Laser Hair Removal Cost Factors

There are a number of factors that make it difficult to estimate what the laser facial hair removal cost would be for an individual without a more detailed inspection of their particular situation. Some general determinants of cost boils down to the amount of time and effort required of the trained medical professional performing the procedure. Also, the way a clinic charges their patients will have an effect on the final price because of the nature of the procedure which requires multiple treatment sessions and touch ups. These repeat sessions over time add up and affect the final cost of laser hair removal.

The area of the body to be treated by laser hair removal will be a big factor in how it all eventually ends up costing. A larger area will cost more and that explains why treatment for men generally cost more than women because of the greater surface area as men tend to be larger in size than women. Size is not the only factor, however. The area of the body can also be harder to reach or require more effort of the doctor performing the procedure. That too is why some regions of the body will cost more than others of roughly the same size.

Another factor is the amount of hair to be removed and the thickness of the hair follicles. Tougher hairs are better at withstanding the laser and might require more pulses before the roots are destroyed to the point that it won't grow again. Also, thicker hair growth requires more work and therefore will also influence the cost. Growth pattern is another factor but it depends on the technique and style of the person performing the hair removal treatment whether or not it affects their effectiveness.

Since more hair means more repeat sessions are required to completely remove as much hair as possible, each treatment sessions will be billed as part of the final cost. This doesn't factor in the touch up sessions a couple years down the line if the patient chooses. Most sessions will last up to 45 minutes but the breakdown of sessions really depends on a case by case basis.

A clinic will use one of three most common pricing methods that charge their patients and knowing how the clinic prices their services can help the individual decide what is most cost effective based on their desired outcome. A flat fee pricing method is advantageous to someone who has an area of the body with a lot of hair to be removed while someone looking for a small touch up would like the per pulse method of pricing.

If the clinic charges a flat fee per area then regardless of how big the individual is or the amount of hair contained in that area, the cost is the same for anyone who wishes treatment in that area. This pricing method can be based on single treatments or on a series of treatments.

Other clinics will charge on time and for patients this can end up costing more than other clinics, or it can cost less than other clinics. Usually charged in increments of 15 minutes, slower service will mean that the procedure could easily end up being more expensive. It depends on the speed of the laser hair removal machine or the working speed of the person operating the machine.

The last pricing method to determine the laser hair removal cost of treatment is by charging per pulse. In this way, a clinic will begin by charging a minimum number of pulses. Once that block of pulses is used up they will charge something like a dollar per pulse. A pulse is a single firing of the laser which can reach about one hundred hair follicles per. In this method, the cost will be determined based on how many hairs are to be removed by the laser. Many patients like the affordability of the touch up sessions when there are very few hairs left in the area to be treated.

Another factor that goes without being discussed in most consultation sessions is that the price also depends largely on the geographical region where the clinic is located. The cosmetic surgery market plays a huge role in how much the trained medical professional who will perform the procedure can charge for his services and how much the clinic will charge to try and cover their own cost of operation. Major metropolitan areas, especially Los Angeles and New York, will almost always have a high demand for the procedure and the top priced doctors love to set up shop in these high demand plastic surgery markets.

Laser hair removal is touted as an almost permanent hair removal solution that is generally low risk. The only organs vulnerable to the laser are the eyes which must be protected during laser facial hair removal. The cost of laser hair removal really would depend on what the patient’s goals and expectations are from the procedure.