Free Guide: 10 Critical Questions To Answer Before Buying Used Lasers

We've added a new area to the site to provide Members free reports, information, and resources.

We have a lot of information that needs a better delivery method than a blog post; information that is best delivered as a guide, playbook, blueprint or system that you can download and read, share, or keep around for reference.

For example; 10 Critical Questions To Answer Before Buying A Used Medical Laser by Vin Wells, a Medical Spa MD Author and owner of Rock Bottom Lasers.

Buying used technology can be smart and save you tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars by taking advantage of the massive depreciation that’s triggered when the first pulse is fired. It can make the difference between profit and loss.

But it can also be confusing, distracting, and problematic dealing with sellers, brokers and even manufacturers who have an agenda that may not be in your best interest. 

This guide is designed to walk you through the morass of information and help you make more informed, smarter, decisions about how to take advantage of used technology to help your clinic, your patients, and your profits. It will walk you through the logical, common sense steps to identify ethical sellers and to ensure that you’re not being taken advantage of.

This report is just one of the ways that we're expanding resources and information to benefit our Members.

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Selling your cosmetic laser or IPL? Want to know how much your device is worth?
Get multiple, competing blind certified quotes for your cosmetic laser, IPL or RF.

Sentient Lasers Joins Medical Spa MD As A Certified Partner

Sentient Lasers is joining Medical Spa MD as a Certified Partner - providing Members access to the highest quality used aesthetic lasers and promising to keep our Certified Partner 7 Point Guarantee.

The highly prohibitive costs of new aesthetic lasers can make the profitability of your clinic or practice challenging. Fortunately, the advancements in medical laser technology over the last few years, as well as changes in the economy, now offer you the ability to buy medical lasers of almost any type at a significant savings – often up to 75% off of manufacturer prices.

Every cosmetic laser Sentient lists on Medical Spa MD is inspected, tested and refurbished to manufacturer’s specifications at our warehouse before it is ever available for resale. This ensures that our certified pre-owned lasers are the best on the secondary market.

"We're excited to join Medical Spa MD's Certified Partner Program", says Chris Cella, CEO of Sentient Lasers. "It's fits with our own Blue Dot Certification and gives Member of access to the very best quality lasers while providing the best, ethical service in the industry - and let's them save 70% off of buying a new aesthetic laser."

You can always see Sentient Laser's current offer to Members here.

(At the time of this posting it's a free upgrade from a standard 30 day warranty to a "Gold" 90 day warranty on any used aesthetic aser, IPL or RF device for free if you mention Medical Spa MD - a $2,500 value.)

To get this deal from any Certified Partner, just mention that you're a Medical Spa MD Member. No need to do anything else, just mention Medical Spa MD for ANY purchase and Sentient Lasers will take care of you.

Sentient is the third used aesthetic seller to join our Certified Partner Program and not the last. Our program gives our Members access to our 7 Point Guarantee and provides the largest single marketplace of used cosmetic lasers where you're guaranteed to get the lowest possible price and additional benefits.

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Learn more about Certified Partners

Medical Spa MD Certified Partners

Buy your next cosmetic laser or IPL from a Medical Spa MD Certified Partner with confidence that they will meet our 7 point guarantee.

When you buy your next laser or IPL from a Medical Spa MD Certified Partner, you know that you're dealing with an organization who has agreed to meet our high standards, and that their continued inclusion in our program relies on treating Members with transparency and honesty. All Medical Spa MD Certified Partners have agreed to our 7 point guarantee.

As a Member, If you purchase from a Medical Spa MD Certified Partner who does not meet our standards and our 7 Point Member Guarantee, you can contact us directly and we will intercede on your behalf. If we determine that a Member has been treated unfairly or that there has been a violation of our values, we will revoke that companies privileges and access to the program, and we will list publicly list that company as a business that we will no longer work with. 

If you are a Medical Spa MD Member who have purchased from a Certified Partner and want us to investigate an issue or complaint on your behalf, you may contact us here.

