I AM A FAMILY PRACTICE DOCTOR IN SOLO PRACTICE IN MAUI. I HAVE ADDED ANTI-AGING SERVICES TO MY PRACTICE. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD SOME AESTETIC SERVICES SUCH AS LASER REJUVENATION. YOU MAY ALREADY BE USING THIS IN YOUR PRACTICE. I WOULD LIKE TO LEAR FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE. I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR TAKING A FEW MINUTES FOR A FEW BRIEF QUESTIONS:

1. DID YOU PROVIDE AESTHETIC SERVICES FROM THE ONSET OF YOUR LASER PRACTICE OR DID YOU ADD THESE SERVICES TO AN EXISTING PRACTICE, HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZEYOUR ORIGINAL PRACTICE?
2. DID YOU HIRE A MEDICAL SPA OR BUSINESS CONSULTANT TO START OR EXPAND YOUR PRACTICE?
3. IF SO, DID YOU FEEL THAT THAT SERVICE WAS CRUCIAL, A GOOD INVESTMENT OR A WASTE OF RESOURCES?
4. IF YOU FELT THAT THAT SERVICE WAS CRUCIAL OR A GOOD INVESTMENT PLEASE TELL ME WHO YOU HIRED.
5. WHICH LASER OR OTHER SYSTEM DELIVERING LIGHT ENERGY DO YOU OWN?
6. ARE YOU PLEASED WITH THIS/THESE SYSTEM(S)?
7.

Hey. What's up with the all caps? Why are you yelling? Can't we all be friends?

Hello Dr. Chang,

I recently purchase a refurbished IPL from palomar. Medilux system.

I purchase the G, Rs and Y handsets.

It allows me to do the following:

Facial rejuvenation
Pigmented lesions
Facial veins
Matting after sclerotherapy of leg veins
Hair removal

I did a ton of research and for my budges this was the best value on the market.

I think a very important point you made is that you live in Hawaii.

That means darker skin clients and tanned clients.
An IPL will do well on most dark skin clients. I don't believe it does well on african american type VI skin. But it does well on type I--VI and some V.

It DOES NOT do well on tanned skin and can burn.

I live in an area where most of my clients are going to be type I---VI. Therefore an IPL was the best choice.

You may choose a laser like Candela. It can do hair and other treatmets and is fast. However, It is far more expensive than the Palomar IPL. Even refurbished it is more expensive. But, you can find refurbished ones.

There is an article in here about consultants. I suggest you read it.

However, if you don't have any marketing experience or are not currently marketing your anti-aging at all, I would say that an experienced marketing company may be abable to help. I would not spend a ton of money on this at first. But, I would spend a resonable amount to get you started.

MD

Cutera, Candela, Palamor, Lumenis, all good. try used.
lower end intro level:
syneron, aesthera, harmony/orion, etc. even cheaper on the used market . cheapest : rip off IPL's (made in china) most FP and PCP use these.

Hello Dr chang,

I have been a clinical Aesthetician for over 30 yr have worked with all different types of docs in all kinds of medical settings. I have been working with different types of lasers for over 10 yrs and have been certified on many. I was recruted by a dr and his sister 7 yrs ago to help build a new MedSpa in the Seattle area. Im proud to say that after 2yrs the dr was able to expand his practice from a 1000 sqf to a 4000 sqf facility which the building he now owns. Dont fall for expensive marketing companys ideas most of them dont work. We have tried just about everything. First of all are you going to be running the lasers yourself, or do you have a RN or Aesthetician? Your golden key is the staff your team, how they feel about you as a dr and a person because thats what they will convay to the patient. Remember these esthetic services are not covered by insurance so your patients are paying out of their pocket usually cash which makes them different then your regular patients. You are also dealing with vanity which is a whole different ball game then general practice. You should plan some informative events at your practice for people in your local area about laser treatments or such, get to know the local Hairstylist and give them discounts etc...take the office out to lunch frequently and have fun it will get people around you interested in what you do. Try to frequent the same lunch spots often. Oh by the way I think IPL is very dangerous for skin type above III. The Cynosure Eliete would work the best for your patients, it works for all skin types it has the Yag for skin types 4-6 or tanned, and the Alex for 1-3 and is the best laser for perminent hair removal I have ever used. You can also use it for hyperpigment problems (of course dont forget the hydroquinone) also spider vein removal for face, legs whatever, laser facial with the yag setting for rejuvination. Its not cheap but its sturdy and if it goes down Cynosure will overnight you another one while they fix it so you dont have to cancel anyones appt. (no Im not a Cynosure rep) I have just found it to be a dependable co and machine (so many are not). Feel free to contact me if you would like I know it can be very frustrating in the begining of this process. Please forgive any typos or ramblings its very late here. Good Luck!

