Please read this week’s “Newsweek” article “Brain Freeze,” it’s relevant to our industry. Noted psychiatrists at several major Universities have discovered that when we receive too much information, we are unable to make a decision — or, we usually make the wrong decision. The Twitterization of our culture has revolutionized our lives, but with an unintended consequence — our overloaded brains freeze when we have to make decisions. The “freeze” is an actual physical manifestation of too much data being poured into our brains.
And so it is with permanent hair removal. The reality is that not all modalities are equal — and some are downright frauds. Some will work in situation A, but will not work in situation B. In the internet world all types of hair removal services appear to be about equal. I mean, even on our wonderful website, all types of hair removal “things” are just out there, without much corroboration. It’s an overload of data: especially when many of the communications are designed to bring in customers. Furthermore, we are all trying our best to be fair and politically correct — but the patients suffer by not getting empirical information. I mean hard facts.
When I read the many posts by patients, I see the plight of customers wanting to find the correct “method” for their particular needs. With our input of suggestions, patients end up micro-managing their treatment and, most likely, frustrating the therapist. Problem is, nobody can give any of them a definitive answer. For example, what is the best way to achieve permanent hair removal if you are, say, a 25-year-old woman with excess hair on her stomach? What are the treatment parameters, what specific modalities produce what exact and predictable results?
I’m not denigrating anyone on this board because, actually, we don’t know either — we are all guessing based on our personal experiences. We all have some definitive ideas based on what we have experienced. But how would you like to be a patient in this new world of “too much information.” It’s mind-boggling and, as the Newsweek article points out, usually causes the person to make the wrong decision.
What strikes me, and why I’m very interested in this site — and came on in the first place, is that I believe we do, indeed, hold the answers. We actually DO know the answers to all the plaintive questions of our patients. We do not, however, have a vehicle to present our data — not yet. And that will be the topic of my next posting.
I understand where you’re coming from. At the same time, personally, I’d rather know more than less. Then I can hold myself responsible if something goes wrong at the end and I didn’t get the result I was looking for rather than finding someone else to blame 
Please read the “Newsweek” article and you will understand “where I’m coming from.” The point is that all information is not of the same quality. I would never argue summarily for “less information” — but what kind of information is it? Is the plethora of information on the internet, on all subjects, designed to really educate the public to make the right decisions?
Today there are literally thousands of political blogs, and yet the general public’s interest and understanding of politics is almost nonexistent. Instead of calm political dialogue, TV networks and blogs rant and rage, and the body politic has become radicalized over, actually, nothing! Where is Walter Cronkite when you need him? See my point?
Let’s say you are looking to buy a new car and you talk to all the car salesmen in town — you might find yourself more confused than informed. So you start reading technical data — but because you are not a “car guy,” nothing seems to make any sense to you. So, finally, you just decide on the color!
In reality a “hair removal patient” always has to make a “leap of faith” and just try something because there is no body of comparative empirical information available. I have read posts by patients that are, actually, tragic. Sometimes, patients spend many thousands on treatments that didn’t work, or in rare cases, get injured.
Funny that you also say: “Then I can hold myself responsible if something goes wrong at the end and I didn’t get the result I was looking for … “ And that is what patients do! Instead, if they have spent thousands and thousands of dollars and didn’t get results — they should sue! (Those nasty “releases” that patients are sometimes required to sign, don’t hold up in court if you have the right lawyer.)
By the way, are you in “L.A.?” Not too far from me! I do see that you are in NYC, so maybe you are “La girl?” (I hope I gave you a smile.)
I’ve read the “Newsweek” article and agree. Too much information and people tend to go blank and are more apt not to make a decision at all. I have realized over the years that when people purchase their equipment for their business they tend to get something too complicated, because of the “marketing hype” behind it, they can’t use it to its full advantage, may end up in the closet. Taking a step back and allowing information to be sifted, delete the really frivolous info, and then review what’s left helps to simplify the decision making process and hopefully lead to better choices.
Oh, I completely agree that most people probably can’t decipher most of the information. And yep, it’s most obvious in the political scene. I was just speaking from a personal perspective since I consider myself savvy enough to sift through the BS. I did it in the case of hair removal, anyway 
I used to live in LA when I joined this forum years ago. I moved to NYC 2 years ago