Aesthetic Laser Concepts

I went to ALC for Fractional Laser Treatment for fine lines, old acne scars, and hyperpigmentation. Unfortunately, my experience was not entirely positive. The main problem was that I found that the front desk and support staff were somewhat unprofessional.
I received a confirmation call the night before the appointment saying I should come in 20 minutes early for the numbing cream, though the person who scheduled my appointment told me to come in 40 minutes early. I decided to err on the conservative side and come in 40 minutes early.
When I arrived, the front desk person was friendly, and asked me to have a seat in the waiting area. He then shouted across the room to me to ask me various questions, including, «Do you need to go back to work right after your procedure?» When I hesitated to shout the answer back, he called out, «It’s not for the reason you think.» Was he psychic? what I was thinking was, am I going to be late? What did he think I was thinking? That I might be scarred? I really didn’t know, but I wished he would ask me to approach the desk to discuss it privately.
The rest of the experience was chaos and more chaos. First I was introduced to a technician who would «not be doing my procedure» but would put the numbing cream on for me, and was escorted to a room in the back. She lathered my face with numbing cream and asked me if I needed anything. The front desk person then abruptly came in to say they were having a scheduling issue and my treatment would not start for an hour. I asked why I was told to come in so early. I asked if I could have some magazines to pass the time while I waited. Since the numbing cream was dripping down my face I had to lie flat, so was hoping for something to read. I was told they would bring some to me, but that never happened.
Then they realized I had never done any paperwork or signed a treatment waver, so that was brought to me (but no water or magazine). I finished that and then waited for 45 minutes, without anyone checking on me or updating me at all. I could hear several people out at the front desk talking and laughing as if they were having a party. I realized I had to pee, so I got up and went out to the front desk with the numbing cream (which is thick and white) all over my face and asked if I could use the restroom. I was told to take a key and walk down the public hallway to a public restroom. I told them I had already been accommodating about the wait, and really didn’t want to go outside with my face numb and covered with white, dripping goo, so they offered to let me use the employee bathroom, which was dirty and out of toilet paper.
I escorted myself back into the waiting room. No one came to give me an update or check in in any way. Finally, well over an hour later, i went out to the front desk myself to ask what was up. A bunch of employees were standing around laughing and talking. They said they would check in with the technician.
Soon after, I was seen by the technician, and the fraxel was done in less than 20 minutes. She said I would be sore and red for two days and then there would be some peeling. I was not told that it was possible that I might have a) a visible grid pattern on my face, and b) an intense outbreak of whiteheads. (I don’t normally get much acne at all, so this was quite surprising.) I had to google all of this afterward to see if it was normal, as it was not mentioned as a possible side-​effect.
When I came out of treatment to settle up at the front desk, both front desk employees commented aloud that «I seemed to have had a good reaction to the treatment.» (This was said in voices loud enough for people in the general waiting area to hear.) And, in the middle of doing my checkout, a friend of one of the employees came in, and he stopped to go say hello to her and chat. Unprofessional, unprofessional, unprofessional. Meanwhile, the tech, after saying a few brief words to me, actually turned and RAN down the hall to the next client.
I have been to several other places in San Francisco for comparable services, and have never been treated this unprofessionally. I also hope that the visible grid pattern and intense acne outbreak resolve. It’s only been 3 – 4 days, so I am still well within the healing period. We’ll see.

A little over priced however great place! My hair on my armpits is basically all gone!

I have had several sessions here for laser hair removal and it has been as good of an experience as it possibly could be (oh my god does it hurt though)! I have had 3 different nurses/​techs and they have all been wonderful — very nice, informative, and make sure not to miss a single hair. They are even patient with my dramatic antics because my tolerance for pain is so low. Beautiful office, looks up to date and clean/​sterile rooms. Front staff could be a little more friendly and at least pretend they like working there, but otherwise place is fantastic!