Our 7 Point Member Guarantee

Every Medical Spa MD Certified Partner has agreeded to:

1. Follow our Terms & Conditions and our Code Of Ethics
   You can read them here.
2. Transparent Listing Prices
   Any product listed on our site will be immediatly available at that price. There will never be any "bait and switch" tactics of listing of products that are not under the direct control of the listing company.
3. Lowest Price
   Certified Businesses agree that the price you see on Medical Spa MD is the lowest price for that item on their own site or anywhere else.
4. Awesome Service
   Certified Businesses agree that they will provide Medical Spa MD Members with their highest level of service at all times.
5. Public Reviews
   Certified Businesses agree that after every purchase they will use a verified Podium account to send you a request for a public review of their service.
6. Member Only Benefits
   

   Certified Partners agree to provide free, special benefits, upgrades, price reductions, and/or perks to every identified Medical Spa MD Member purchasing a laser or service.

   You must identify yourself as a Medical Spa MD Member before purchasing to recieve these benefits.

While this program can't guarantee that nothing bad will ever happen, it does go a long way to cleaning up the industry and gives you (if you're a current Member) much more serious remedies and security when you're buying a used laser or IPL. It also begins to clean up the marketplace since we will actively be looking to publicize and identify cosmetic laser resellers who are not ethical or have unhappy customers.

Here's a short FAQ about this new program for Members.

Which used laser companies are currently Certified Partners?

There are currently two used laser resellers in the program; Sentient Lasers and Rock Bottom Lasers. 

• Sentient Laser - Free upgrade from 30 day Silver to 90 day Gold warranty for Members.
  View Member offer from Sentient Lasers 
   
• Rock Bottom Laser - Free upgrade from 60  to 120 day warranty for Members
  View Member offer from Rock Bottom Lasers

Want to become a Certified Partner? Apply here: https://medicalspamd.com/partner

Why is this program needed?

If you've purchased a used aesthetic laser or IPL from an unethical reseller you already know why this is needed. If you haven't had a bad experience yet, we're here to make sure you don't. This program looks to hold laser sellers more accountable since we will actively be looking to publicize and identify cosmetic laser resellers who do not act ethically including.

We aim to make every purchase transparent and ethical for our Members.

Why do laser sellers want to be a Certified Partner?

They want the increased sales from our Members, and they're also concerned about the damage that unethical vendors do to their own reputations and the entire industry.

What types of businesses can be a Certified Partner?

Any business that sells cosmetic lasers, IPLs and medical devices to our target market - physicians practicing nonsurgical cosmetic medicine worldwide - can apply to be come a Certified Partner if they agree to abide by our terms, our 7 point guarantee, and what special benefits they will provide to Members. Applicants are then vetted by us to determine if they should be added as a Certified Partner and can display the Medical Spa MD Certified Partner Seal.

We will only work with vendors who have both the intent and the resources to provide high quality services to our Members. We're currently focused on the used aesthetic laser market but if this program is successful, we may extend it to other areas.

Note: Other businesses may apply to be a Select Partner but only cosmetic laser and IPL vendors may be "Certified" and list their inventory on our site. 

What should I do if I feel like a Certified Partner is treating me unfairly or violating the Certified Guarantee?

First, contact the vendor about the issue. All of our Select Partners are very aware of identifying Medical Spa MD Members and will usually bend over backwards to try and remedy the situation.

If you're still not satisfied, you can contact us directly using the form at the top of this page. We will collect your information and contact the vendor directly to investigate what happened. You may be contacted for additional information. If we determine that the vendor has acted dishonestly, unethically, or violated our Certified Partner Agreement we will take any number of actions up to and including publicly disclosing the issue and banning the vendor from the program and site.

What happens after I file an issue?

The first thing we'll do is collect some additional information from you by email or phone to try and determine the order of events and what happened. You may be asked to forward emails or detail phone conversations. We will then contact the Certified Partner on your behalf to tell them that we're involved and to get their side of the story. (Note: They should already be aware of the issue since you should have contacted them first.)

We will essentially conduct our own investigation to determine if there was a violation of our terms or 7 point guarantee, or if the vendor acted unethically. If we determine that the vendor is at fault we will work with all parties to attempt to resolve the issue to the Members satisfaction.