Dr. Chang:

I think you are in a very good position to add aesthetic services to your practice. But I wouild suggest to start slow with the way the economy is going. Injection services are effective and doesn't take much to start. Buying a laser equipment involves a hefty start up cost and monthly service charges. I would recommend that you start with Botox , Fillers, and sclerotherapy (spider veins). Perhaps buy a simple IPL device to supplement the photorejuvenation.

Hi Dr. Chang..... For your info....As you are in MAUI most of your patients have a TAN or have darker skin tones as a function of their ethnicity.. WATCH OUT. You have to assume ALL your patients have tanned skin or are polynesians, orientals, and many are of MIXED races. The weather is so nice that everybody wears bathing suits most of the time. You have to keep your eyes open to these conditions (many will have no tan lines) when you deal with a device that functions on the basis of color of laser vs color of area to be treated on WHAT RACE OF PATIENT. We mainlanders do not have the same mix that you will be seeing unless they are in California or Florida. Obviously, mainlanders have to consider this too. Colors of skin have more variation that ever before. There is more immigration and since there is more integration and interracial marriages, consequently, there is even more mixes than ever.

PLEASE... just because it is legal for you to buy a laser... IF YOU HAVE NO TRAINING DON'T DO IT UNTIL YOU GET TRAINED (I DO NOT MEAN A WEEKEND SEMINAR). IT IS NOT AS EASY AS... SEE ONE,.. DO ONE....., TEACH ONE.
If you screw up on an island with limited population you could lose your practice.

An esthetician who has practiced for 20 years or 10 weeks still needs adequate hands on training. If you have a problem...and it gets into the local papers..... it will cost you more than a few bucks.

The Massachusetts General Hospital has STOPPED DOING LASER HAIR REMOVAL and returned money to patients as a matter of ETHICS. THE IDEA OF LASER HAIR REMOVAL was researched there by Dr. Rox Anderson and he no longer does it. It is boring and not as gratifying and not as rewarding financially as doing what you were trained for. If you have a WELL TRAINED AND LICENSED "technician" they might bring you in a few bucks but where can they get the training.? There is no legally recognized agency to CERTIFY them and no CERTIFIED school or teachers to teach them. If you get anyone do this in your office YOU ARE LIABLE.. Can you handle that? Get the training and that will get you the information you need to make the decision to go further or NOT.
You will not have a leg to stand on if you can not show you had adequate training.. How long did it take a plastic surgeon to learn? Would you go to a "technician" or plastic surgeon for yourself. If you say Plastic Surgeon that means you know there is a difference. Medical Ethics does not allow for more than one route. The best way is the ONLY WAY.

You heard it here first.

just start slow.
botox, fillers, and perhaps specialized in one of the more popular treatments.
for pigments, you have many technology to go with.
for veins, you can go with long pulse.
why not just offer botox , filler and acne treatments using isolaz for now?
Isolaz is very good for acne clearance.
why not starts with injectables and acne treatments using isolaz coupled with topical medication. These sure will help you to establish yourself in your area.
once you get more comfortable with isolaz, then starts exploring other areas such as tattoo removals, pigments, etc.

you need not to do so many things at once.
patients will always remember what you are famous or capable of.
if you take good care of your customers, I m sure they will refer you more business.

look after your clients, specialized in what you do, balance your check book, learn as you go along.

good luck.