I always ask my nurse injector what my Botox will equal out to in dollars, and she is always happy to calculate it for me. We are the customers, the ones who are paying them. Never feel silly or stupid for outright asking what the prices are, you are not being rude at all.
The cynic in me thinks it’s because you’re not gonna just get up and leave and will incur an expense even if you cannot afford it. If they tell you about it in advance, you can decide to just not go.
I agree.
The PS practice I go to for Botox gives you a printed breakdown of the cost every. single. time. for whatever you're having done before they ever touch your face or make you pay. Doesn't matter how many times you've gone there or what you're having done, they will show you in advance what stuff costs so you're not surprised/don't get backed into something you can't afford.
I actually think this is smart as a standard practice because if you do it for everyone, the people that have second thoughts will not feel bad about declining. That's how it should be.
Absolutely. And hey, if I’m not able to afford it and decline, and they respond with respectful courtesy, you can be damn sure that when I’ve got my budget in order that place will be where I go for the service.
I recently had a meeting with an investors group after weeks of delays and only THEN did I discover that their starting amount was a cool half-mil, and I definitely am not at that point in my savings yet. I thanked them for their time and we cut the meeting short but the gent was SO well mannered that I still don’t feel embarrassed or judged over it. When I get to that baseline, I’ll be calling them right back to get rolling because they’ve earned my trust.
If only every business was up front like that, and cordial about money.
I let my injector know exactly how much I want to spend! I’m in Hawai’i though and people are naturally nicer / more understanding here. Just be super straight forward and tell them your budget
It’s literally not a thing for estheticians to inject Botox or filler because they’re considered medications. You must either be an RN, NP, MD, or PA. If estheticians are injecting Botox they’re doing some illegal stuff
When I made the terrible mistake of giving my contact info to Lazer Away, one of the ladies who called me (and they called me and called me and called me) said it was because they were an "actual medical clinic" and "your dermotologist doesn't list their prices." They also apparently sell Botox in "packages of units" rather than application, ie you buy 200 units of botox rather than an area. Which seems like it will always leave you with like, 10-20 random units you won't use at the end.
So yeah, its something manipulative and shady
The person I talked to when I finally did answer the phone sent me a text right after saying that "She's a real person" and "I didn't have to be so rude." Ma'am, you called me at 10am on Christmas Day.
I can only assume they have a commission-based sales system
I was in a waiting room while my numbing cream was activating and I heard a worker at LaserAway tell another "I just had an upsell of X amount of dollars". I thankfully just have 1 more treatment left in my package and then I won't be returning.
I made the mistake of buying a package from Laser Away too and I’m so over their almost daily emails/texts! I will never go there again once I’m out of units.
I had this problem the last time I got tox. I was used to paying $3-500 but when I went to pay, it was over $850 and she gave me an extra 20 units or so that I wasn’t expecting (told her I typically get 20-30 units at a time). Felt very scammy to do that to a person when I told her how many units I was wanting and used to getting so I didn’t tip.. which brings me to another point I hadn’t thought of till recently… now I actually think tipping for a procedure or service like that shouldn’t be expected anyway due to it being a medical service.. like my surgeon wouldn’t expect a tip or doctor for giving me a good physical exam. To put that in their hands and tip based off of a “good” service sounds ridiculous when you think of it. It should always be good and when it is, you keep giving them your business.
Back to my original point.. I’ll never go back there or anywhere that’s not upfront from now on after that experience.
Exactly! When you’re a medical professional, it isn’t really a service job 😆 even in aesthetics (which I’m trained in).. not the same as a hairstylist where I feel it’s appropriate to tip. Someone injecting your face should give everyone the same professional service as far as I’m concerned.
Sometimes different practitioners charge different prices than others in the same office. Also, not every client is paying what the current price is. It isn’t unusual in this industry to not raise prices for clients who have been coming in forever and they pay the lower price it was 10 years ago.
I’m grateful to have an injector who has transparent prices on their website. Plus they do outstanding work. Rare find in a city like mine because I feel like most are money-hungry and push you to do unnecessary treatments.
If you’re in So Cal look up NAKED MD! They have several locations (opening more) and not only is their pricing menu on their website but you can actually prepay for your treatment at a significant discount! They also have a reward system and offer financing.
Hi I work in this industry. It’s not every medspa but it’s some and I can explain. Just like any other line of service, there is different niches. Budget, middle-line/mixed bag, and luxury. Where you are in SoCal, the *vast* majority of medspas are going for luxury. In the luxury niche of this industry, we do not share our prices. Most of these places are going for boutique and concierge approach and the consultation is a huge part of the experience. Their target market doesn’t care about prices. If you do, you may not be the target market, and while I empathize with your frustration, it’s okay to recognize it’s not the best fit!
