March 29, 2006 — Laser hair removal is the second most popular cosmetic procedure in America. Many people are getting the procedure done at their local beauty parlors or at free-standing laser centers rather than at their doctors’ offices.
“Laser treatments provide a permanent option for people looking to remove hair. For instance, if a woman wants to remove dark mustache hair, a laser treatment will cost between $600 and $1,800 while waxing and electrolysis cost about $25 to $30 each time. Waxing goes on forever, and electrolysis can last at least five years.”
Here is another erroneous, misleading, shameful example of what electrologists are up against with the powerful laser industry and the lazy media who makes little effort to search for the accuracy and truth. Thanks, ABC news for getting it wrong once again. I mean, could they have possibly called an electrologist on this one?
Having electrolysis on the upper lip and finishing the job takes FIVE YEARS! False. Unbelievabily, FALSE! Just so you the consumer knows, an upper lip with a client that stays on schedule for a period of 9-12 months will visit the electrologist 8-15 times on average and the cost is under $500. This 5 year thing is only true if one’s electrologist is a “dumb pig stuck in the mud on Valium” type, then it is true that it could take even a century to complete a small area like the upper lip. Even the slowest electrologist isn’t going to need five years!
The first sentence alone of the above quote is why many consumers expect more than what they really get with LASER when the manufacturer or the practitioner is not truthful. As an electrologist, I see clients on a weekly basis that didn’t get permanent results as promised and are seeking my help. There are different degree’s of satisfaction involved here : some are happy with the LASER REDUCTION, but need hairs removed by electrolysis that they thought LASER would take care because of hype given in the quote above. Some feel ripped off because they weren’t helped.
Look, I’m one electrologist that see’s the benefit of LASER and I never hesitate to suggest LASER first for some of my clients, but this kind of assault and untruthfullness about electrolysis happens daily in print. You,the neophyte consumers, are caught in the middle and why wouldn’t you believe this?
The ABC “news” piece is another example of why we are so fortunate to have Andrea James, creator and owner of HAIRTELL + HAIRFACTS.COM, leading the charge for the consumers ‘out there’ that search for truth. Thanks for taking the assaults and beatings that some people throw your way all to often, Andrea. You provide a great service to inform all truthfully.
I’m pi***d!
Dee
But how do you really feel Dee? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
This is the lousy thing about all this. LASER lies about electrolysis, and puts the Electrology Industry in the position of always saying “Those are lies! Damn Lies! Just give us the chance to prove them wrong!” The consumer is left with slick magazine articles bought and paid for, and lazy media types who may also have been bought and paid for (your local mid-day quasi news shows) and pre-produced fluff pieces that get run on the news when they want cheap easy filler.
The whole thing leaves the consumer to wonder why is it this lowly electrologist working out of her basement, spare bed room, or maybe even a rented room at a salon, or doctor’s office is contradicting media sources like Elle, Network TV, and the doctors who assure them that for only $300 - $900 they can forget all about their problem and take no more than an hour of treatment time spread out over 9 months.
Could it really be that for something like an upper lip, ancient old electrolysis is the best option, and could cost as little as $200 spread out over a year? Yes, that is the truth, but our industry doesn’t have the cash, or the organization to get that message out there. If we had a TV show like The Swan pushing our work, we could even “Do The John Henry” on LASER by doing a side by side on twins and see who is happy long term.