If we determine that the vendor acted intentionally to violate their agreement with us as a Certified Partner we will take additional actions that may include publicly disclosing the issue or incident, notifying our Members, and removing the vendor from our Certified Program. 

Do you guarantee that I'll be happy with the outcome?

No. You may be a jerk who will never be happy. However, if you're somewhat reasonable we will work hard to come to the best resolution we can for you.

Not a Member yet? You must be a Member to realize these benefits.

RockBottomLasers.com Joins Medical Spa MD Classifieds Ads

We're happy to announce that RockBottomLasers.com is joining Medical Spa MD as a Select Partner and listing their entire inventory in the classifieds. 

Buying and selling used devices is something of a headache. There are a lot of resellers but you never really know if you're getting the best price, and there's not really anyone to ensure that you're treated fairly if there's a problem. We wanted to do something about that.

We had launched a previous iteration of a classified ads area but it came with some problems. The previous ads were free. These are not. While we moved millions of dollars in cosmetic equipment, the fact that the previous listings were free invited spammers and ne're-do-wells that were always a pain in the ass to try and keep out. We didn't want to deal with that any more so we've added a payment system to keep out the riff-raff.

This time we wanted to do it better. We wanted to benefit Members by building a system that promoted:

1. Transparency in the pricing of cosmetic lasers and aesthetic equipment.
2. Active competition and pricing between resellers.
3. Easier selling of your own equipment, either by listing it yourself or contacting resellers.

Vin Wells, the founder and CEO of RockBottomLasers.com has been around the Medical Spa MD community for more than a decade, answering comments in the forums and generally being helpful to members who are looking for inside info. So, when we started looking around for used cosmetic laser vendors to have some preliminary discussions with, Vin was first on the list of people we talked to and he readily agreed to post his entire inventory to the site.

Check out Vin's inventory of pre-owned cosmetic lasers and IPLs in the classifieds area.

We're not done. We're looking for other reputable cosmetic laser resellers who want to be part of this new program and list their inventory too. We think that by aggregating multiple resellers we'll meet our goals of more transparent pricing, more active competition, and easier buying and selling for everyone. Vendors get exposure, leads and sales. 

To list an add for your laser or IPL it will cost you a measly $10 a month. Making the ad 'featured' will add another $10. That's not bad to sell a $40k laser.

There are some other things we'e working on as well. There's a category for buying and selling cosmetic medical practices and even the ability to promote and list services or products that you're trying to get in front of cosmetic clinics.

Cosmetic laser reseller? Learn more about becoming a Select Partner.

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Why Don't (Most) Used Cosmetic Laser Sellers List Their Prices?

You might have noticed that a lot of used ("pre-owned") cosmetic laser sellers don't list the price of their units on their site. They demand that you call them up and talk to them.

Since we relaunched the classified ads for buying and selling used cosmetic lasers, I've noticed that a lot (most) cosmetic laser resellers don't publish the price of the equipment they're selling.

I understand. They want to have the chance to find out what you're looking for, steer you towards their inventory, and convince you that they offer superior service in addition to value pricing.

That's fine as a sales tactic and it certainly works if you have a pretty good sales team, but it does become opaque and prevents you from doing much research to determine if a specific vendor is above market, or offering a really good deal. (The very same reasons that most cosmetic practices don't post pricing.)

So, why don't cosmetic laser resellers post their prices?

1. They don't actually offer competitive pricing. 
   The internet makes for a very efficient pricing market for products. The difference you will pay for a hard drive from Amazon or Tiger Direct is mere pennies since they're 'commodities'. Cosmetic lasers and IPLs are not quite in that category but there is a know market for these devices and all of the resellers know it. After all, they have to buy their inventory as part of their business. If you're not offering really competitive pricing, buyers will see that almost immediately and you'll loose them for others who are looking for the lowest price.
   
