Cost Of Laser Hair Removal

by Greg Mauro

Laser hair removal is considered an efficient, long-lasting method, for removing unwanted hair. During the laser hair removal procedure, the patient will be exposed to intense emissions of light on the skin as the laser is absorbed by the hair follicles. Each pulse of the laser lasts a fraction of a second and is able to treat an area of approximately ? inch. Many lasers are equipped with cooling systems in order to decrease skin temperature. This acts as an additional mild anesthetic that helps to prevent burns from the heat generated by the laser.

Laser therapy is usually prescribed to people who:

- Are physically healthy.
- Are psychologically stable.
- Are light skinned with dark hair.
- Do not have a recent tan.
- Have coarse hair.
- Want to change their appearance.
- Are willing to commit a substantial amount of time to the process.
- Are well informed about the procedure.
- Hold realistic expectations about the outcome.

The main factor not mentioned above, is the cost implication. Yes, affordability is a very important qualification for the person who wants to undergo the treatment. Everyone wants to look clean and hairless, but "can you afford it" is the underlying question?

The cost of the treatment depends on various factors. Various clinics have different criteria for establishing rates. There are namely three criterions:

Flat fee: Laser hair removal prices can be on a flat fee basis. The flat fee can either be on a per treatment basis or can be include an overall package of treatments. For instance: $500 for treatment for back hair, irrespective of the amount of hair to be removed. The flat fee could also be based depending on your particular back hair growth patterns. A per treatment flat fee could be based on your body hair growth patterns.

Time factor: Some laser clinics charge per 15 minute segment for laser hair removal. For example, if a clinic charges $100 per 15 minute segment of laser hair removal and if a particular hair removal segment, takes an hour, it would cost $400 per treatment. In this case also, though, the cost of hair removal will depend on the amount of hair to be removed and also the speed of the laser specialist and the hair removal machine.

Fee per pulse: The pricing for laser hair removal can also be calculated based on the number of pulses that it takes to complete an area of body hair. Each time the laser fires, it is referred to as a ?pulse." Each pulse can eliminate around a hundred hairs, while the area it covers can vary. Abiding by this theory, some clinics charge a dollar per pulse with a minimum fee per area. For example, removal of hair in the bikini area might cost $300 ? and this is based on a minimum charge of $150, which includes the first 150 pulses and a dollar per pulse thereafter. So, in this manner, the customer gets charged for the actual pulses, unless you have utilized fewer pulses than the minimum. With this pricing structure, the price, every successive treatment will decrease as you will have less hair to be removed. Make note that the prices per pulse structure will differ, depending on the type of laser and the respective areas they cover, per pulse.

Laser hair removal clinics favor respective pricing structure, to suit their needs. Irrespective of the criteria, the prices of most clinics fall in a similar range.

Below, is a chart of what you can be looking to pay for each type of procedure per session:

PROCEDURE PRICE PER VISIT

Lip $50
Lip and Chin $ 100
Full Arms $ 175
Underarms $ 75
Back $ 300- $ 500
Bikini Line $ 120
Chin $ 50
Eyebrows $ 75
Sideburns $ 75
Upper or lower legs $ 250
Full Legs $ 400
Full Beard $ 150
Partial Beard ` $ 100
Front of neck $ 50
Back of neck $ 50
Breasts $ 99
Hands $ 99
Abdomen $ 200
Chest $ 300
Shoulders $ 200
Feet $ 99
Belly Button Line $ 99
Bikini (Full) $ 200

Note: The prices mentioned above can vary, depending on the location of the clinic, type of laser, and the clinic itself.

The above prices multiplied by the number of sessions, will be the actual cost of the whole treatment.

The ?uniqueness of you?, is one of the main factors that will dictate the cost. How many treatments does your body hair demand? How dense is the hair and how does your skin respond to the treatment? These are the other parameters that influence the price of the overall treatment.

While laser hair removal therapy is considered as expensive, the plus side of the procedure is the permanency. A one-time expense surely saves you a lot of money, pain, and effort in the future. Apparently, some clinics though, offer an "as needed" treatment plan which is initially less costly and offers flexibility.

