ITSY BITSY TEENY-WEENY BIKINIS are the
standard uniform among the svelte set in Newport
Beach. So it's no wonder that laser hair removal is one
of the more popular offerings at Bonakdar Institute,
a concierge cosmetic dermatology practice in the
affluent Southern California coastal community.
"People in my geographic area are concerned with
body hair hygiene year-round," says the Institute's
medical director Monica Bonakdar, MD. Hair
removal represents 6% of her laser revenues, though
she does no marketing, other than letting existing
clients know that the service is available.
A smooth bikini line and fur-free back and chest
are increasingly becoming de rigueur across the
country—not just on Miami and Malibu sands.
According to the American Society of Plastic
Surgeons, laser hair removal is the nation's fourth
most-popular minimally invasive procedure (only
Botox, fillers, and chemical peels rank higher),
with more than a million procedures performed in
2012—a 52% increase over the past 12 years.
HAIR
To BARE
Laser hair removal has come a long way, but
challenges persist.
By Maryann Hammers
40 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 | MedEsthetics
© ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
From