In search of the perfect laser

Alexey Pisarev , development director at AlfaSPA Development, speaker at Asclepion Laser Technologies

According to many statistical studies, the number of laser hair removal sessions reaches 25% of all non-invasive hardware procedures performed in beauty industry enterprises.

In Ukraine, this segment is growing rapidly even during a crisis - laser hair removal is becoming an increasingly popular procedure, so many entrepreneurs decide to start a new business, the basis of which will be this service.

Some beauty salons, having caught the trend of ever-growing demand, are developing as a network business. To successfully develop your own network or franchise area, it is necessary to take into account many factors, but the most important decision that the owner will face will be the choice of equipment.

The effectiveness of the procedure, its cost, the demand and reputation of the laser brand, marketing support, the price of the device, its service life, ease of use, warranty duration, frequency and cost of service - all this will directly affect the financial result of the enterprise.

What awaits the seeker of the ideal laser for hair removal?

Dozens of types of laser devices, hundreds of brands, many distributors with colorful brochures, attractive websites and active managers. Even for an owner with extensive experience in this field, it is not easy to understand new products and bestsellers among devices, not to mention novice entrepreneurs.

A few businessmen compare laser types in detail and directly, taking into account all technical aspects, leaving in the background the attempts of marketers from manufacturing plants to force a decision to be made based on emotions rather than facts.

As in any other area of business, among lasers there are best-selling products that allow you to earn the maximum, and niche solutions whose financial model will be significantly inferior to the first ones.

Based on statistics, more than 85% of online and non-network businesses choose diode lasers for hair removal, and there is a completely understandable explanation for this.

It would be worth mentioning that behind the concept of “diode laser” is a device that emits radiation of different wavelengths using so-called “diodes”. The wavelength in such devices can be from 755 to 1064 nanometers, and the most common values are 810, 940, 755 or 1064.

Maximum resource.

Diode lasers are the absolute champions in terms of pulse life. These devices have no problem running 15, 20, 30 or even 40 million flashes, keeping the cost of the procedure at an all-time low. The best representatives of alexandrite technology have a reserve of 7 million pulses, neodymium lasers will work for a couple of million, and IPL photoepilation systems rarely go beyond 0.3 million.

For a business owner, the resource of work will be of decisive importance in the structure of expenses for maintaining the device. The fact remains: only diode platforms can achieve a flash cost of less than 1 kopeck.

No consumables.

A diode laser is not just a device with a minimal flash cost; it also does not require expensive consumables for hair removal. At the same time, some alexandrite installations need to be filled with cryogen, plastic elements that come into contact with the clients’ body must be changed and disinfected, thereby increasing the duration of the technical pause between sessions and the cost of the service.

When a business is operating at full capacity, any temporary downtime or additional costs will significantly affect the financial model, and here experienced hair removal studio owners are adamant - diode technology is worth choosing.

2020 has also contributed to how clients perceive the hair removal process – many are obsessed with sterility. With a diode laser, the specialist will be able to ensure cleanliness and peace of mind for the consumer by simply wrapping the tip in a transparent film before the procedure, which cannot be done with other types of devices.

High speed.

Laser speed is measured in Hertz (Hz), which refers to the number of pulses per second. This characteristic directly affects three important aspects.

1. Procedure time: modern diode devices can easily perform complete leg hair removal in 10-15 minutes, which will bring the investor more profit per unit of time.
2. Painless: When using high speed lasers, the patient can expect minimal or complete painlessness of the procedure, which will increase loyalty - people do not like pain.
3. Safety for the patient: working at high speeds allows for the absence of side effects when working with tanned and dark-skinned clients. Working in the summer, before and after tanning, an excellent effect even on very dark-skinned people will allow you to increase your client base and income.

The best representatives of diode lasers develop speeds of up to 20 Hz, while other types of laser devices are limited to 10 Hz at best, and a number of models “can” operate only at 3 Hz.

Large area of influence.

A large radiation spot is an absolute advantage of diode systems over other devices, which is due to the technical ability to create diodes with a large area. This feature affects key qualities.

