"Laser Hair Removal's Risks" by Roni Caryn Rabin in The New York Times, January 6, 2014

Laser hair removal procedures have become extremely popular in recent years. According to the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery, nearly half a million laser hair removal procedures were performed at professional facilities in the United States in 2011.

However, an unknown number of procedures are performed each year by non-specialists who have minimal training and often have not even received medical training.

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American practice of using laser for hair removal

If performed improperly, these procedures can cause disfiguring injuries and severe burns in sensitive areas such as the bikini line and mustache area above the lips, and in some cases, be fatal.

Laser treatment may be unsafe

"It was terrible" said a woman from Brooklyn, who wished to remain anonymous to protect her privacy: “I no longer look like a normal person.”

However, laser hair removal was the most frequently performed procedure mentioned in litigation statistics, along with “photorejuvenation” of aging skin and getting rid of wrinkles.

“Not a week goes by that I don’t see complications after laser therapy.” says Dr. Tina Alster, founding director of the Washington Dermatologic Laser Surgery Institute.

She and other doctors worry about the proliferation of pseudo-medical facilities, especially at hotels and spas that offer laser treatments and other cosmetic treatments but may not have licensed medical personnel on staff.

“There is a public perception that anyone can perform this procedure.”- Dr. Alster said: “But people need to remember that it’s not the laser that does all the work, it’s the laser operator.”

In the case of the Brooklyn woman quoted at the beginning of the article, the laser operator, who does not have a medical background, scheduled her legs to be re-haired in 4 weeks instead of the 10-12 weeks recommended for this procedure by the protocol. Her lawyer, Harry Rotenberg, announced this in court.

Licensing, training and important issues

“Licensing and training for laser operators varies from state to state, leading to a patchwork of rules and regulations.” said Dr. Matthew M. Avram, director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Dermatology Laser and Cosmetic Center.

Laser treatment is recognized as a medical practice in about 35 states, but non-medical personnel offering the treatment are required to have on-site supervision in only 26 of them.

The states of New York, Virginia and Georgia do not consider laser hair removal a medical service, and 11 states do not even have laws regulating it.

“This is some kind of medical Wild West.”- said Dr. Avram: “Some states pass laws and protect patients, but many do not. A person enters a spa, sees someone in a white coat and may assume that he is a doctor.”

Dr. Avram said that even in premises that actually belong to a doctor, procedures can take place without his presence.

And states requiring medical regulation may not require training and licensing of operators of such equipment. Training is often limited to only the technical aspects of performing the procedure and is provided by the manufacturer selling it.

The operator assesses the type and condition of the skin and plans the timing of treatment. All these critical parameters are under his responsibility and competence. Among those at greatest risk of complications are those with dark pigmentation.

“A laser operator who does not have the appropriate medical training may treat sun spots and not even realize that he is actually dealing with skin cancer that was not present before the treatment.”- said Dr. Avram.

International Spa Association President Allan Share agreed that there is very little oversight of spas and spas, and he urged consumers to do their research before seeking treatment from a particular clinic.

“It is always important for the consumer to do due diligence.”- he reminded.

Important questions before the procedure

For those planning laser hair removal, the following factors need to be considered:

License and experience

Ask if the facility has a medical license and if a doctor will be present during procedures. Ask to read your medical history carefully. Find out what happens if treatment goes wrong.

Staff

Find out who will perform this procedure. What diploma and training does the operator have? How many times has the operator performed laser hair removal before this point? Has he/she performed treatments on the area you want to epilate?

Your features

Ask if laser hair removal is suitable for your skin type, hair color, complexion and body area. Invite your specialist to try on a small area of ​​skin before you undergo the main procedure.

Clients with medical conditions such as diabetes, difficulty healing wounds, or a tendency toward keloid scars may be especially susceptible to complications and should speak with a physician before beginning laser therapy.

If you experience pain or skin discoloration after your procedure, don't wait—call your doctor right away.

Consequences of laser hair removal

Laser hair removal is a skin treatment for hair removal that was approved by the FDA in 1997.

Since then, many improvements have been made to make it more effective to use and eliminate possible side effects and complications. However, it has not been possible to completely get rid of the risks of possible consequences until today.

Laser hair removal method has side effects because it uses rays of concentrated light.

Complications can be temporary or permanent. Pain, burns and blisters, redness and swelling in the treated area are temporary side effects of laser hair removal. Persistent side effects include skin discoloration, scarring, crusting, purpura (purple skin color), bruising, and pigmentation problems.

As with any medical treatment, it is important to assess the risk of side effects before starting the procedure.

