Should group buying websites offer cosmetic treatments?

I have to admit that I can’t resist the websites that offer all sorts of goodies as long as you’re quick off the mark and enough people sign up.

But after reading the recent warnings from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons saying that discount promotions for procedures such as breast augmentation should be banned, it got me thinking.

I recently saw a time-limited offer on laser hair removal treatment that lured me in with its ‘buy now!’ discounts.

Now, I should say that it had all the right caveats – you’d have a patch test and get your money back if you weren’t suitable, and it offered a 48-hour cancellation policy. But we know that laser hair removal carries risks such as burns, skin damage and blistering if, for example, it’s done on the wrong skin type or tanned skin.

I have to wonder if it’s right to offer seemingly great deals that are time limited. Don’t they simply encourage people to sign up without giving them enough time to think it through properly or do their research into the treatment they’re getting? Some people could even be tempted into unnecessary treatments.

So is it all down to individual choice – maybe you’d prefer to get the special offer than mull over the health implications? Or should the websites hooking us up with massive discounts be more aware of consumers’ needs?