1. According to the laws of physics, large spots in the tips allow the laser beam to penetrate the skin to a greater depth, which in turn makes each procedure more effective and allows you to shorten the hair removal course by an average of 2-3 visits.
2. The larger the area of the spot, the fewer passes the specialist will have to make on the patient’s skin area. Fewer passes means less irritation of nerve endings and less pain from the procedure. The world's largest diode laser handpiece makes 2-3 fewer movements compared to the largest alexandrite and neodymium analogues.
3. The tip area directly affects the duration of the procedure on large areas of the body, which allows you to receive a larger number of satisfied visitors. The life of a modern person dictates new rules: the service must be of high quality and fast.

Profitable price.

One of the key characteristics for an investor when choosing new equipment is its price. Based on the primary cost of the laser, all financial models and forecasts for payback periods, depreciation and projected profits are built.

The price of a device often differentiates well the level of a clinic or studio and largely determines its audience. An owner who has paid more than 30,000 euros for equipment often uses it in an above-average enterprise, targeting the appropriate audience.

The quality line runs along the line: “major league” devices / Chinese devices. It’s easy to recognize equipment from the Middle Kingdom by doing a little digging on the Internet and studying the manufacturer’s websites and social networks. Equipment from Europe, the USA, Israel and Korea participates in the “major league”. At the same time, brands worthy of the attention of a true professional can be listed on the fingers of two hands.

If the future owner directly compares three types of lasers: diode, alexandrite and neodymium, then looking at the price list of sellers, it will become clear that the absolute advantage in price belongs to the first option. High-quality European diode lasers cost 80% less than European alexandrite lasers and 160% cheaper than American alexandrite and neodymium devices.

In addition, the cost of spare parts and service will also compare favorably in favor of diode technologies, which have been developing very dynamically over the past 8 years.

Long warranty.

The warranty means the manufacturer’s obligation to repair the fault free of charge on its own, either with the help of the distributor’s service department, or to provide replacement equipment during the repair period.

Owners of network hair removal studios with entire fleets of devices know how important two aspects are: official warranty obligations and a reliable manufacturer + distributor pair. The laser hair removal business does not tolerate downtime and long waits for repairs, since often the day can be filled to capacity with appointment records. Delay even for one day leads to a shortfall of tens of thousands of hryvnias and loss of clients.

Today, the most advanced suppliers of diode lasers provide a free 2-year warranty, which suppliers of other technologies cannot boast of, and by paying a little extra money, the manufacturer’s obligations can be extended to 5 years. This approach brings entrepreneurs to a new level of comfort due to the fact that in the event of malfunctions, which happen without exception with all types of devices, the business will not incur additional costs and, in the end, a project based on diode lasers will be more profitable.

Ease of use.

Entrepreneurs who know how to scale their business understand how important the performance of the device is - it affects the satisfaction of hair removal specialists, affects the requirements for the premises and directly affects the customer experience.

Continuous procedures.

The laser must bring profit to the owner 24/7/365 and be able to work without pauses between procedures. Peak times filled with visitors imply a load of 3-4 clients per hour, which in turn generates maximum profit per unit of time. Diode devices are true masters of efficient use in continuous mode; they easily give a head start to others in terms of performance.

Use at high temperatures.

In Ukraine, summers can be hot, which affects the temperature in the rooms where procedures take place. And if most of the time the air conditioner corrects this situation, then if it fails, the diode laser will easily tolerate high temperatures up to 27 ° C, at a time when other types of devices will most likely refuse to function due to overheating.

Resistance to transportation.

When organizing a network business, situations sometimes arise when it is necessary to temporarily move one device from clinic to clinic without involving the distributor’s service department. Diode lasers are easy to move and can easily endure even long journeys between cities in passenger vehicles. This is due to the reliability of the units and the fact that to disassemble such a device it is necessary to disconnect one plug of the handpiece, and to reassemble it simply return it to its place. In addition, modern “diodes” are small in size and weight, and are installed on a branded stand from which they can be removed. “Alexandrites” and “neodymiums” will not boast the same ease of handling and will often require the participation of technicians and special transportation conditions.

So, looking back at the above, to summarize: the trend towards the dominance of diode lasers in the market for hair removal services will continue, which is confirmed by the stunning success in Ukraine and the world among top-level studios and network clients.

A description of the effectiveness of procedures using diode lasers is intentionally omitted from this article, since more than 20 years of practice of using them on all continents in hundreds of thousands of hair removal salons leaves no doubt that these devices can do their job 100%.

First published: PRO Cosmetology by Cosmetologist No. 5-6, 2020