For the last few years, laser hair removal has gained a lot of ground.

Both television and print advertising praise laser hair removal benefits as a simple and efficient way of getting rid of unwanted hair. Having this in common, both men and women care about their aesthetic look. Laser depilation attracts the ever-growing younger clientele. They take advantage of the benefits that this new technology provides, catering to their quick and efficient consuming needs. Gone are the days of long, painful and repetitive sessions that are drawn out over a period of 2 years before seeing visible results.

The medical and aesthetic fields are competing over the market share which can be very lucrative. Laser hair removal is a proven indispensable tool for a beauty institute's profitability, but at what price?

Devices of every type have been invading the market for the past few years, and more will be added with increasingly competitive prices. How does one make the right choice, and get the proper technology?

Laser, or Intense Pulsed Light?

Years ago, only doctors practiced laser hair removal. The first devices were medical grade 4 and 5. It was expensive, heavy and demanded a lot of maintenance. Nowadays, the market is flooded with new types of devices, medical grade 2 and 3 that are adapted to aesthetic treatments and considered less dangerous but equally efficient and risk-free for the consumer. How much do they cost?

Laser: Between $70,000 and $160,000, for Diode or Nd: YAG types.

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL): Between $30,000 and $70,000 for Photo-depilation devices.

Most devices are equipped with a cooling system, some offer other thermal relaxation methods that are less efficient and are difficult as well as painful for a lot of people. Even though photo-depilation is at an advanced research stage, we are still at the beginning of a technology that will leap forward in the Aesthetic field of tomorrow.

Purchase or Rental?

High-end and upscale salons and spas that already offer a long list of specific treatments, and have had a well established clientele for many years may buy one… but which one?

Some institutes or salons/spas that only offer a limited list of aesthetic treatments may not have the financial means, or the clientele to support the expense to purchase such lasers.

Is the investment to purchase feasible for an approximate period of 2 to 4 years? A market research and financial statement will require a small investment, and this will help avoid many problems and also help make a sound decision for your long and short term needs as well as making the appropriate choice.

Here are relative questions to help guide you and make your choice:

Purchase/Rental: 9 points to consider

Purchase:
1. Do you have the clientele volume to justify such an investment?
2. What financial support is available to you? At what price?
3. How much will advertising cost for your new service?
4. What are the maintenance costs? What parts need replacement regularly, etc.?

Verify Credibility
5. The manufacturer and equipment warranty. What are the extended warranty costs?
6. Distribution service and repairs.

Call on other institutes that have already bought the equipment and ask about:
7. The seriousness and training professionalism.
8. After-sale technical support?
9. If written documentation is available in your language of choice.

Advantages:

In-house device

Availability = profitability

Financial return

Profits on investment

Disadvantages:

Large investment

Maintenance fees

Loan fees

Obsolete equipment

Higher usage cost

Rental:
1. What is the rental cost for a week, a day or half day?
2. Is there a contract to sign for short or long-term rental?
3. Does your income justify the expense?
4. What will be the net profits after deduction of related advertising and rental costs?
5. How many clients will be available for a specific day every 4 to 6 weeks for subsequent treatments?
6. What happens to those "no-show" clients?
7. Will there be a second rental cost in order to offer good customer service?
8. Will the device be delivered in good working condition and at the requested time?
9. Daily rental costs versus purchase with monthly payments?

Advantages:

Little investment

No maintenance fees

No loan fees

Updated equipment

Short term

Disadvantages:

Device on request

Limited service

Non-fixed asset, no property value

At low cost

LSG's LightSheer Laser Rental Program

With the ever increasing popularity of laser hair removal, the ability to offer unsurpassed results to the greatest variety of patients and clients is crucial. New products have led the way in making effective hair removal a mainstay of leading aesthetic practices. According to the study led by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), the top five non-surgical cosmetic procedures in 2003 were:

Botox Injections - 2 272 080, an increase of 37%

Hair Removal - 923 200, up 25%

Microdermabrasion - 858 312, a decrease of 17%

Chemical Peeling - 722 248, up 46%

Collagen Injections - 620 476, down 21%

The driving forces of laser hair removal and aesthetic services include both market and technology. Market: aging population, a thriving economy and people seeking a better quality of life. Technology: non-invasive procedures, multi-application devices and predictable results.