Harry T,
I posted a large number of messages here, beginning in March, many of which
dealt with the scientific issues in great detail. I believe you will find them very
well supported with verifiable facts. If you wish, I can post links to a nice
selection of them. You might also wish to check out my posts in the TLZ thread.
No I am not in competition in any way. My interest stems from having had
successful electrolysis treatments years ago. Laser is new and interesting, but
my research has convinced me that it was rushed to market before it was ready.
It is just a case of plain old greed. I saw so much deceptive promotion, and
incompetent journalism, that I decided that consumers were not hearing the truth,
so I got involved. Later I began sharing my information with investors. though not
all appreciated it. Oh well - can't please everyone!
I believe that Thermolase misjudged the consumer when they got into the
market. My guess is they figured that since consumers already spend $billions
on all kinds of cosmetic snake-oil, laser would be easy to sell. But it is very
expensive snake-oil! TLZ got such a huge rise in share price when it announced
FDA clearance in April 1995, that within weeks competitors were jumping on the
bandwagon. It seems that nobody gave serious consideration to providing
value to consumers.
The average person considering laser wants permanent results for the money.
So clinics have to resort to deception to sell treatments.
Phone a few clinics, posing as a consumer, and listen to the bullshit they spout.
The typical con is to admit they can't claim permamence, but then point to some
unpublished research that supposedly shows very promising results. Then they
offer some bafflegab about how multiple treatments are required because hair
grows in cycles. There is some truth to this, but promoters of ineffective
treatments, such as electronic tweezers, and now laser, use it to try to confuse
consumers into mistaking regrowth for new growth of previously dormant hair. It
is a great way to keep suckers coming back for more treatments, until they run
out of patience or money! It is a well known scam in the hair removal industry.
My electrologist tells me that some electrologists who have poor skills also
resort to this tactic.
Another favourite, especially by some Epilaser clinics, is to misrepresent the
so-called Harvard Study. One California Epilaser doctor's patient letter claims
that 95 percent of the patients had no regrowth 2.5 years after treatment, when in
fact, everyone had regrowth, averaging 58 percent at 3 months, 75 percent at 6
months, with 5 of the 13 having 100 percent regrowth by that time. That is
shameful and inexcusable behaviour for a physician.
Some day a viable laser hair removal system may well be developed, but the
sleazy promotional tactics now in use, may kill off any future consumer interest.
Something for investors to ponder.
Ted Molczan |
