If you were going to invest in lasers/devices for an aesthetic center, which would you purchase? Which would you stay away from?

Start looking at RealSelf. It's a great resource for patients and physicians as well.

Theda, you should look into Sciton lasers which allow you to add the modules for the modalities that you plan to offer and expand as needed. Also BTL has radio frequency devices such as Exilis and Protege for body contouring and skin tightening which are very effective. Be sure to evaluate all costs involved in owning equipment which include cost for disposables, does the company charge for using so many pulses etc.

Thank you, P Perez--how much pain is involved with the use of the RF devices?

With Exilis, there is no pain. The patient is heated to therapeutic temperatures and adjustments can easily be made to keep the patient comfortable while maintaining therapeutic temperatures.

What applications are you looking to add? There are many choices per application and there are many manufacturers to choose from. My experience has been that buying all applications from one company is not always the best thing to do.

Prior to buying any specific name brand you should probably figure out what you want to treat, i.e. wrinkles, acne, sunspots, vascular, etc. Once you have that in mind finding the technology is pretty easy. Remember though, like real estate you make your money when you purchase and be very careful on buying brand new technology as it can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Cashflow in any business is key and you can literally put your practice at risk by buying the wrong kind of equipment.

I would take a good look at the most prevalent skin types among your clientele. Your needs will be different if you're treating mostly types 1&2 versus 5&6.

Another important factor is looking into the pros and cons of buying vs leasing. Laser technology is constantly evolving and it's best to upgrade every 2-3 years. Purchasing a laser will equal the equivalent of a mortgage on a nice home. You don't want to be stuck in 10 years with same old technology and still paying on it. Food for thought.

but leasing on lasers are not the same as leasing cars.
there will be some residual values at the end of the lease on cars.
there is absolutely zero value at the end of the terms of lease.

the leasing is actually the same as financing the laser.
either you lease or finance, you still pay the same.
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