Redness and irritation of the skin

This is the most common side effect. As a rule, it occurs soon after the end of therapy. Causes discomfort and moderate pain.

Hypopigmentation and hyperpigmentation of the skin

After laser hair removal, some people may experience discoloration of the pigment (hypopigmentation) that is responsible for skin tone. In other cases, darkening or hyperpigmentation of the skin is observed, which is localized in the form of dark spots on the treated area.

They usually disappear within 3 months, although they may persist for 6 to 8 months. Hypopigmentation typically lasts up to 2 months after laser therapy. In some cases, hypopigmentation may be permanent, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Burns, blisters

Laser hair removal may cause burns and blisters on the skin. A freezing spray or gel or contact cold tip is often used to protect the dermis. Thanks to these measures, the skin is protected from excessive thermal effects.

Scarring

Laser hair removal may leave scars. Although this risk is small, it remains a clinically proven possibility.

Crust formation

Approximately 10% of patients who undergo laser hair removal with alexandrite and long-pulse ruby ​​lasers experience crusting. The main cause of this process is usually due to excessive laser exposure to the area.

Eye safety during the procedure

Wearing safety glasses is mandatory for both clients and laser operators to prevent eye damage. Sometimes this requirement is ignored, which can lead to retinal burns.

This is a common side effect of laser hair removal. Swelling after laser exposure is usually mild. To minimize further skin irritation, sun exposure should be avoided.

Infection

This is a rare but possible side effect. It is usually observed in cases where the integrity of the skin is damaged.

Darkening of tattoos

Laser beams attack the iron oxide of tattoos and cosmetics, resulting in the formation of a black, insoluble pigment in the skin. To avoid this, it is necessary to wash off all makeup before the procedure, and also carefully avoid tattoos.

Hair restoration

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, most patients will require 2 to 6 treatments, performed 4 to 6 weeks apart, to achieve best results. The result may last for many years, but subsequently scattered hair growth occurs.

Re-sprouting is usually lighter and thinner than the original cover. Therefore, laser hair removal, according to the FDA, is not a method of permanent hair removal, but only of significant hair reduction.

Laser hair removal is one of the popular types of hair removal, but it is expensive and also carries the possibility of side effects, including those associated with significant health risks, especially if the procedure is performed by a non-professional without medical training.

Considering all the risks and possible consequences of the laser technique, we decided to abandon laser hair removal in our centers in favor of.

Sign up for a free consultation at our center and receive a 5% discount on your first procedure.

Some unscrupulous colleagues are trying to actively push the thesis that a license is not needed to provide hair removal services. They motivate this in a very strange way: if the device is registered as a medical product, then it is a medical service. And if not, the device is “household”, then the service has ceased to be medical.
My friends, this is, to put it mildly, not true.
1. “why was that possible?” We would like to ask the equipment manufacturers who shelled out millions of rubles for testing and waited for many months, or even years, to receive the coveted register. Apparently the managers of these factories are so unreasonable that they didn’t realize - they just need to not register the device as a medical product and that’s it!
Any reasonable person understands that this cannot happen - some lasers for the same procedure must be registered, while others, exactly the same, must not.
2. Lasers belong to hazard class 3-4, because designed for tissue destruction. It is quite obvious that only doctors (or nurses as prescribed by doctors) can use them. Unfortunately, there are no household appliances with such a purpose.
3. Laser hair removal is a medical intervention. If only because even in such “salons” (you can’t call them clinics) they ask for contraindications. But there is a nuance! Only a doctor has the right to collect contraindications. And not only has the right, but in principle can make a qualified conclusion about the possibility of carrying out the procedure. I can’t count how many times our doctors sent patients home due to contraindications. Perhaps this is because neither the doctors nor the clinic need money since they are wasting it so much? In fact, for a doctor, maintaining your health has a higher priority than earning money.

Therefore, friends, take care of your health and go only to licensed medical institutions for such services.

We also do excellent laser hair removal in Samara at the best prices! We have a medical license, powerful lasers and medical staff from the state. education. This ensures excellent quality of laser hair removal, which is confirmed by our results.

Our company has been successfully operating in the Spanish market for more than 10 years. Over the years, we have accumulated significant experience and scientific knowledge in the field of laser hair removal. Therefore, our clients place unlimited trust in us and more and more Spanish women and men choose laser hair removal to combat unwanted hair.

However, when we came to Russia, we encountered a large number of myths and misconceptions regarding laser hair removal. In this post we want to refute the main ones.

Misconception #1: Laser hair removal is not effective.

