While doctors, estheticians, and spa operators know the vast benefits of medical lasers, to the average spa-goer the thought of a laser can be quite intimidating. It's important to remind hesitant clients that medical lasers can be used to resolve a range of skin matters and are widely used, in part, because of the universal results they produce.
“Everyone is a candidate for some type of laser treatment,” says Suneel Chilukuri, M.D., cosmetic dermatologist and founder of Refresh Dermatology (Houston). Chilukuri raises a good point regarding medical spas that don't offer laser treatment as well. There are myriad reasons a spa might not want to invest in a laser, but with the vast number of treatments lasers can perform, lack of proper clientele should not be one of them. In fact, Chilukuri feels little hesitation when it comes to incorporating the latest in laser treatments at his office.
“I am constantly testing new lasers to see if they work better than the equipment I currently have. If there is a more effective laser, I will purchase it to allow me to provide the highest quality care for our clients,” Chilukuri says.
Luigi L. Polla, founder of Forever Institut & Alchimie Forever (Geneva), feels there are two good times med spas should be purchasing lasers. “There are two good times to invest in a new laser," Polla says. "The first is when you know you have clientele who want and can afford the treatment that this new laser offers. The second is when you have the money and influence to be the first to have a new laser.”
Once you've got a laser in your spa, you open your practice up to a number of new clients to treat. We spoke to the experts, and here are some of the most common issues that lasers can address:
- Reducing redness of the skin
- Treating cellulite
- Treating vascular irregularities, such as rosacea and visible vessels
- Treating pigmented lesions, including age spots and uneven skin tone
- Removing tattoos and permanent makeup
- Reducing fine lines and wrinkles
- Removing hair and stimulating growth
- Treating toenail fungus
- Lessening scars, including acne scars
- Tightening loose skin
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