How many laser treatments will I need?
Ahead of laser treatment, you will want to know how many visits to plan for. A count is only worth having if it comes with a few things attached.
Where a laser session count comes from
An honest count comes from an exam of your skin and a goal you can name. Ask the clinician for a range, what the range depends on, and when they would stop and reassess.
Details a laser count should spell out
A number alone tells you little. Ask that it spell out each of these.
- Your goal, described in plain terms.
- The gap between sessions.
- A checkpoint where the plan is reviewed, so you are not prepaying for a number nobody can defend.
Tell the clinician about every other skin treatment you use or are considering. If you want to know what laser skin resurfacing involves, read the dermatologic surgery society page on laser resurfacing. If you want to know more about the lasers themselves, read the FDA page on medical lasers and ask the clinician which device they would use.
Spacing laser visits across the calendar
Plan your calendar around the whole series, not just the first visit.
If the clinician suggests adding another option between laser sessions, ask how it changes the count. If the add-on is red light, read the consumer health website article on red light therapy ahead of that conversation.
Prepaid packages and reactions between visits
Be wary of any package price that locks in a count before an exam. Ask whether sessions you never use can be refunded, and whose number to ring if your skin reacts badly between visits. If your skin reaction feels like an emergency, call 911.