Okay, first let me state, i'm not an employee of ALC and never have been. I have however, been using, instructing and treating patients with lasers and broadbands for many many years. I've read the pros and cons that have been written here and i can see and understand both sides.
I hate that people have been burned, it happens for a lot of reasons and not just because of lack of training. I have seen many of them in my office and can usually help them. Some reasons are patient's expectations were not adequately met upfront, the need for instant gratification, when asked questions of when the last time you were in the sun, people equate that to actually lying out in the sun when it also means gardening, talking with a neighbor in the yard, shopping etc for any length of time, meds or vitamins that make you photosensitive, using that new lotion with a tanning agent included... and yes lack of training or experience.
The rule of thumb in the cosmetic industry is "no refunds" for procedures, perceived complications from procedures and results are not guaranteed (call your local surgeon, you'll see). however, most companies will work with you to your satisfaction and each case should be treated with that in mind. I personally do not want an unhappy camper out there bad mouthing me, but at the same time, i know i've explained to you how your hair grows in three stages (go back to basic biology) and you can't get all stages with one treatment, and the darker your skin is, the more treatments it will take so that i do not injure your skin and we've talked for some time and you clearly read and signed my forms...and now you've had one treatment and your hair is not gone and you're freaking out! or there is some blistering (not always common but can happen) what would you do? here's what i do, smile and remind you of the three stages of growth, and skin type and to hang in there. i also take pictures, it's human nature to go a long time without seeing hair, and then you get a few to return (mostly working their way out of the follicle) and you think it's all returned because you're use to looking at a smooth surface for quite some time. i pull out the pictures and we laugh at how much you use to have. i promise, the hair does go away. Is it permanent, no, it's 80-90% reduction and if some hair comes back, it will not come back as coarse or dark as it was. It will be very fine and wispy. I also see quite a few of electrolysis patients and they are allowed to state that it is permanent.
I strongly feel that if you have signed up or won something ( a strategy every market driven business in the world uses, i.e. gift with purchase, women's expo's etc) don't panic. Ask questions, tell them you've read this board and how do they respond to that, hey get it in writing with their personal signature, ask to speak with other clients, ask your friends or physician where to go or what experience they had. not all ALC's are bad.
The four ALC's i've stopped by to "informally inspect" and check out these complaints have been totally compliant with state regs, they DO use a real laser, (i've never heard of a false laser unless you're referring to a broadband which is still a class 2 light device and better on darker skin types. now having said that, they were all independently owned. That could make a difference.
please don't think that all laser techs/offices are the same. ask how long the tech has been using that particular machine, what training have they had, where is their certification, etc. remember, it's your body and money. and if you are offered the chance to do it at your local hair salon or nail tech place...run! that's where most mistakes are made. and the pictures you see of all these burned people on tv after a laser tx, most of those pictures are 4-6 years old.
as for the new management, i haven't checked that out and Allen, i hope to heaven that you are sincere in your offers to work with these people. you have your job cut out for you, but it is do-able and should not have been allowed to develop this far. it can't possibly be good for you (or them) and just as important, all the ALC's out there that are honest and working with clients and getting great results and now getting the backlash from all of this.
I'm sure there's some detail i've left out or not explained to everyone's satisfaction, however, please know i'm not trying to offend anyone, just wanting to shed some light on a very volatile situation and reassure those that are attending ALC and are concerned. |
152 days ago by Neal Wilson [
149 days ago by Alison [
148 days ago by Brett [