In a line, laser treatment, is a one-time solution to bodily hair problems. Some practitioners even claim that laser hair removal treatments, bring out radiance on the face. Get rid of hair and get radiant ? now that's a good package deal ?definitely worth it!

About the Author
http://www.laserhair-removalnews.com is your one-stop site for all information regarding laser hair removal procedures. With the most update articles and news feeds, you can find information as it is published.

What Hair Removal Laser Is Right For Me?

by Eric Bernstein, M.D.

First of all, what is a laser?

A laser is a device that produces light of a single color or wavelength. In dermatology, these lasers produce pulses of high-energy light that is taken up by the desired target. In the case of hair removal, the target is the melanin pigment contained within the hair shaft. The tricky part of laser hair removal is targeting the hair shaft without damaging the melanin pigment in the surface of the skin. Thus the laser light has to be on long enough to heat the hair, but not too long to allow that heat to spread to the surrounding skin causing damage.

What laser is right for me?

The right laser for an individual patient depends upon the thickness of the hair and the patient’s skin type. Some lasers are faster than others, so for treating very large surface areas one may choose a laser that is able to treat large areas in a reasonable period of time.

In addition, if the hair on an individual patient becomes thinner and less dense following laser treatments, I often switch lasers to accommodate the change in the hair type and texture. There are a number of parameters that can be selected on a given laser. While each laser gives a unique color, or wavelength of light, other settings such as the energy, and how long the light stays on (the pulse duration) can be selected by the user. Because there are a number of settings which can be chosen during a treatment session, it is very important to have an experienced laser operater who understands how lasers work and the risks and benefits of various settings.

Is laser different for people with darker or tanned skin?

In my opinion, very dark skinned patients often do better with the Nd:YAG laser, while lighter skinned patients may respond better to the diode or alexandrite lasers.

Lasering people with dark skin is much more tricky than lasering people with light skin. However, the hair must be dark in order to be ‘seen’ by the laser. Lasers are absorbed by the pigmentation in the hair shaft which produces heat that then results in inflammation which sends a signal to the hair to go into a long-term resting period. The ideal laser patient that would be easiest to treat and respond best would be someone with very light skin and dark hair. However, people have all different degrees of skin and hair pigmentation. The trick with laser hair removal is to avoid injuring the surface of the skin where the melanin pigment lives, while effecting the pigmentation in the hair shaft. The problem is, your skin and hair don’t know whether they are supposed to absorb the laser light or not. Therefore, any dark pigmentation will absorb most forms of laser light. Certain lasers are somewhat less ‘noticed’ by epidermal melanin pigment. The laser that is most commonly used on very dark skin would be the Nd:YAG laser. This laser has the longest wavelength of any of the hair removal lasers, and thus is less absorbed by melanin pigmentation over-all. Because is it less absorbed by the melanin pigment in the surface of the skin, it runs less of a risk of injuring the surface of the skin.

It’s important that before any cosmetic procedure you contact your personal physician to discuss whether a particular treatment may be right for you. Make sure you consult your physician first prior to treatment.

About the Author
Eric F. Bernstein, MD, is a distinguished practitioner, researcher and innovator in the fields of dermatology and laser surgery. He received his MD from Yale University. He is the Chairman of the Board for the Laser Hair Removal Journal.

Laser Hair Removal Price Guidelines - Factors Effect Price and Discounts to Ask For

By Quinn McKnight

Laser hair removal prices vary depending on which geographic area are you living in. They also vary according to the amount of body hair and area where the hair is removed. Although a consultation is necessary for the exact laser hair removal price, the following gives you an idea of what to expect.

Flat Fee
Most of the time, laser hair removal prices are based on a flat fee. A flat fee can be given per treatment or per a package of treatments. Below is an average price per treatment according to each region.

* East - $460

* Midwest - $480

* South - $310

* West - $470

Time
Some laser clinics charge per 15 minute segment for laser hair removal. Let's say a clinic charges $100 per 15 minute segment of laser hair removal. If your session takes one hour, your total would be $400. Your payment increases by the amount of hair to be removed. The price is also affected by the speed of the laser technician and laser hair removal machine.