   Recommendation: Avoid. You're going to want to determine if their pricing is high because they actually a primer offering (below), or they're just overpriced. If you get the feeling that they're not being completely above-board, avoid them and move on. There are lots of vendors and you're going to be relying on building a real relationship that's transparent.
    
2. They consider themselves a premier offering.
   The sellers position is that they offer much more than just the machine. There's the quality of the information, the expertise and detail of the refurbishment and quality check, the guarantee and service after the sell. Every physician buyer is going to be on the phone and want to feel reassured that they're getting all of that and publishing the price just means that they're not got to get the chance to talk to that doc and build a relationship. They're trying to keep the 'tire kickers' out of their sales cycle since they probably won't win those deals anyway and they suck up a lot of time.
   
   Recommendation: Worth considering. This one might not be bad for you if you're looking for a lot of hand-holding and support. Just be clear about what they're providing. Everyone (almost) says they're a premium service. They should be very clear about what they're going to do and what you can expect. It will be up to you to discern if they are, or if they're just masquerading as one.
    
3. They don't have the specific laser they're advertising and that you're calling about.
   Sellers just want the call. They can get pretty much anything but keeping inventory is expensive. It makes a lot of sense to advertise that you have everything and if a potential buyer calls, you have plenty of options to kick the can down the road just a little until you can either buy the laser they're asking about, or switch them to something you have in stock. 
   
   Recommendation: Avoid. They're injecting themselves into your search and transaction and you won't be able to count on their recommendations. 
    
4. They're profiling you before quoting a price.
   Sellers have the internet too and they use it, sometimes while you're on the phone. They're looking you up and making a guesstimate of your practice, income and needs. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but since you're a consumer facing business they can find out a lot of information in a very short period of time.
   
   Recommendation: Be careful and ask questions. You're going to get a vibe based on where the conversation goes. If you think that they're not being honest or forthcoming in any way.. probably best to end the conversation and find someone else.
    
5. They're just being lazy.
   Keeping pricing up to date is something of a headache, especially if you have a lot of inventory. Just throwing up a few stock photos of a XEO or Starlux with a "call for pricing" message is easy.
   
   Recommendation: Avoid. Something's not right here if they can't get their act together enough to actually manage their own inventory. Probably not someone you can rely on to go the extra mile.
    
6. They're running a link farm.
   Some of the larger resellers have many sites for the same business. They do this to try and generate a lot of leads by dominating the search engine rankings with multiple listings. In some cases they have separate phone numbers so that you may not know that you're looking at the same company. In most cases they're not really trying to hide this but it does cloud the waters since you can't really find everyone in the space who might have the device you're looking for. They're not posting prices since it's just too much work to make sure they're synced across all of these sites.
   
   Recommendation: This isn't really unethical but it is confusing, and it can be expensive. These companies are usually larger which means that they are more difficult to negotiate with and it's more of a transactional relationship.

Should you look for cosmetic laser resellers who post their prices?

In general I would say yes. While there are a lot of resellers and your experience will depend largely on the individuals you're dealing with, there are worthwhile reasons to feel more confident with the increased transparency that being able to see the actual price before you contact them. Here are two examples of cosmetic laser resellers who show their prices:

• Rock Bottom Lasers in Phoenix Arizona - Owner: Vin Wells - A smaller hands-on reseller with a great reputation but not the sexiest website. Vin has run clinics in the past and is extremely knowledgeable about running a clinic in addition to cosmetic lasers.
• Sentient Lasers in Kamas Utah - CEO: Chris Cella  - Sentient is a somewhat larger vendor that also has a great reputation.

Note: Medical Spa MD has no financial relationship with Rock Bottom Lasers or Sentient Lasers. We just like these guys and they have good reputations.

Do you have a cosmetic laser, IPL, or other equipment that you want to sell? You can contact a laser reseller or you can sell it yourself on the classified ads site for members at http://ad.medicalspamd.com

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Medical Spa MD Classified Ads

We're re-launching the classified ads for cosmetic clinic owners to let you buy and sell your used devices. IPL's, cosmetic lasers, RF devices, services and even entire clinics have a place to find a new home.

