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Lacamas Life Magazine
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"Lori
on Lasers"
Lori Keller is the senior laser technican and an owner of Vancouver Laser Skin Care Clinic in Fisher’s Landing. She has over ten years experience operating cosmetic lasers and has performed thousands of treatments. The laser she uses is a sophisticated, cutting edge high tech unit capable of a wide variety of treatments including skin tightening, rosacea , face/leg veins and sun/age spot removal.
Question #1: How important is operator experience when deciding which cosmetic laser services provider to patronize?
Answer #1: Key question to ask is how much actual experience doing the specific procedure you are interested in does the provider have. Another key point to check on is if this experience involves the laser they currently use. A good rule of thumb is to expect at least 3 years direct hands on experience as a minimum for an operator with a minimum of a year experience on the laser they actually use. Having a medical doctor associated with a provider is not an infallible indicator of experience and satisfactory treatment as many doctors offering laser services deligate such treatments to members of their staff who have varying levels of actual experience. Find out the experience level of the treatment provider you will actually see before you sign up.
Question #2: Are all cosmetic lasers the same?
Answer #2: No they are definitely not! It is possible to spend as little as $10,000 or less on a cosmetic laser that can, so the manufactures say, perform certain cosmetic laser treatments and are simple enough for almost anyone to operate with a few hours of “training”. It is also possible to spend well over two hundred thousand dollars to acquire a sophisticated unit capable of effectively and efficiently performing a wide variety of treatments and require the operator to have years of training and experience to operate successfully. What to look for? Look for providers that focus on cosmetic laser treatments and not those that offer laser treatments in addition to many other services. Ask if the provider has mutual patient referral arrangements with plastic surgeons and dermatologists: these professionals don’t allow themselves to be associated with providers who use low cost/or outdated equipment. Go and talk to a provider you are interested in and ask questions about provider experience, laser services offered and age of the laser: experienced and dedicated providers are quite happy to discuss what they do. If they are too busy to see you, keep looking until you find a provider willing to take the time to talk to you.
Question #3: why are laser procedures expensive?
Answer #3: Cost is relative. The provider who charges what seems like a high price may have very costly high technology equipment and a highly trained and experienced staff to pay. Remember, not all cosmetic laser treatment providers are able to render the same high quality results. If you see a provider offering treatments priced well below what other providers are charging, this could be a cautionary sign that there is trouble behind the scenes.
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