Unfortunately, false information about the dangers of laser hair removal periodically appears on numerous forums. Since 1997, the Medical Institute of Laser Technology in Madrid has been conducting various studies in this area. Over the entire period of its work, the Institute has not identified a single case in the world that would indicate the harm or adverse effects of laser hair removal.

Of course, like any other medical technology, laser hair removal has its own set of contraindications. These include cancer, acute form of herpes in the hair removal area, pregnancy and lactation.

Of course, the most painless way to remove unwanted hair is shaving. At the same time, it is the most ineffective and not long-term. Therefore, many women, in search of more effective methods, are willing to subject themselves to numerous painful procedures such as waxing or electrolysis.

At first glance at the cost of 1 laser hair removal session, it seems that it is much more expensive than waxing or sugaring. But this is a deceptive impression!

Let's look at an example: average wax hair removal cost zone “Brazilian bikini” in Moscow is 2,500 rubles. In this case, the procedure must be repeated every 3-4 weeks. Those. in a year you will spend 30,000 rubles and the problem of unwanted hair will not go away... You will be forced to spend 30,000 rubles every year for the rest of your life. Significant investment, right?

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Does a sugaring master need a medical education?

In recent years, a wave of panic has swept across the Internet regarding the fact that hair removal was classified as a medical service, according to the order of the Ministry of Health and Social Development “On approval of the Nomenclature of Medical Services No. 1664 N.” In this order, “Carrying out” has code A14.01.013 and is located between “A14.01.011 Removal of sebum” and “A14.07.001 Care of the patient’s oral cavity in intensive care conditions.” The letter “A” includes “medical services, which are certain types of medical interventions aimed at the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, medical rehabilitation and having an independent complete meaning.” It is obvious to any reasonable person that the person providing these services must have a medical education.

This order directly prohibits the activities of the majority of individual entrepreneurs who have completed courses in one of the companies that sell products for medical treatment, but do not have a medical education. There is something to panic about.

And so, by Order of Rosstandart dated October 17, 2013 N 1166-st, changes were made to OKUN (All-Russian Classifier of Services to the Population), namely, the household service “019338 Cosmetic tattooing (art tattoo, permanent makeup), body art, earlobe piercing, cosmetic comprehensive body skin care, hair removal using cosmetics.”

For hundreds of thousands of home-based cosmetologists, this order sounded like a pardon. Can! It is possible to legally provide “hair removal services” without having a medical degree!

And they were wrong. Still, the situation when a lawyer (or a person with a legal education) becomes a cosmetologist is quite rare. See for yourself:

Order of Rosstandart dated October 17, 2013 N 1166 does not prohibit or permit anything, it simply makes changes to OKUN.

OKUN also does not prohibit or permit anything, it is simply a classifier, a directory of types of services.

Order No. 1664n dated December 27, 2011 “On approval of the Nomenclature of Medical Services” has not been canceled,
in its current version (as amended by the “Order” of the Ministry of Health of Russia dated October 28, 2013 N 794n), everything remains “as before.”

Conclusion: nothing has changed, “Epilation” is a medical service that requires a medical education from the person providing it.

But what about the fact that hair removal was included in the list of household services?, you ask. Where does it say that any household services can be provided without appropriate specialized education, licenses and other conditions?
An illustrative example: in order to legally provide the household service “016201 Construction of individual houses”, you need to join an SRO (self-regulatory organization), paying an entrance fee of several hundred thousand rubles and providing information that among your employees there are certified design engineers and builders.

After all, it's just smart. After a week-long course at the Horns and Hooves training center, will a girl be able to correctly identify contraindications to the procedure for each specific client, distinguish a papilloma from a wart, and understand what to do at the first symptoms or painful shock?

* The calculations use average data for Russia

200 000

Starting investments

200 000 - 250 000

90 000 - 150 000

Net profit

4-8 months

Payback period

Hair removal is a popular business niche in the beauty and health sector, the demand for which has increased significantly in recent years. You can open an office that provides depilation services if you have 300 thousand rubles.

Any woman strives to be as beautiful as her financial capabilities allow. Even in Ancient Egypt, a hairless body was considered a sign of youth and perfect beauty. At the same time, the history of hair removal began, a procedure that has become commonplace in the 21st century for most women and some men. Some people prefer to remove hair at home, but only professional hair removal can get rid of hair efficiently and for a long time, so more and more people are turning to hair removal offices and salons.