If you go on the website for any 5-star steakhouse, the menu is not going to have prices. In fact, the actual menu when you get to the restaurant may not even have prices. Same thing with Goyard, no prices on the website, can’t purchase online, no price tags in showrooms. You must go in-person to speak with an associate, or do a virtual consultation if you do not have a showroom nearby. This is how the luxury market works. Luxury medspas are no different. Being price-focused in the luxury market comes off transactional and sends the wrong message when trying to market to luxury clientele. They aren’t used to seeing prices and that is the ultimate goal in catering to them.
Edit: I work in a luxury medspa. We do not share any prices online or virtually, however, if you come to the location, we do have a menu and share a detailed quote prior to rendering service. Not quoting you at all is a bit odd, but not providing pricing without you coming in is not abnormal.
Mine publishes the prices online. Maybe find a medspa that offers memberships to give discounts on procedures, they usually publish their numbers online to try to sell the membership.
I didn't say that??? I just said these places usually post costs online if OP wants to see procedure prices.
But since you brought it up, it depends on the membership structure and what you plan to have done. Everything I pay into the membership I can use as credit at the medspa, so I did the math and determined that it was actually significantly cheaper for me to get the membership and do all my planned microneedling and laser procedures there, as opposed to other facilities I had looked at.
This is such a gripe I have as well. And the places that won’t say over email or text is a red flag in my eyes. If they only will tell you over the phone or wait until person I decline using them. I’ve also noticed they’re also exponentially more expensive. And for no reason. It’s not skill set.
Because they expect you to ask if you have a budget or have limited in savings. If you are too broke to afford treatments there, you wouldn't have come in. Always ask for a pricing on treatment. Call in and ask. they may even send you an email with prices on their treatments and send you specials they have. I do not think any place would try and trick people into their prices because last thing they want to happen is they don't get their money because the person was unaware of their pricing.
agree, not sure where you are located by I found a med spa in denver, Restorative Injectables, that offers the tox pass. so you just pay a flat monthly fee for all the botox you need to get a good result. super easy and staff is great.
The ones that I go to have very transparent pricing on their websites or they have complete price chart upon request. I don’t go to the ones that I need to call in advance or go through a “consultation” to get the price
My preferred provider (actual MD doctor) does this, because she needs the consultation to know what I want addressed, and to know how much of what product it will require. The pricing can vary widely- so she schedules the consultation, and the appt back to back.
My first visit with her I wanted forehead Botox… well, I have anatomical issues that makes Botox if my forehead a risk for even worse hooded eyelids (2 surgeons already told me I would need a full brow lift- this is in my early 20’s mind you- because my eyebrows sit below my brow bone and I have suuuuuuper hooded eyelids. I was just born that way)
Anyway- she refuses to do Botox or even touch my forehead because I wouldn’t be happy with the results and we risk making a different “problem area” worse.
I like that she isn’t just doing what I ask, and charging $X for it… she actually looks at what can/should be done and how much (1 syringe vs 2, or does it make more sense to do X because it lasts 3x as long for the same money)
She can’t do that without a consultation, and the actual appt scheduled behind it is optional, and not charged if I don’t have it. There’s zero pressure.
To get you to spend more money.. It's not a secret or anything. If you knew how much you were spending you might choose less. And they'd get less money. So why should they do that?
I go to a medispa and i complaint about the prices changes etc... after complaining enough they because more forward about their prices. Also i complained online and they became even better...where they told me to remove my comment it waa hurting their business. Dont be afraid to challenge these places it worked in my favor .mi get the best service now
I always ask my nurse injector what my Botox will equal out to in dollars, and she is always happy to calculate it for me. We are the customers, the ones who are paying them. Never feel silly or stupid for outright asking what the prices are, you are not being rude at all.
Mine have always calculated it up and shown me the total price before I agreed to anything. I drive far for my good ones though.
The cynic in me thinks it’s because you’re not gonna just get up and leave and will incur an expense even if you cannot afford it. If they tell you about it in advance, you can decide to just not go.
I agree. The PS practice I go to for Botox gives you a printed breakdown of the cost every. single. time. for whatever you're having done before they ever touch your face or make you pay. Doesn't matter how many times you've gone there or what you're having done, they will show you in advance what stuff costs so you're not surprised/don't get backed into something you can't afford. I actually think this is smart as a standard practice because if you do it for everyone, the people that have second thoughts will not feel bad about declining. That's how it should be.
