How to select a place for laser hair removal

September 17, 2015 12:57 PM

Need advice on selecting a place for laser hair removal.

I've decided to get laser hair removal for my face/neck (thanks pcos). I had a consult at a well reviewed place but I got skeeved when they offered me a 50% discount if I paid in cash up front. I have a consult at another place soon and want to know what I should look for/ask to make sure I'm picking a good place. Cost isn't a big issue for me, I just want the best treatment. Also if you have a personal recommendation of a place in the metrowest Boston area, I'd appreciate those.

posted by disaster77 to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (6 answers total)

The place I went was part of a prominent local plastic surgeon's office. The people doing the lasering were nurses. So the medical professional oversight made me feel more secure that they weren't going to burn me. PS - I have PCOS and laser hair removal was some of the best money I ever spent. Good luck!
posted by cecic at 1:12 PM on September 17, 2015

The 50% discount and other incentives are pretty common to laser hair removal clinics, both good and bad, in my (SoCal) experience. The way I settled on one was a combination of Yelp reviews and Groupons/coupons. Find one with a low intro rate for small body areas and see what the vibe is there. I think it's true that shadier laser places will boost the strength of the laser on your intro package visits so watch out for that in reviews. Best thing I've ever done, wish I had done it years sooner.
posted by last night a dj saved my life at 1:14 PM on September 17, 2015

Incentives for cash are big (because so are credit card disputes). It's not necessarily something that should alarm you.

You should ask about the type of laser they will use. Many practices have different lasers for different conditions - light skin/dark hair versus dark skin/dark hair. Then you should do some research about how suitable that laser is for your particulars.

I had it done on my underarms 15 years ago. The lasers were much less refined and I was not an ideal candidate (pale skin and light hair) I still had pretty good results.
posted by 26.2 at 3:12 PM on September 17, 2015

I chose a local dermatology office because I figured they had more to lose if they damaged my face than a medi-spa. The pricing was competitive. They had just bought a new, top of the line laser that I researched as well. This is a very busy and highly rated local practice, and they gave me a discount (buy 4 get one free) for paying upfront, cash or credit card. All treatments after that for one year were considered "touch ups" and about 1/3 the price of the initial set. I did 6 in total on neck and chin. Two years since I finished, only light regrowth that isn't visible under my damn skin.

Best thing I did for myself, probably ever.

Use the numbing cream. Let them turn it up and zap away. The pain is temporary and a small price for the confidence.
posted by monopas at 6:27 PM on September 17, 2015

Go to a dermatologist's office.
posted by radioamy at 7:53 PM on September 17, 2015

All the places my wife looked at had various deals to try and get people to sign up -- discounts for cash up front, or one monthly fee to have all the areas you want zapped, and so on. It is a very competitive business with low barriers to entry, so the competition is tight. (She chose the place that had good reviews, the correct laser for her skin/hair, and and a plan structure that made sense for what she wanted done.)
posted by Dip Flash at 8:15 PM on September 17, 2015