Fee per Pulse
Some clinics base laser hair removal pricing on the number of pulses that it takes for an area. A pulse occurs each time the laser fires. One pulse takes approximately one second and removes about one hundred hairs. You are only charged for actual pulses providing you meet the minimum requirement. As you progress in your series of laser hair removal treatments, your price per treatment may decrease because you have less hair to be removed.

Ask for a Discount


Offer to pay for all treatments up-front in exchange for a discount. Some practitioners offer a 6-treatment package, including 1 free treatment when you pay for 5.

Ask for a discount if you need more than 6 treatments. Some practitioners offer 50% off one treatment if you receive more than 6.

Bring a friend who wants to receive a laser hair removal treatment the same day.

If you are having more than one area worked on, ask for a discount. Sometimes you can receive a 10% reduction for each additional area. Clarify the price to ensure the quote is for both arms, underarms or legs or just one.

Factors Affecting Cost

The cost of laser hair removal treatments depend on a variety of factors including:

Geography
Kind of laser
Amount of hair
Time spent
Body part
Payment package

Due to these variables, it is impossible to predict the exact cost. Many reputable clinics avoid giving guarantees for this reason.

Remember, price isn't the only factor to consider. Quality of service is important. Referrals are the best way to chose a practitioner. If you do not know much about the practitioner, schedule a consultation. Some offer free consultations with hopes that you will return.

Click here to learn about laser hair removal price guidelines and the discounts you can ask for.

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5 Laser Hair Removal Myths

By Danielle Moran

Laser hair removal is quickly becoming the hair removal method of choice for many Americans. In a world where people are constantly looking for ways to add time to their days, more and more men and women are turning to laser hair removal to avoid the hassle of shaving, plucking, waxing and depilatory creams. In fact, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, laser hair removal is ranked third of the top five non-surgical cosmetic procedures performed in 2006. With so many people choosing this method to remove unwanted hair, and more considering it every day, it is time to look at what is fact and what is myth regarding laser hair removal.

Laser Hair Removal Myth 1: It is very painful.

In fact, laser hair removal is not very painful at all, with many patients describing the sensation as a slight tingling or stinging sensation. While some fear the pain of laser hair removal, most who have experienced the three main commercial methods of hair removal describe waxing and electrolysis as much more painful.

Laser Hair Removal Myth 2: If you have dark skin, it won't work.

With recent advances in the science of laser hair removal, equipment has been developed that can remove hair from even the darkest of skin. It is always advisable however, to check with the person who will be performing your laser hair removal to be sure that they are using the most up-to-date equipment available.

Laser Hair Removal Myth 3: It will take years of treatments to rid you of your unwanted hair.

In reality, it only takes 4-5 treatments to rid you of 90 - 95% of your unwanted hair. Usually patients are advised to repeat their treatments every 6-8 weeks. So theoretically, you could be finished with your treatments in as little as 24 weeks.

Laser Hair Removal Myth 4: It's extremely expensive.

Although laser hair removal does cost more per visit than other hair removal methods, it requires fewer visits to attain the same results. For example, waxing your legs may only cost you $40 per visit, but if you wish to remain hair free you will have to repeat this procedure every 6 weeks, for the rest of your life, or at least for as long as you wish to remain hair free. Laser hair removal, on the other hand, can remove hair permanently in 4-5 visits, so in the long-run, for most customers, it will be the cheapest way to achieve the desired result.

Laser Hair Removal Myth 5: It is not safe.

Laser hair removal uses lasers that are attracted to the pigment in hair. This means that the laser targets only the hair follicle and shaft and leaves the skin and surrounding tissue unharmed. Laser hair removal has been used safely on millions of people throughout the world, and studies have shown that there are no long-term adverse affects of the procedure.

Laser hair removal has proven to be a cost-effective, fast and virtually pain free method of permanent hair removal. By dispelling some of the myths surrounding the procedure, more people can come to realize that the benefits far outweigh the risks of laser hair removal.

About the author
Danielle Moran is part owner of Sutera Medical Spa in Miami, Florida. Please visit our website for more information on various cosmetic treatments at http://www.suteraskin.com/miami-medical-spa/laser-hair-removal.htm and while you are there, don't forget to sign-up for our free newsletter that provides tips on skin care and overall beauty.