There are several at-home hair-removal devices that can create competition for medical spas or can be used to enhance in-spa services. Alan Durkin, M.D., owner of Ocean Drive Plastic Surgery breaks down the latest in at-home treatments and explains how to embrace these devices. “The new frontier for laser hair removal is at-home platforms for use by the clients themselves,” says Durkin. He says the most popular at-home treatment is the No No, which uses heat, not a laser, to remove hair, and the Tria Beauty Hair Removal Laser 4x. This device is FDA-approved and has a built-in sensor that scans skin to ensure that is safe to use on darker skintones, says Durkin.
He sells and informs his clients about the Tria in his practice. He say he isn’t afraid it will take away from his business, because satisfied clients tell their friends about their experience. “If I give away my expertise, and I generate patient satisfaction...I can guarantee you that means I get two or three patients more,” says Durkin. Another way to compete is to target select clients. “With at-home remedies already set for lighter skin pigments, much of that market has stopped going to the spa for hair removal. However, the home systems are not set up for Asian, African-American, and Hispanic clients,” says Durkin. “Target these subsets, and have the expertise to provide them a safe, comfortable hair-removal experience.”