Why do clinics say 4-6 weeks between treatments? +

Hair Removal Methods Laser hair removal
#1

I know on here people say 8-12 weeks apart is best… but clinics say 4-6. Is it simply to make more money? because if I bought a package of treatments anyway… you’d think they’d just go with whatever is most effective to get me to buy another package for a different area of my body.

(I just did my first bikini session at Renew Medica in London. I got a great lady to do it, she was very professional and I wasn’t uncomfortable with her)
I am Irish- so type 1, dark hair- LightSheer… and she booked me in to go back in 6 weeks.

#2

Yes it is to make more money.

There is no need to go back when half the hairs of the next cycle have not come through yet.

Let’s say you need 6 properly spaced treatments in an area. If they are spaced at half the number of weeks, that will be 12 treatments over the same amount of time instead (because what really matters is getting through all the hair cycles at least once which requires about 9 months to 1 year).

I never let them book me in. I always said I would call in closer to the time after checking my diary. I would then wait until a decent amount of hair had come through (after the hair free period) then book again.

#3

I think a lot too though is that they don’t know what they are doing. I’ve bought packages from Groupon etc where it’s $99 for a year of unlimited on one area, or $249 for 5 areas unlimited for a year etc. They always want you to do 4-6 weeks where as you would think since they’re only getting one payment from you, they’d be saying no it’s 8-12 weeks to do less treatments.

#4

“They always want you to do 4-6 weeks where as you would think since they’re only getting one payment from you, they’d be saying no it’s 8-12 weeks to do less treatments.”

That would get them into trouble with customers who did not come to them through Groupon, or ones that started with Groupon and decided to go outside their plan. A smart business will have a universal policy so no customer can catch them giving one set of instructions to them and a different set to someone else.

I think that policy is set by management and, as was already suggested, is informed by business savvy. Also, if they can prevent you from seeing regrowth occur, you are more likely to believe the treatment is working (until you come here).

#5

That last point is very true. I always advise people to WAIT.

Plus yeh, I think the techs are taught that’s the best/most effective time to treat, which is why it’s hard to argue with them.

#6

I’m referring to in the actual Groupon, the terms always state “unlimited laser for a year, treatments must be spaced out 4 weeks apart” etc. Then when you go, you do your treatment and they always want to book your next appointment that day for 4 weeks later. I’ve done about 4 different ones now and they’re always like that so they’re not really treating people differently.

#7

Some studies do show better results with shorter treatment intervals. It’s been a long time since I looked this up, but you can google it and have a browse of the abstracts.

#8

I’ll have a look. I’d like to know their logic.

I had very long periods between mine and my lower legs and bikini line were cleared to well over 90% in 3 treatments. This included waxing 2-3 months before my first treatment.