How can I find a good laser doctor?
Answers (5)
ASLMS is a good resource
The best referral sources are your general doctor and friends who have had treatment. Even if your doctor doesn't know the answer, he or she might do some investigating for you. You can also contact the American Society For Laser Medicine & Surgery, Inc (see reference link).
Do your homework to find a good laser doctor
- Research the available laser procedures. Find out which you want, then look to see who in your area performs them. Check with the laser company website to see if your physician has an authorized unit. If they aren't listed, call the company to see if they made a mistake. It could be that they haven't updated their website since it was purchased.
- Question the physician about the procedures they offer and other procedures that are similar. They should be able to explain why they chose their laser and how it compares to the competition.
- Find out how many laser procedures your provider has performed. If they don't do this full-time, you may want to look around.
- Make sure they have their OWN before and after photos. Be certain you don't just see stock images from the laser manufacturer.
- Ask for references. They should be able to provide you with a list of clients willing to talk about their experiences.
- Find out how many of the laser procedures are performed on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. If it doesn't seem like many, there could be a good reason! Don't be the only one!
- Do ALL of your homework before the procedure! It's a little late to start checking things out after the fact.
Network for a good laser doctor
- Ask for a referral from friends.
- Find out from your state medical board if there are complaints against this physician or practice.
- Go for a consultation at several facilities to see which one seems right.
- Ask for before and after pictures. If they don't have them...RUN.
- Find out what kind of laser technology is right for your skin by doing research on the web and find out if the physician has it in their practice.
How to find a good laser hair treatment facility
Look for an established business. Many fly-by-night outfits have come and gone. If the establishment is a quality one, it will last.
They should let you know that this is a commitment on both sides and that it is a multiple treatment process. Some places will try to lure people by offering a low one-time treatment price, when really what is required for effective hair removal is a multiple treatment package. Don’t trade integrity for savings.
They should be upfront in letting you know that one size does not fit all. Response can vary. Lighter hair is more difficult to remove, this is why we offer twice the number of treatments for persons with light colored hair.
Go to a place that is honest about light hair, a place that does not say one size fits all. They must feel confident in the ability to reduce these difficult to treat hairs, and have a technology available which is superior to the earlier light-based only devices.
Since response can vary, it is important to get some type of guarantee. We treat for free beyond the purchased package any hair that may appear or did not respond during their initial package.
Guidelines for finding a good laser doctor
The key to safe surgery in any field of medicine is an informed patient. Take time to research the LASIK center you are considering for surgery.
I suggest the following guidelines to quality care and treatment:
- Find a surgeon by getting referrals from other doctors or from patients who have had laser vision correction
- Don’t be fooled by fancy advertisements about a particular laser center. Choose the doctor, not the laser center. Find out who will actually do the procedure, then ask about that doctor’s qualifications (e.g., board certification, special training)
- Choose a doctor who has done at least 10,000 LASIK surgeries. What a doctor doesn’t know can hurt you
- Ask for information on your doctor’s complication rates during surgery. If your doctor won’t tell you, find another one. For top surgeons, the figure is under 1 in 1,000
- Ask what measures are taken to prevent infection. Look for a center with a sterile operating room. If the surgeon is operating in street clothes or not wearing gloves, go elsewhere. Insist that your eye be thoroughly sterilized with surgical prep solution
- Beware of advertisements pushing “low cost” surgery. Discount surgery is like a discount parachute
- If you feel like you’re getting a hard sell, you probably are. Go elsewhere. You’re not buying a car – this is real surgery
- While you investigate, don’t lose sight of the benefits: for most people a lifetime of bad vision can be cured in 5 minutes. LASIK surgery has improved the eyesight of millions of people around the world




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