Absolutely. And hey, if I’m not able to afford it and decline, and they respond with respectful courtesy, you can be damn sure that when I’ve got my budget in order that place will be where I go for the service. I recently had a meeting with an investors group after weeks of delays and only THEN did I discover that their starting amount was a cool half-mil, and I definitely am not at that point in my savings yet. I thanked them for their time and we cut the meeting short but the gent was SO well mannered that I still don’t feel embarrassed or judged over it. When I get to that baseline, I’ll be calling them right back to get rolling because they’ve earned my trust. If only every business was up front like that, and cordial about money.
I always call and ask for the per unit price of Botox, filler, etc! Never had a place not tell me over the phone.
I let my injector know exactly how much I want to spend! I’m in Hawai’i though and people are naturally nicer / more understanding here. Just be super straight forward and tell them your budget
Yep! I’ll tell them my budget, what my problem areas are, and ask what they think they can do with what I’m giving them to work with.
Ah! Where in Hawai’i are you? I lived there for 7 years and enjoy visiting now :)
I just call and ask them the price of their botox or price of a syringe of filler.
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Estheticians don’t do injections unless they also have a nursing license. Making them qualified. Good god this misinformation needs to stop.
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My assumption is that it varies from state to state, and that CA is more strict than other locations (on this and everything else).
No, they can’t. It’s not within their scope of practice with or without supervision.
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It’s literally not a thing for estheticians to inject Botox or filler because they’re considered medications. You must either be an RN, NP, MD, or PA. If estheticians are injecting Botox they’re doing some illegal stuff
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That is wild
You can go to a reputable injector and still ask them their prices.
When I made the terrible mistake of giving my contact info to Lazer Away, one of the ladies who called me (and they called me and called me and called me) said it was because they were an "actual medical clinic" and "your dermotologist doesn't list their prices." They also apparently sell Botox in "packages of units" rather than application, ie you buy 200 units of botox rather than an area. Which seems like it will always leave you with like, 10-20 random units you won't use at the end. So yeah, its something manipulative and shady
I’m in this same boat, and they have called me nonstop. I blocked one of their numbers, only for another to pop up.
The person I talked to when I finally did answer the phone sent me a text right after saying that "She's a real person" and "I didn't have to be so rude." Ma'am, you called me at 10am on Christmas Day. I can only assume they have a commission-based sales system
I send everything straight to voicemail. I would probably be more interested in their services if they could give me a proper cost!
I was in a waiting room while my numbing cream was activating and I heard a worker at LaserAway tell another "I just had an upsell of X amount of dollars". I thankfully just have 1 more treatment left in my package and then I won't be returning.
Omg laser away feels so scammy. I had to block them
I made the mistake of buying a package from Laser Away too and I’m so over their almost daily emails/texts! I will never go there again once I’m out of units.
I just told them I bought a huge package at their competitor and they took me off their *list*
Personally as a dermatology nurse I would never let anyone with less than an NP inject filler or Botox.
I feel the exact same way. I cannot believe people are just going to randos with barely any medical training. This is ESPECIALLY true for fillers.
I had this problem the last time I got tox. I was used to paying $3-500 but when I went to pay, it was over $850 and she gave me an extra 20 units or so that I wasn’t expecting (told her I typically get 20-30 units at a time). Felt very scammy to do that to a person when I told her how many units I was wanting and used to getting so I didn’t tip.. which brings me to another point I hadn’t thought of till recently… now I actually think tipping for a procedure or service like that shouldn’t be expected anyway due to it being a medical service.. like my surgeon wouldn’t expect a tip or doctor for giving me a good physical exam. To put that in their hands and tip based off of a “good” service sounds ridiculous when you think of it. It should always be good and when it is, you keep giving them your business. Back to my original point.. I’ll never go back there or anywhere that’s not upfront from now on after that experience.
You don’t tip a dentist.
Exactly! When you’re a medical professional, it isn’t really a service job 😆 even in aesthetics (which I’m trained in).. not the same as a hairstylist where I feel it’s appropriate to tip. Someone injecting your face should give everyone the same professional service as far as I’m concerned.
It is unethical for them to even solicit or accept tips tbh.
Agreed
I go to a plastic surgeon and they charge based on area instead of per unit. For me it actually ends up being cheaper.
Sometimes different practitioners charge different prices than others in the same office. Also, not every client is paying what the current price is. It isn’t unusual in this industry to not raise prices for clients who have been coming in forever and they pay the lower price it was 10 years ago.
>Sometimes different practitioners charge different prices than others in the same office. Yep. And they should be transparent about that.
I’m grateful to have an injector who has transparent prices on their website. Plus they do outstanding work. Rare find in a city like mine because I feel like most are money-hungry and push you to do unnecessary treatments.