I LOVE this place!
I’m a transgender girl who has been on HRT for 10 months now, and am trying to fix up my body. One of the procedures is getting rid of all the unwanted body hair. I was referred here by another trans-​girl and OMG was she right!
I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE LISA!!! She is AMAZING! She made my laser experience super comfortable, super efficient, and very very very fun! She is such a social person with a lot of experience; her style of work is efficiency. She always does the job in areas that are more difficult to work with. After 3 consultations, I am seeing great results! The targeted hair is growing at a slower rate, and some of it has just vanished :):)
Remember THOUGH! Laser varies from person to person. Do not be discouraged if you aren’t pasty white with black hair. I’m a caramel skinned latina with black hair, and it’s been working on me; it can work on you as well :)
Again, I love this place, I LOVE Lisa, and I’m very excited to see the result down the line. This establishment is definitely helping my transition go by smoothly.
Thank you guys!!! :):)

Great people. Great location. Great laser treatment. Great price. Overall very very happy with the result. And the outcome. Will define tell go back for my fraxel laser!!!

I’ve gone to Aesthetic Laser many times and have had more than satisfactory results. Lisa’s superior treatment today is why I’m writing this review. Hair removal is a very private, vulnerable, and intimate experience. Lisa made my entire experience smooth, comfortable and as pleasant and painless as possible! Other practitioners don’t have her warmth and kindness. They may get the job done but the experience may feel awkward and maybe borderline shameful though it shouldn’t be. I highly recommend Lisa. She’s absolutely wonderful!
For those who’ve never had laser done, if you are sensitive, request the numbing cream and apply an hour before. It does hurt but the treatments are worth it! Today’s treatment was a touch up and it’s been 3 years since I needed one! By this time, there was almost no pain. Worth every penny.

Exactly what I wanted out of laser treatment. Everyone is friendly and informative that works there. Lisa has been doing my treatments and she is amazing.
Definitely make sure to get there early for numbing cream. I personally don’t think it’s anymore painful than waxing, but I have also always used the cream.

The prices are great, the results are so-​so (and I have fair skin and dark hair)… But I’m so fed up with the poor experience overall. Standing outside waiting for this place to open, 10 min after I was told to arrive. Messy prep rooms: trash from yesterday, no cling wrap or tissues, boxes and bins of decorations. And the worst: appointment after appointment having to walk — naked except for a cheap hospital gown and covered in numbing cream — down the hall, carrying my clothes, shoes, bag, all while trying not to get numbing cream everywhere. Seriously. At $$$ a pop, it shouldn’t suck this bad.

Looking to remove hair «down undah?’ LOOK NO MORE! This is THE place to get your nani business handled.
Ask Lisa or Myra… they both are AMAZING at making sure they go above and beyond by getting every hair zapped. Especially during my first and second session, they put me at ease and took breaks when I needed to from the quick pain. For first timers, get there a hour before to apply the numbing cream and make sure you apply PLENTY! I didn’t put enough my first time and I came late my 2^nd visit so I had to suck up the pain and be that Spartan Woman! (It feels like each hair follicle is being tweezed but the pain is bearable and quick! No one is going to tell you it doesn’t hurt at all so grow some balls!).
I have olive tan skin and black hair and I am up to my 5^th session. I BARELY have anything left. After the 2^nd session, I felt like giving up because I didn’t see immediate results but you NEED to understand the process of your hair growth cycle. Make sure you ask the Lisa and Myra to educate yourself to avoid frustration.
Most places have you pay for all your sessions together upfront but they only have you pay per session. Plus, the receptionist is super friendly and flexible about rescheduling. Thank you Lisa & Myra for making me a loyal customer!

Excellent place for laser and botox. The prices are pretty low compared to other places in the city. I have always felt comfortable getting an appointment and talking to the nurses about my needs. They are friendly and honest. I have never felt ripped off at this place. There are at least four other places that come to my mind, where I felt ripped off each time I went for a treatment. This place definitely has good people working there and they are trustworthy and professional.

Don’t get the palomar laser here. If you had purchased the groupon deal, return it. ask for refound. I wouldn’t risk my face here.
I bought a groupon deal for fraxel laser which was a big mistake.
I have bought and done many laser deal on sites like groupon but this was the worst I’ve had.
First of all, it was advertise on Groupon as no down time, in reality it took more than one week to recover. (in my case 9 days) My face look horrible the whole week. big red dots covering my face unevenly.
If I had known that this laser treatment has one week down time I would not have done it.
On the day I received the treatment the nurse who did it for me told me that I will have 48 hours down time (which was not true)
By the way the laser they did here is not fraxel laser, it’s fractional laser. I had done fraxel before (the real one) and it’s really is 48 hours down time without blotchy red patches or dots.
Now my face have many broken capillaries from this laser treatment. I am pissed!

