Palomar Icon: Anyone want to weigh in on the new the Palomar Icon?

Finally, Palomar has decided to incorporate an internal calibration into their platform. As an owner of a StarLux system, it amazes me how we don't know the fluence coming out of the handpiece as the system does not adjust for flashlamp deterioration!

I will say, I am impressed with the MaxG. I think it's capable of producing better results for the treatment of many vascular lesions than a pulse dye laser. And it does great with rosacea and telangiectasia. (Although, I prefer a long pulse KTP for the former and a long pulse Nd YAG for the latter.) I would like to see it go head-to-head, however, with a long pulse KTP for superficial vascular treatments over a series of controlled studies and by practitioners that are not "incentivized" by Palomar.

For pigmented lesions, I think the practitioner is left to decide between the BBL and Palomar's MaxG or LuxY handpiece. I've certainly enjoyed the results with our StarLux. Excellent power with a very nice beam profile and contact cooling. The Icon duplicates the same. But the BBL also produces excellent results for sun damage...

Forget about the Palomar system for hair removal. Buy an actual laser to get actual results. And think Alex and Nd: YAG - but not Candela or Cynosure unless you're buying something used and for under $30K.

Regarding the Icon, I'm not sure the practitioner can justify the expense - particularly in the age of $99 Groupon IPL photofacials as well as the ton of used StarLux systems on the marketplace. I mean seriously, spend $90K for a new Icon...spend $25K for a used StarLux 500 that can use the same handpieces. Let's see....ummm....yeah - used one please. Plus, it's an IPL!!! Nothing ever goes wrong with the box - mainly because there's nothing in there! Get one with low pulse counts on the yellow and green handpieces and put the red handpiece on Ebay. You'll help yourself by making one of your competitors go out of business trying to do hair removal.

While the fractional handpiece is decent - cost of ownership is too high. If you wish to do fractionated treatments, buy a real laser.

I'm not impressed with the Nd YAG handpiece...but we have one of the most powerful Nd YAG lasers at our clinic - so standards are pretty high.

Final words of wisdom...don't drink the kool aid of aesthetic reps!! And not all IPL machines are the same!

LaserMan
medicaljd@gmail.com

I appreciate the comments and would not be thinking of an upgrade to our Starlux 500, except for the fact that 4 handpieces are about to go and need to be upgraded. The cost is about $4-5k each, for a price tag of $16-20k total. Palomar will upgrade me to the Icon platform with the 4 handpieces for $60k with full 1 year on box and 2 year on handpieces. Seems like a good option. Any thoughts?

LaserMan is correct. Many aftermarket companies can refurbish IPL hand pieces for around $1500.00. Warranty on Palomar hand pieces is 2 years or 100,000 shots whichever comes first - not two years. Unless you have something wrong with your system, why spend $60k for new hand pieces? The Starlux 500 is a workhorse. If you don't have a Max G, trade up.