5 MINUTES WITH… SHIREEN FORSTER

Connie Cooper speaks to Laser Me Out founder Shireen Forster about redefining laser hair removal for a new generation, engaging Gen Z and the success of her patient-first approach.

HOW DO YOU DEFINE THE LASER ME OUT BRAND WITHIN A CROWDED MARKET?

“We’re a young, fun brand that’s targeted to Gen Z, consider us the Joe & The Juice or Huda Beauty of laser clinics.

“Most aesthetic clinics have 10 or 20 different treatments under their belt, but we specialise in laser hair removal.

“Our branding isn’t your traditional clinic look, it’s young, fun and inviting. It’s not intimidating. We wanted to bring in Gen Z because, for me, it’s all about starting laser treatments young so you’re hair-free for life.”

HOW HAS YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY CONTRIBUTED TO THE BUSINESSE’S GROWTH?

“Again, we wanted to create a really fun experience and give our users that same feeling through the brand online.

“We’ve taken medical questions and answers and turned them into a more interactive style of content. We incorporate trends and get our staff involved, because people love seeing the same faces.

“Staff retention is really good. I have so many people from different clinics saying, ‘I’ve been following you for a long time. We’d love to work with you.’”

“We’ve created that powerful online presence where people genuinely want to be part of the brand.

“We also have a really beautiful clinic. It’s very stylish, and we’ve got a whole floor upstairs that’s dedicated to training.

“Most clinics use all of the available space to create more treatment rooms, but we’ve made sure we have a staff area where people can sit, eat and relax. We also have a huge training and marketing area where people can update their knowledge.

“We’re always doing team bonding activities, whether that’s dinner or karaoke. We’re just a big family.”

WHAT FACTORS DO YOU CONSIDER BEFORE INVESTING IN NEW TECHNOLOGY?

“I think it’s all about doing your research because technology moves fast.

“You have to stay on top of what’s trending, and the latest technology. For me, Alma is one of those companies that pioneered the best technology and the latest solutions.

“One of the biggest barriers to laser hair removal used to be that you had to wait two weeks before going on holiday and then another two weeks after you came back before you could have treatment. That was really frustrating because so many people couldn’t work around it.

“Alma completely changed that concept. Now you can have laser treatments on tanned skin. You could get on a plane and have laser hair removal an hour later and be absolutely fine.

“For me, it was always about partnering with a company that’s constantly investing in research and making sure they stay ahead because technology moves so quickly. We want to invest in premium equipment to give our patients the very best results.”

WHAT IS THE CONSULTATION PROCESS?

“All of our therapists are Level 4 trained, and we provide extensive training before they’re allowed to speak with patients because knowledge is so powerful.

“With AI and ChatGPT, patients sometimes come in knowing more than you do. I always tell my therapists to keep updating their knowledge because you never want to sit with a patient who’s asking questions that you can’t answer.

“All of our patients go through an extensive consultation, covering their medical history. A lot of people come to us after having bad experiences elsewhere, so it’s about reassuring them while also giving realistic expectations. After that, we carry out a patch test to make sure they don’t have any adverse reactions.

“We have condensed our price list with treatment packages. For example, ‘Top to Town’ is our full-body package, ‘Pick and Mix’ lets you choose three areas, and ‘One and Done’ is a single treatment area. It’s really helped us streamline the business because everything is so much simpler.”

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR MANAGING HORMONALLY DRIVEN HAIR GROWTH?

“It’s about tailoring treatment to every individual because everyone is different.

“Since the name change, patients have started to understand that PMOS is more than a reproductive health issue. It’s a 360-degree condition.

“We have to look at lifestyle, diet, sleep and mental health because all of those things are connected. When your whole body is out of balance, your hair growth can become very sporadic and difficult to control.

“Whenever I see someone with PMOS, we spend around an hour on the consultation, digging into their history, because all of those things will affect their laser hair removal journey.

“We also offer them a discount, because we recognise that they’ll usually need more treatment sessions.”

“I’m currently exploring introducing a community network and membership programme for people with PMOS to create more of a community feel around laser hair removal.”