I bought a groupon for Fraxel and had my first session last Friday. Not sure of the results yet, but posting to give other clients a summary of what to expect.
Procedure: Paid $ 16 for a gigantic jar of numbing crème, which was well worth it. Little to no pain during the procedure. The machine did stop/​overheat a couple of times because they forgot to turn the AC on in the room.
Downtime: a little red for 2 days, and a little puffy, especially around the eyes, for 2 days. I detected the difference, but with a tinted moisturizer on my partner did not notice (could have went to work). Today the surface of my skin feels rough, but appears normal.
Results: TBD… will update in a couple of weeks, and after my second session

Most people will not need laser hair removal like I do-​persistently and probably all my life. But Aesthetic Laser Concepts make my misfortune a tolerable one. 5 years of coming here and this is what I can tell you:
1. The reception gets busy. The traffic for laser prep can get heavy and result in needing to prep with numbing cream in a room NOT for prepping. Do you have a phone? You’ll be fine while you wait the hour for the numbing cream to set.
2. Speaking of numbing cream, you need it. Trust me. Even with it if you are PMSing or getting any sensitive areas done or places with heavy growth you will still have pain. Do it and save yourself a tear or two.
3. I have had probably 10 technicians over the last 5 years and all of them were kind, considerate, and thorough. Recently I’ve worked with Myra and she has been incredible-it’s as if she’s passionate about getting «that one» and «that one» and «oh wait, that one, too!!» She is a sneaky evil hair murderer and I LOVE HER!
4. Yup, as other reviews say-​the lobby is always lovely.
5. All my appointments have been easy to schedule, modify, and I’ve always had a reminder call/​voicemail. I’ve even been late here and there and they never made me feel guilty or awkward about it.
I have to say, if you are apprehensive about making the room swap once your numbing cream is done and you’re all wrapped up and going to your laser room-​it IS a tad awkward. But don’t be shy. I wasted too much energy feeling weird about that. After 5 years of this I realize there are far more awkward things going down in there and they have seen it all. There’s nothing special about getting hair lasered in a visible place because in t-​minus 30 minutes it’s all over and voila! It’s gone anyway. Now that you know, you can rest easy.
Lastly, this place rocks. It’s not seamless, but what is? It’s worth the investment and the results!

I drive all the way from Fremont for this place! Mayra is so thorough and quickly puts you at ease. You can’t beat the prices either!

the front staff is a mixed bag, it depends who’s on first.
Same with the my laser lady. The big, banal, blonde who treated me the first time, was lazy and did a very poor job. She gave me the palomar laser treatment, but on the lowest setting. I could have taken a nap with this setting. NEVER GO on a Thursday and get the big, banal, beached, blonde… (hey I added another B word), she is lazy and does a really horrible job.
Now on Wednesday, there is another Tech, I cannot remember her darn name, but she really wants you to get your money’s worth. THe is pretty intense. It’s not like giving birth, but pretty damn close. BUt I could just be a little pussy about pain.
Any how, back to treatment. The gal on Wednesday does a great job, she really cares. and she very professional.
I don’t know if you can judge a business by it’s website… but the website for this business SUCKS! I don’t have a 10 year daughter, but when she was ten she could have created a better website.
the lobby is a work of art. the owner must really pride him/​herself in creating a beautiful space. the beautiful view and chairs on the terrace are nice… I even like the fake grass.
I only have used one service the palomar laser… so the other services, I cannot judge.

Tori is the best! The laser hair removal was practically painless and she was thorough. Tori also offered to spot treat after a week if she missed anything. She was very knowledgeable about my skin type and the machine she was using.
I’m so happy to have found this place. The receptionist was friendly too, unlike my last laser spa. Prices are reasonable here as well and they have a great view of union square from the small patio.