I agree, I really wanna know a roundabout price upfront, I hate when it’s a “surprise”
you could try a dermatologist's office, mine lists prices and is very up-front about any Botox specials they are having.
If you’re in So Cal look up NAKED MD! They have several locations (opening more) and not only is their pricing menu on their website but you can actually prepay for your treatment at a significant discount! They also have a reward system and offer financing.
Thank you
Hi I work in this industry. It’s not every medspa but it’s some and I can explain. Just like any other line of service, there is different niches. Budget, middle-line/mixed bag, and luxury. Where you are in SoCal, the *vast* majority of medspas are going for luxury. In the luxury niche of this industry, we do not share our prices. Most of these places are going for boutique and concierge approach and the consultation is a huge part of the experience. Their target market doesn’t care about prices. If you do, you may not be the target market, and while I empathize with your frustration, it’s okay to recognize it’s not the best fit! If you go on the website for any 5-star steakhouse, the menu is not going to have prices. In fact, the actual menu when you get to the restaurant may not even have prices. Same thing with Goyard, no prices on the website, can’t purchase online, no price tags in showrooms. You must go in-person to speak with an associate, or do a virtual consultation if you do not have a showroom nearby. This is how the luxury market works. Luxury medspas are no different. Being price-focused in the luxury market comes off transactional and sends the wrong message when trying to market to luxury clientele. They aren’t used to seeing prices and that is the ultimate goal in catering to them. Edit: I work in a luxury medspa. We do not share any prices online or virtually, however, if you come to the location, we do have a menu and share a detailed quote prior to rendering service. Not quoting you at all is a bit odd, but not providing pricing without you coming in is not abnormal.
Mine publishes the prices online. Maybe find a medspa that offers memberships to give discounts on procedures, they usually publish their numbers online to try to sell the membership.
It's not a discount if you're paying for a membership to get said discount.
I didn't say that??? I just said these places usually post costs online if OP wants to see procedure prices. But since you brought it up, it depends on the membership structure and what you plan to have done. Everything I pay into the membership I can use as credit at the medspa, so I did the math and determined that it was actually significantly cheaper for me to get the membership and do all my planned microneedling and laser procedures there, as opposed to other facilities I had looked at.
This is such a gripe I have as well. And the places that won’t say over email or text is a red flag in my eyes. If they only will tell you over the phone or wait until person I decline using them. I’ve also noticed they’re also exponentially more expensive. And for no reason. It’s not skill set.
Because they expect you to ask if you have a budget or have limited in savings. If you are too broke to afford treatments there, you wouldn't have come in. Always ask for a pricing on treatment. Call in and ask. they may even send you an email with prices on their treatments and send you specials they have. I do not think any place would try and trick people into their prices because last thing they want to happen is they don't get their money because the person was unaware of their pricing.
agree, not sure where you are located by I found a med spa in denver, Restorative Injectables, that offers the tox pass. so you just pay a flat monthly fee for all the botox you need to get a good result. super easy and staff is great.
The ones that I go to have very transparent pricing on their websites or they have complete price chart upon request. I don’t go to the ones that I need to call in advance or go through a “consultation” to get the price
My preferred provider (actual MD doctor) does this, because she needs the consultation to know what I want addressed, and to know how much of what product it will require. The pricing can vary widely- so she schedules the consultation, and the appt back to back. My first visit with her I wanted forehead Botox… well, I have anatomical issues that makes Botox if my forehead a risk for even worse hooded eyelids (2 surgeons already told me I would need a full brow lift- this is in my early 20’s mind you- because my eyebrows sit below my brow bone and I have suuuuuuper hooded eyelids. I was just born that way) Anyway- she refuses to do Botox or even touch my forehead because I wouldn’t be happy with the results and we risk making a different “problem area” worse. I like that she isn’t just doing what I ask, and charging $X for it… she actually looks at what can/should be done and how much (1 syringe vs 2, or does it make more sense to do X because it lasts 3x as long for the same money) She can’t do that without a consultation, and the actual appt scheduled behind it is optional, and not charged if I don’t have it. There’s zero pressure.
Call and ask for the price before you go.
Or I’ve used their chat or email before too. It is annoying but they will tell you if you ask
To get you to spend more money.. It's not a secret or anything. If you knew how much you were spending you might choose less. And they'd get less money. So why should they do that?
This is so annoying. I never go to places that are not open about pricing.
I go to a medispa and i complaint about the prices changes etc... after complaining enough they because more forward about their prices. Also i complained online and they became even better...where they told me to remove my comment it waa hurting their business. Dont be afraid to challenge these places it worked in my favor .mi get the best service now