy with their treatments (I’ve had three) but they are highly priced. The good thing is the Tech’s always seem happy to throw in some zaps for free. =)

#7

I don’t know sslhr (owner of smooth solutions) personally, but I have to say that I have followed his? her? posts on another forum quite closely for awhile. I am always impressed with sslhr temperment and careful explanations he/she gives to the confused consumer about laser hair removal.

I think sslhr’s explanation of why it is not helpful to do a test spot on an area before doing laser was great and logical information. Maybe I’ll copy and paste that here tomorrow if I have time. Other explanations are equally informative and unbiased, too. sslhr appears to be a person that cares more about the consumer than about money, money, money!

Dee

#8

Whoa, thanks for all the info! Yeah, I have decided to go with Smooth Solutions. One more question though; the nurse told me that had the Apogee Alexandrite, but would get the Candela GentleLase later on. Is the Apogee as effective? If so, why get the GentleLase, too? I just want to be sure I am doing the right thing with my money.

Thanks in advance! I should be starting my treatment next week.

#9

sslhr - some answers to your questions from my point of view -
Question 2. How important is the “swankyness” of a location? How much more are you willing to pay for “added value” with the caveat that the “added value” won’t have anything to do with the quality of the treatment?

A.Not important at all to me that a place have granite floors, but I would certainly value cleanliness, good conditions of the office showing care and pride in their envt., I don’t want to be wondering about how long before they got their vent filters changed, or do they change their sheets and sanitize equipment in between treatments.

Question 3. What is more important, getting in and our on time? or being pampered? And how much more are you willing to pay for being pampered.

A. It is more important to be cared for related to the treatment, spending enough time being iced, suggesting ways to mitigate discomfort, discussing the results of the last treatment, asking for a call back to report problems and/or results, taking interest in your results. I would not want to pay a cent for being served with water or OJ (no offense Jessica) as long as there is a water fountain with clean cups in plain sight.

Question 4. How important is the “credentials” of the person doing the treatment? I am not talking about training but about the person’s degrees. And why is it important? How much more are you willing to pay for that credential?

A. Degrees are just an indicator of seriousness with respect to gaining knowledge, would not expect the person to have degrees. But certificates of training would sway me in favor.

You didn’t ask this sslhr but the most powerful ingredient to win busines is proof of success. If you can offer me data on how many customers the tech has treated of my hair and skin type with success, show me pictures of them, and be willing to get their number for me, so I can talk to them, I would pay a 15-20% premium for your services.

Another feasible strategy is to hire one or two nurses with great training and experience, who are in charge of the customer’s settings and survey before and after care. If the actual treatment is then done by someone who is kind, thorough and exhibits decent technique, it could be a newbie and I would not mind. I had this experience recently and at first I was very hesistant to getting my treatment with her, but was pleased when I was done, she managed to change my mind.

Hope that’s useful feedback.

#10

Other explanations are equally informative and unbiased, too. sslhr appears to be a person that cares more about the consumer than about money, money, money!

Thanks for the compliment. But please don’t think that I don’t care about money, money, money. I do. If not for me, then for my employees who want to have a good salary and benefits. But I want to become rich and famous. We all have our fantasies.

But I think what is important is how one makes that money. Our philosophy has been that if we provide a quality service, excell at sales (which is necessary), and treat our clients the way we would want to be treated, that the money will come. Even though we have stumbled at times, we have tried to hold on to this for the last nine years. Though there are providers of laser hair removal who have a different attitude, there are also a lot of people I have known who are equally concerned about doing the right thing for their clients.

#11

Hert9: Thanks for your comments. I appreciate hearing your point of view. Trying to figure out what clients want is always a struggle.

One more question though; the nurse told me that had the Apogee Alexandrite, but would get the Candela GentleLase later on. Is the Apogee as effective? If so, why get the GentleLase, too? I just want to be sure I am doing the right thing with my money.

Let me try to explain this. First, both the Cynosure 9300 and the Candela Gentlelase are high powered alexandrite lasers. The difference between the two lasers is really just two things. 1) The Gentlelase has an 18 mm spot size and 2) the Gentlelase is fixed at 3 ms pulsewidth and the 9300 has variable pulsewidths from 5 ms to 40 ms.

What does that mean? What it basically means is that a) the 9300 is a little safer, b) the Gentlelase is a little more effective on finer hair, and c) the Gentlelase is a little more effective on deeper hair. In practical terms, this means that you have to be a little more careful with the Gentlelase but that people who don’t respond as well to the 9300 will respond to the Gentlelase.

The safety is not as big an issue for us because we were able to eventually convince Candela to develop a Gentlelase without the cryogen spray. My understanding is that no else has been buying those except for us, but they are now out there. In addition, the marginal improvement between the two lasers is small. In other words, most people respond very well to the 9300. It is a good laser system.

So as a company we have 6 older 9300s in our system. They cost us $70K to buy and we still owe money on them. If they weren’t effective, we would not keep them. But they still work very well and it is only a few clients who don’t respond. Our ultimate goal is to get rid of them and replace them with Candelas, but at $80K a pop, that will take some time.

So which one should you be on? If we thought that the 9300 wasn’t good to be on, we wouldn’t be using it. We tend to be pretty generous about offering free treatments when someone isn’t getting good results after a series of treatments. So it has to work if we want to be profitable. It does work, especially on sites other than faces. And I have no qualm recommending it for our customers, especially in the beginning.

#12

Thanks! Since the Apogee seems to be about as effective, I will go ahead and use the Smooth Solutions I looked at before (it’s right down the street from me.) I’m starting with my underarms (don’t know how deep that hair is) and,if I do well, am eventually going to move on to do almost everything.

Thanks again!

#13

Maybe you can give me some advice on the cynosure 9300. I’ve had 4 treatments, type 2, back-shoulders-upper arms.

Settings have gone from 21j/20msec/18 spot up to 25j/10msec/15 spot. POOR results. The nurse states there are max settings that this laser will not go past and therefore limited power. Is that true?

Are those settings similar to your protocol? Any advise I can pass on to my laser nurse here in Minnesota?

#14

Maybe you can give me some advice on the cynosure 9300. I’ve had 4 treatments, type 2, back-shoulders-upper arms.

Settings have gone from 21j/20msec/18 spot up to 25j/10msec/15 spot. POOR results. The nurse states there are max settings that this laser will not go past and therefore limited power. Is that true?

Are those settings similar to your protocol? Any advise I can pass on to my laser nurse here in Minnesota?

First, there is no 18 mm spot size on the 9300.

Those are good settings. Especially the last one. As far as results, it can take more than four treatments and it may not look like good results initially. Part of that is that sometimes, people forget what they started with.

The only advice that I can give is that the shoulders and backs tend to have long hair free periods. You may want to make sure that the intervals between treatments are at least 4 months. Or another way to say this is that you may want to wait at least 2 months or 3 months after hair starts to grow back before the next treatment. I know that type of advice is controversial, but I’ve written quite a bit about that on the Cosmetic Enhancement Forum. I believe that is one of the critical factors that many people miss when they have poor results.

#15

You may have started something with the others on here in regards to the 3-5 month interval between treatments but OK.

No 18 spot? They even wrote it down that way in the charts…mmmm. Maybe it was 15 spot.

Thanks for your advice.