Laser Hair Removal: Prices versus efficiency.

I get asked a lot why some laser clinics appear to offer really cheap treatments. My answer generally is – Don’t be fooled, there’s a very good reason for that. 

Outlined below are the reasons you might want to think twice about opting for a cheap treatment option as opposed to seeking out a more experienced expert where value for your money is paramount. 

Many complaints I hear about cheaper pricing center around impersonal service levels, limited (if any) consultation and the super-fast speed at which the treatments are being performed – resulting in people having to go back too many times as a result of ineffective treatments to be performed again. 

Let me explain the reason you should or want to consult with an expert laser technician before ‘jumping in’ and just buying on price.

First of all – the reason why some clinics are offering laser hair removal deals, therefore not offering much value for money, is that treatments are performed primarily by younger, inexperienced therapists who have little in-depth knowledge on how lasers and wavelengths work. A lack of this knowledge leads to a lack of confidence in the parameters used and often are not effective enough to have your full treatments done in 6 to 8 sessions – their objective is to get you to come back often – too many times, hoping to lock you into a cycle of regular visits that are a lot less effective on permanently removing hair. This will consequently cost you more in the long run and is not great value for money. Many are overselling the amount of sessions needed and in a lot of cases, you really don’t need anywhere near the 10 or more treatments suggested to complete your course.

At Skin Deep Cosmetic Clinic we’ve studied hard and gained the experience needed to thoroughly analyse your skin type, because different skin types need different levels of treatment. This gives you the confidence knowing that you will get the right level of treatments for the results you are looking for. 

How Hair grows – and what’s that got to do with price?

There are 3 hair growth phases – The active phase (Anagen), Transition phase (Catagen) and resting phase (Telogen).

The anagen phase is the best time to perform laser hair removal, that’s when the hair is available to absorb the laser energy and damages the follicle and the papilla. Therefore, eliminating the ability for future hair growth. The anagen phase gives us a 2 to 3-week window to perform your most effective treatment. 

Different areas of our bodies have different anagen cycles, therefore it is important to consult your laser expert to determine the ideal timing for your areas of treatment. For example, facial hair turns over faster and grows shallower than the rest of the body, so having laser treatments every 4 weeks is most effective for that area.

With hair removal we need to work with and through the different hair growth phases or cycles. 

Another important factor to bear in mind is that your hairs have to protrude from the skin for laser hair removal to work, as hair that is not visible or is under the skin cannot absorb the laser light, rendering treatment quite pointless at that time.

The Catagen phase is where hairs are transitioning from being attached to the papilla (root) to being detached from it. This stage typically only lasts  2 to 3 days. Laser treatment is not recommended during this phase as it is very much a hit and miss process. As mentioned earlier, the hair needs to be attached to the root or papilla for laser hair removal to be effective and permanent. 

Likewise, the Telogen phase is ineffective to laser treatment as the hair has already detached itself from the root and is ready to fall out.

Consequently, permanent laser hair removal is most effective in the anagen phase or active growing phase, which is why it is important to consult with an experienced well trained laser technician who can identify the best time for treatment and give you the best value for money. 

The rest of the body averages around every 6 weeks and lower legs ideally every 8 weeks. Any sooner and there won’t be enough regrowth to be able to treat resulting in you paying too much for pointless and ineffective treatments.

Another determining factor in the price of treatments is the quality of the laser machines. Many clinics use IPL machines disguised as a laser which give inconsistent wavelengths resulting in hit and miss results along with not penetrating deep enough to be effective and can also be quite painful with a higher risk of burning. 

Skin Deep Cosmetic Laser Clinic uses the very latest FDA Approved Gold Standard medical grade laser (Class 4) which delivers very fast and very gentle single wavelength pulses for consistency, meaning you get a very effective and targeted result on all skin types and skin tones in treatment sessions.

It is always a good idea to do your homework before embarking on a laser hair removal program or membership, as the knowledge and experience of the technician plays a huge role in effective treatments along with the quality and condition of the laser equipment used. 

Bianca and her team at Skin Deep Cosmetic Laser Clinic at 350 Jackson Street, Petone are passionate about delivering the best value for money laser hair removal results for you.

For any further questions or to make an appointment call Bianca on 04 568 9251 or click here to book an appointment online now.