Buying a Laser: What We Tell Our Graduates
Once you are certified, the next question is almost always about equipment. Three versions of it come up over and over, so here are our honest answers.
Do you sell lasers?
No. We are not dealers or brokers, and we take no commission on any laser sold to a graduate.
Manufacturers have asked us to do this many times. We always say no, because it would be a conflict of interest. If we were being paid to promote one device over another, how could you trust anything we taught you about which device to buy?
For the same reason, we do not let a manufacturer's rep teach our class. That would be like having a car salesman teach you to drive.
There is a detail most people never hear: manufacturer sales reps are generally not permitted by their employers to fire a laser at all. They cannot perform treatments on clients. If someone has never performed the treatment, they cannot teach you to perform it.
Every one of our instructors is an employee of the college who performs these treatments daily.
What is the best laser to buy?
The honest first answer is: the one that never breaks. Which is about as useful as saying the best car is the one that never breaks down.
So here is the realistic answer. The best laser to buy is the one that actually does what the manufacturer claims it does.
That sounds obvious. It is much harder to verify than you would expect. Manufacturers make sweeping claims about technology being newer, faster or better, and most of it cannot be substantiated by anyone outside the company.
There are solid manufacturers building devices that perform exactly as described. Finding them means being able to evaluate the claim rather than the brochure.
This is a large part of why we teach laser physics properly on the Certified Laser Specialist course. When you understand wavelength, pulse duration and how energy interacts with tissue, you will frequently know more about the device than the person selling it. That is what protects you when you are spending real money.
Can I rent a laser?
Not really. You can lease one, and leasing a laser works much like leasing a car.
You cannot hand it back whenever you like
You are responsible for repairs when it breaks
You have to qualify, so you need good credit and you need to keep it good
Leasing is a legitimate route into equipment when the numbers work. It is a commitment, not a trial.
The part that matters most
Buying equipment is a business decision before it is a clinical one. Our course covers the basics of running a laser business and the arithmetic behind whether a device will pay for itself.
A laser you cannot keep busy is an expensive object. A slightly less exciting laser that runs all week is a business.
Want to talk it through?
If you are weighing up equipment and want an unbiased opinion, ask us. We have no financial interest in what you buy, which is exactly what makes the conversation worth having.