The demand for a service can be judged by the number of offers. In Russian cities with a population of over a million (except for Moscow and St. Petersburg), on average, more than 450 organizations offer hair removal and depilation services: beauty salons, cosmetology studios, medical clinics, and so on. And this is not counting private masters. In the 15 largest cities of Russia, on average, for every 10 thousand population there are 4 companies providing such services. That is, this is at least one company per 2.5 thousand residents.

Number of companies providing hair removal/depilation services in 15 largest cities in Russia*

	NUMBER OF COMPANIES	NUMBER OF COMPANIES FOR EVERY 10 THOUSAND. POPULATION
Saint Petersburg
Novosibirsk
Ekaterinburg
Nizhny Novgorod
Chelyabinsk
Rostov-on-Don
Krasnoyarsk
Volgograd

*according to 2GIS data as of April 20, 2018

How to register a hair removal and depilation business

To open an hair removal and depilation office, you need to register an LLC. An individual entrepreneur is suitable only if the entrepreneur has a doctor’s diploma and 5 years of work experience in his specialty. The hair removal room must have a medical license. Medical licenses are issued by the Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare and Social Development for a period of five years. The organization submits an application and a package with the following documents:

• Charter, constituent agreement.
• Certificate of state registration of the organization in the Unified State Register of Legal Entities.
• Certificate of registration of the organization with the tax authority.
• Goskomstat codes (93.02. Provision of services by hairdressers and beauty salons).
• Extract from the Unified State Register of Legal Entities.
• A document confirming payment of the license fee for consideration of an application for a license.
• Title documents for non-residential premises: lease agreement, certificate of ownership.
• Floor plan of non-residential premises.
• Explication to the floor plan of non-residential premises.
• Documents confirming ownership of equipment or other grounds for using equipment (for example, inventory cards).
• Certificates of quality of medical equipment.
• Registration certificates for medical equipment (if the equipment was produced and purchased by the organization later than 2000).
• Contract for maintenance of medical equipment.
• Diplomas, certificates, certificates for specialists (senior and (or) paramedical personnel).
• Documents confirming higher medical education in the field of healthcare from the head or deputy head of the licensee organization, documents on additional professional education, as well as certificates of a specialist in the specialty “Healthcare Organization and Public Health”.
• Order on the appointment of a person responsible for medical activities.
• An employment contract, a work record book of an employee appointed responsible for medical activities, confirming the presence of at least 5 years of work experience in the specialty.
• Sanitary and epidemiological conclusion on the compliance of the premises with sanitary standards and rules of medical activities.

Since obtaining a license is a process that requires knowledge of bureaucratic intricacies, many applicants resort to the services of law firms. The cost of these services is about 40 thousand rubles in the regions and about 100 thousand rubles in Moscow.

Many people wonder whether a license is needed for depilation services that do not destroy hair follicles (on the Internet, depilation is often classified as a household service, citing regulatory documents of the Ministry of Labor). The answer is necessary, since depilation is included in medical activities according to the Order of the Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation of December 27, 2011 No. 1664n “On approval of the range of medical services.”

What you need to start a sugaring and waxing business

People come to the hair removal office to become more beautiful, to devote time exclusively to themselves, and let the whole world wait. This procedure is intimate and sometimes painful. In order for the client to relax, feel comfortable and confident, it is recommended to create a favorable atmosphere with the help of a beautiful interior. It makes no sense to rent a large room; the office should be small but cozy.

Standard furniture used for hair removal rooms are cosmetic couches and chairs, costing from 10,000 rubles. A cosmetic table will cost 5,000 rubles. To carry out the procedures, you will need various consumables, for example, disposable sheets, blankets, towels, caps, spatulas, etc. To fully equip a depilation room, including a reception area, waiting area, work accessories, signage, etc., you will need from 190 thousand rubles. If we add to this amount funds to pay for three months of rent, investments in cosmetic repairs and lighting, as well as advertising, then the starting threshold for entering the business will be an amount of 300-350 thousand rubles.

Approximate list of equipment for a hair removal room

NAME		QUANTITY
Reception area
Reception desk
Administrator chair
The waiting area
Coffee table
TV
Depilation room equipment
Cosmetology couch
Table for cosmetic products
Chair for the master
Sterilizer
Shelf-rack
Work accessories and materials
Sugar paste
Sheets
Bandage strips
Employee form
Tools, swabs, napkins, gloves
Additional expenses

In the modern beauty industry, several methods are used to remove unnecessary hair. Sugar depilation (or sugaring) is hair removal using a special paste. This method has no serious contraindications. The effect lasts about 20 days. Sugaring paste costs about 1,000 rubles per kilogram. Before the procedure, talc is used for sugar hair removal (250 rubles per 150 grams) and cleansing lotion (400 rubles per 200 ml); after the procedure, a cream that slows down hair growth is applied to the skin (400 rubles per 200 ml). Epilation of legs up to the knee using sugaring costs 450-1000 rubles, legs along the entire length - 1000-2000, armpits - 300-500 rubles, bikini area - 600-1800 rubles. Caramel and chocolate depilation works similarly to sugar depilation. A large selection of hair removal products is available in professional cosmetics salons and online stores.

