Everybody loves a bargain. I know I do. There is nothing better than the exhilaration of that great yard sale find, or finding that treasure in the Frenchy’s bin and paying just fraction of what the original owner would have had to pay. I find, particular brand is getting longer. I will pay extra for simple items like my favourite ketchup, dish soap, laundry detergent, skin cream and coffee because they really do taste better or work better.
I have also learned the hard way about the value of paying a little more for big ticket items because in my experience, the old adage that “you get what you pay for“ definitely holds true for furniture, cars and a skilled carpenter.
So, if this is true, how do you find a balance between getting your best price and getting the best?
Educating yourself is the only way.
I can’t help you find a carpenter, but I can give you some insight into laser hair removal.
1. They are not all lasers. There are a lot of different types of equipment that is being used for hair removal- Laser, IPL (Intense Pulsed Light), BBL ( Broad Band Light),even some that are incorporating RF (Radio frequency); and within these categories of there are variations in quality and function. Many clinics choose systems based on how versatile they are. They want to be able to do various types of treatments to the skin, hair, and veins. The Lightsheer Diode laser that is used at Light Touch Laser is not designed to be versatile. It has the specific goal to destroy hair, making it the best for hair removal and is considered the gold standard .
2. A regular service contract should be kept on a laser by the clinic to ensure that it is maintained and operating properly and within safe parameters. This adds substantially to the overhead of a clinic, but it is important. You have every right to ask your clinic when their last service was.
3. A good quality laser is going to cost in the range of $100,000- $140,000. That rules out anything you will find on the home shopping network. The danger of poor quality equipment is not so much about what it will do to you in terms of injury (that’s not to say it can’t hurt you); it’s what it won’t do. It is not going to have the energy that is required to destroy the hair. It is more likely to stunt it and delay growth making it seem that it is working, just to see it all come back; or even worse- make the hair too light to treat with a proper laser. I have met with people who have gone through this and it is devastating. (By the way, when you pluck a hair you feel it- shouldn’t you feel it if it is being destroyed?)
4. In Canada, most of the training that is available is provided by the company that sells the equipment. A reputable company will invest in the people who use their equipment. Quality trained technicians will reflect well on the quality of the equipment and vice versa. You are not likely to see this with inexpensive equipment.
5. As with most skilled trades, an expert technician is developed over time. Their value is really priceless because their skill is what is going to protect your skin and get you to your goal safely and in as few treatments as possible which is ultimately the goal after all.
Choosing how to spend your hard earned money is tough; and saving money doesn’t always mean spending less initially. When all else fails, I ask myself—“Would I use this on my kids?” The answer ends up being pretty clear.
Light Touch Laser- Why wouldn’t you?
