We’ve written other posts about the different types of lasers, Diode, Alexandrite, Yag, IPL, etc. This is a little different, this is about new vs used lasers. Hair removal lasers aren’t cheap, they are over $100,000 new – That is a lot of money. But you can buy the same laser, which is a few years old, on the used laser market for a fraction of the price of a new laser. But like the old saying, you get what you pay for.
Some laser hair removal clinics will buy used lasers to save many thousands of dollars, which makes good business sense, but what about for you, the patient?
New lasers purchased from the manufacture are calibrated and tested by the manufacture to be safe and effective – their reputation is on the line, they don’t want to burn or injure patients. They will send out a technician to install the laser and thoroughly check it out. Shipping a delicate piece of equipment across the country, or around the world puts a lot of stress on the precision optics.
Used lasers though can be purchased on eBay. The companies who buy and sell used lasers are only interested in buying lasers as cheap as they can and selling them to make the biggest profit. They don’t overhaul the lasers or reccaliberate them, they just make sure they work, and sell them. It is the buyers responsibility to make sure the lasers are safe. It may travel half way around the world getting banged, bumped, and dropped along the way. Most buyers though won’t spend the money, as long as it appears to work, they just plug it in and go to work – on You! You run a much greater risk of burning and skin damage being treated by lasers purchased on the used market.
It is natural for the consumer to not even think about the laser they are being treated with, but when you walk into a new place, ask how old their lasers are and ask if they purchased them new. If a salon just opened and they say their lasers are 3 years old, then you know they are used. Don’t be impressed by the beautiful surroundings, the plush furniture, and the rich floor covering – they only thing you should be looking at is the laser and the person who will be operating it.
Come visit us at Bella Pelle Laser. We have Candela and Syneron lasers which were purchased new and have been in place since the manufacture installed them and they have been meticulously maintained and calibrated.
We are located in Broomfield and serve the metro Denver Boulder area. So if you are in Superior, Thornton, Northglenn, or Westminster, we are just minutes away.