Cost of sugaring and waxing services

TYPES OF SUGARING	PRICES FOR SUGARING, RUB.	TYPES OF WAX DEPILATION	PRICES FOR WAX DEPILATION
Sugaring of the upper lip		Waxing, upper lip
Sugaring of the chin		Waxing, chin
Sugaring of armpits		Waxing, armpits
Sugaring of thighs		Waxing, thighs
Shugaring shins		Waxing, shins
Sugaring of legs (completely)		Waxing, full legs
Sugaring of the bikini area (classic)		Waxing, bikini (classic)
Sugaring of the bikini area (deep)		Waxing, bikini (deep)
Full hand sugaring		Waxing, full arms
Sugaring of arms up to the elbow		Waxing, arms up to elbows
Sugaring of buttocks		Waxing, buttocks
Back sugaring		Waxing, back
Belly sugaring		Waxing, belly
Lower back sugaring		Waxing, lower back

Another common method of depilation is waxing, it is sometimes called bioepilation. Wax can be in cartridges (price for salons is 150-160 rubles per 100 ml). To prepare the cartridge for operation, special vertical heaters are used (1,200 rubles). Warm waxes can also be packaged in 400 and 800 ml jars. The cost of a can is from 400 rubles. A heater for cans will cost 2,000 rubles. To remove hair in the bikini area and under the arms, hot waxes are required (price 1000 rubles per kilogram). Film waxes are suitable for any area of ​​the body. The cost of a can is about 1000 rubles for 800 ml. Auxiliary cosmetic products that are used to prepare the skin for depilation, as well as after the procedure, are a preparatory gel, cleansing oil, cleansing lotion, post-depilation serum, post-depilation emulsion. The cost of the product is 400-700 rubles per bottle. The cost of waxing is approximately the same as the cost of sugaring. A training course in waxing and sugaring costs about 10,000 rubles in educational centers and takes several days.

For one depilation room, the actual turnover will be 200-250 thousand rubles. Taking into account wages to employees, fixed and variable costs (rent, advertising, Internet, household expenses, consumables, electricity), net profit can be 90-150 thousand rubles.

What do you need to start a hardware hair removal business?

To get rid of unnecessary hair on the body for a long time or permanently, hardware hair removal is used.

Electrolysis is the destruction of the hair follicle by electric current. Each hair is processed separately. The procedure is long and sometimes painful, and is contraindicated for heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, pregnancy, skin diseases, and cancer. Currently, there are several methods of electrolysis: thermolysis, electrolysis, blend method, flash method.

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The cheapest electric epilator costs 15,000 rubles. The price of expensive models reaches 200,000 rubles. Such devices are able to select programs depending on the thickness and structure of the hair, automatically initiate an electrical impulse when it enters the hair follicle, have a special microchip that allows you to record dozens of different hair removal programs, prevent tissue burns associated with incorrect needle insertion, and have programs for post-epilation patient management. The cost of a minute of electrolysis is 18-25 rubles. Anesthesia is paid additionally (200-300 rubles).

Laser hair removal is the destruction of hair follicles using laser radiation. This method is only suitable for black hair. Contraindicated for pregnant women, diabetics, people with skin diseases and cancer. The price of a laser epilator starts from 200,000 rubles. The cost of hair removal varies depending on parts of the body, for example, forehead hair removal will cost around 800-2000 rubles, and leg hair removal 8-14 thousand rubles. There are also differences in price between men's and women's laser hair removal: the latter is cheaper. Spot laser hair removal is also possible at the request of the customer. One flash is estimated at approximately 100-150 rubles.

Cost of laser hair removal services

WOMEN'S LASER EPILATION		MEN'S LASER EPILATION
		Cheekbones/cheeks
		Whiskers
Upper lip		Chin
Chin		Upper lip
Nose (wings of the nose)
		Full face
Eyebrows, interbrow area
Full face
		Armpits
Full neck
Back/front neck area		Full hands
Hands up to the elbow		Hands up to the elbows
Full hands	4 000 - 6 000