People considering having laser hair removal have to consider its cost. After all laser hair removal is by no means a cheap procedure and to make things even more difficult there is a great deal of variation in prices between different clinics within London. So in order to understand whether the price you are paying is reasonable for the service you are going to receive, you have to consider various different factors all of which impact the price of the treatment.
Not all lasers are the same. In fact there are many different lasers on the market, so it is vital that you know the name and type of laser that your clinic intends to use. The laser used by the clinic is perhaps the single most important determinant of price.
Many clinics promote their laser hair removal service yet many of them actually use something called ‘IPL’ which stands for Intense Pulsed Light. This is old technology that is significantly inferior to laser for the purpose of hair removal. As a result individuals having IPL often require 8 to 12 treatment sessions to achieve a reasonable result, and in some cases it may be even more than this. In addition IPL has often a higher chance of burning the skin, and it is also unsuitable for darker skin types.
However the main reason that clinics still use IPL is that the machines themselves are significantly cheaper than laser, costing on average 50 to 75% less than laser. Consequently clinics using IPL can offer significant discounts on single treatments for any given area when compared with clinics using laser. However if you take into consideration that you may need as many as 2 times the number of sessions using IPL to achieve the same result as laser, then IPL often works out more expensive.
If the clinic does use an actual laser and not an IPL for hair removal, then it is worth considering what type of laser it is. Again, there are many different lasers available but they can broadly be categorised into two groups ‘The Soprano XL’ or ‘Not a Soprano XL’.
The Soprano XL laser revolutionised the hair removal industry as it was the first machine to offer highly effective laser hair removal PAINLESSLY. Prior to this the launch of the Soprano XL, all treatments carried out on laser and IPL machines were extremely painful, especially in sensitive areas like the bikini line or underarms. This is no longer the case. In addition the Soprano XL has one of the best safety profiles amongst all lasers, and it is one of the only lasers that can effectively and safely treat all skin types’ even Afro-Caribbean skin. The Soprano XL laser is markedly more expensive than all other lasers on the market, and as such clinics that use it have to charge a higher fee than other clinics using a cheaper laser.
Onyx uses only the Soprano XL Blue for all laser hair removal. This is the upgraded version of the standard Soprano XL offering the same PAINLESS experience but with more effective results, shorter treatment times, and with an even better safety profile. Onyx was one of the first clinics in the UK to use the Soprano XL Blue, and its laser technicians are one of the most experienced operators of this laser within the country.
Although the laser is a crucial element in understanding how effectively and safely the laser hair removal treatment can be carried out, the quality of the staff carrying out the treatment is also equally as important, and has a significant bearing on the cost of treatment.
Many clinics offer laser hair removal as an additional service to their other beauty services, and as such their laser operators are usually beauticians or hairdressers that often have only a basic level of training on the use of laser for carrying out hair removal treatments. Furthermore, as these clinics only carry out laser hair removal as a side service they only carry out a small number of treatments each week meaning that their laser operators gain minimal experience in carrying out laser hair removal treatments. As such these clinics can charge lower fees for their services as they use lower paid staff and have made less investment in staff training.
Another vital element of laser hair removal is the initial consultation in which a detailed medical history must be taken to ensure that the treatment can be carried out safely and effectively. The vast majority of clinics simply have their laser operators carry out and evaluate the clients’ medical history to assess whether they can have laser hair removal treatments. However, laser operators are rarely medically trained and are therefore not qualified nor sufficiently knowledgeable about the complex associations of illness and medication on the skin, and how this alters the skins interaction with laser energy. Medical professionals such as doctors are extremely expensive to hire, and therefore very few clinics have such highly trained staff available to carry out initial medical assessments on clients wanting laser hair removal treatments. Clinics that do offer the added safety and security of having a medical professional oversee the initial assessment have to reflect the cost of this superior service within their price, and therefore do charge a higher amount than clinics offering a lesser surface.
At Onyx all medical histories are assessed by UK trained medical professionals who individually assess the clients’ suitability for having laser hair removal treatments. If necessary the medical professional will make recommendations and if necessary personally oversee treatments if deemed necessary. Safety is the cornerstone upon which Onyx has built its reputation and as such will not compromise this at any cost.
As with most services the location in which the service is carried out has a direct bearing on the cost. The quality of the establishment, and interior design and decor, availability of services such as free car parking etc all have an impact on pricing.
Onyx is located just behind the Hoover building off the A40. It has its own dedicated complimentary parking for all clients immediately in front of the clinic. The clinic itself was designed by a leading British architect and offers a spacious reception area and highly relaxing, comfortable and friendly environment.