I have been going to Aesthetic Laser Concepts since they were at their old location many years ago. To make a long story short: they kind of saved my life.
A decade back, I had a horrible imbalance in my hormone levels, causing me to grow facial hair that had to be shaved, waxed or plucked everyday. Needless to say, as a pretty femmy woman it was traumatic. A friend who actually did laser treatments, suggested I try it. OMG– my life changed.
OK, the first treatment was living hell. The lasers react to the pigment of your hair; I was the perfect target: pale skin-​dark hair. Mind you I had more hair on my face then a lot of guys, so the pain matched the hair level of lets say your legs-​but on a way more sensitive area. Some hair pop out, others sort of melt. It sometimes seems like the hair is growing but actually it just falls out after a couple of days. About two weeks after the first treatment, my skin was baby butt smooth. I cried. I did not have to shave or pluck for almost 3 months. For the first year, I went back every 12 weeks or so. Every time, the pain was more tolerable. Ironically I discovered the numbing cream once I moved into maintenance mode.
Now 10 years later, I go maybe once a year to get the last of the hairs that pop up. Next will be the armpits.
The space is amazing, Keith is lovely and always a joy to chat with, and the crew who do the work all know what they are doing.
Things to know:
# There is no such thing, as all your hair being removed permanently in one session. You hair cycles. Not all your hair is on your body at the same time. Usually you will need multiple sessions for permanent results. Since everyone is different, ask the RN how many they think you will need.
# Use the numbing cream. Even with it, it still is not the most pleasant experience, but compared to ingrown hairs, plucking or waxing, I will do this any day.
# Best combo for hair removal: light skin/​dark hair. My husband who is blonde, did successfully have his slightly darker neck hair removed. He had about 4 sessions and it rarely grows back.
# Make sure to follow their after care suggestions. You want to pamper your skin after treatments, not irritate it!
If laser hair removal is something you have been considering, these guys are pros.

«Laser hair removal doesn’t hurt.» Liars.
Actually it depends where on your body you are getting the treatment done. The underarms for me was pretty painless but when you get to the lady parts… yikes. It feels like you are being plucked one hair at a time. Before that scares you away, I have had 4 sessions with in the last 6 months and the results are amazing. I wish I had done this years ago instead of subjecting myself to the sadistic ritual that is the Brazilian.
Good to know:
1. The laser targets melanin (pigment) in the hair, so the darker and coarser the hair the more effective the treatments will be. I was told by the nurse Asians usually see the best results. Sweet!
2.Do not tan the area you are treating, before or after. Make sure to apply an SPF before any sun exposure.
3. No waxing at least 4 weeks before treatment. No waxing after that. Shave the area the night before or the day of treatment otherwise the laser will burn the hair instead of zapping the root.
4. The hair will look like it is growing but within a few days to a couple of weeks the hair will fall out.
5. May need anywhere from 6 – 8 sessions but will depend on the person. After 4 sessions I am 95% hair free but will need touch up sessions once or twice a year.
6. There are many different kinds of lasers. I also go to Aura Skin Spa in North Beach and they do a great job but their laser hurts more. The one they use here is not as harsh on the skin and experience minimal discomfort after the treatment.
7. DO NOT GO A WEEK BEFORE YOUR PERIOD. Your body is more sensitive to pain. Drinking caffeine right before can also increase your sensitivity to pain. If you allergic to the numbing cream like I am you can come in earlier to ice down the area.
8. It’s pricy. I recommend waiting for an online deal but do your research! You want to go somewhere reputable otherwise you can get ineffective treatments or worse, get burned by the laser.
My Bloomspot deal is over but I’ll continue treatment here since the staff is great, space is beautiful and clean. I only see Jamara, she has a way of making you feel comfortable and coaches you through the session.

Waxing for me is a thing of the past. I’ve been coming here since March of last year for laser hair removal. Sure, it’s expensive. Sure, it’s painful. BUT, the results are incredible.
I used to go to Striptwax every 3 –4 weeks religiously and spend $ 60 on waxing each time. Each time it hurt. Each time I knew it wasn’t going to be permanent. But after six treatments at Aesthetic Laser Concepts, I barely need maintenance. I“ll continue to go there to work on other parts of my body. This investment is worth every penny because the results are permanent after several sessions. Of course, this may vary from person to person.
Both Nalia and Lisa are wonderful aestheticians. Book with either and you will not be disappointed. They are knowledgeable and efficient. You will be in and out of each appointment faster than you can find parking:)

Professional staff, lovely setting even with construction. Really appreciated the little patio on a nice day like this. Did not appreciate how cold it was. Umm HELLO, disrobing here for a spa or laser treatment, mind keeping it warm?
Lisa was great, made it very comfortable. It really is fair priced and reasonable. So don’t be scared (doesn’t hurt) it’s worth it and yes more than one treatment is needed.