The 'classified ad' section of the site was a great start when it was first launched years ago and we're happy to say that hundreds of lasers and IPL's and even cliincs transited the site, but truth be told, it's suffered from some neglect. Since it was free to post it attracted a fair amount of spam and junk. We decided that it was worth fixing, so we started fresh and revamped the site.

The new site (http://ad.medicalspamd.com) will now charge $10 for a 30 day listing and $97 for a full year. That should be enough to keep the spammers at bay but be negligable for members who are really looking to sell a device or service. After all, if you're selling a $90k IPL, a $10 classified ad listing is probably the best deal you're ever going to see. 

You can always access this through the "Classifieds" link in the main menu above. Additionally, we reserve the right to delete listings that we don't like for any reason or for no reason, especially if we think it's spam.

To create a classified ad and sell your laser or IPL.

To create a classified ad you'll have to create a new account since it's on a separate platform and manages a different system. (Sorry about that.) You'll be able to sort and filter depending upon what you're looking for since there are a number of categories; Cosmetic Lasers, Fractional Lasers, IPL, RF devices, equipment, business services, miscellaneous and even medspas and clinics for sale. 

Don't worry if there's not a massive selection right now. It will grow.

1. Create a new account on the classifieds site: http://ad.medicalspamd.com
2. Post your ad. (Make sure it's good if you want it to sell.)
3. Go through the pament process.

That's pretty much it. You can log in to that account to change/edit your ad any time you want, and all payment and communications will take place outside of the system. (You'll be responsible for that after the initial contact.) Simple, simple, simple.

Notes:

• Once we have a few ads up we'll be sending a selection from the classifieds out during our weekly emails to all members so we'll take care of that too.
• We have members worldwide. Take that into account when you're browsing or selling.

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New Advancements In Cosmetic Lasers (2017)

Cosmetic laser technology has continuously advanced over the years, and many physicians have noted the progress in the past few years.

The American Association of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting was held in March. One common topic according to the AAD articles is the advancement and improvement of aesthetic laser devices. Aesthetic laser devices can target skin and facial conditions, even allowing multiple treatments on one device.

Dr. Michael Gold, a renowned dermatologist, spoke in a symposium, noting the significant changes of the current aesthetic devices.

Aesthetic companies like Syneron, is gearing up to release new devices and make improvements with their current devices. In addition, Cutera introduced PICO Genesis last December that treats skin pigmentation, which also enhances the patient’s skin complexion.

Two doctors from the AAD conference has noted that laser will improve further in the future. Dr. Chapas said that there are studies being conducted over the use of a picolaser for other cosmetic purposes other than laser hair removal. Additionally, Dr. Waibel mentioned that research is also done to examine other laser uses.

The dermatologist added she is aware that new technology are being developed such as the free electron laser, which has promising uses for the medical sector.

It is expected that lasers will continue to develop in aesthetic medicine. What are your expectations for aesthetic or cosmetic lasers in the future?

References:

Thinking of a Picosecond Laser? Do I need one and which one to buy.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/syneron-candela-announces-new-technology-and-indications-at-the-2017-american-academy-of-dermatology-aad-annual-meeting-300416266.html

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cutera-launches-new-pico-genesis-treatment-with-enlighten-300373489.html

http://dermatologytimes.modernmedicine.com/dermatology-times/news/advances-lasers-light-sources-0

http://www.healio.com/aesthetics/laser-procedures/news/online/%7B8048864e-2466-4db7-a033-17ea4f3df1a9%7D/recently-approved-aesthetic-devices-improve-on-previous-generations

http://www.mdedge.com/edermatologynews/article/134277/aesthetic-dermatology/video-picowave-laser-uses-are-expanding-beyond

Lynton Lasers & 3Juve

Lynton Lasers introduced 3Juve, using a three-step treatment to combat the signs of aging. It equips and combines three popular technologies: laser, intense pulse light (IPL), and radiofrequency (RF). Lynton proposes three steps in using all the methods, Resurface, Rebright, and Remodel.

The Resurface process tackles on skin renewal and the reduction of fine lines and wrinkles through collagen fibers. Rebright uses IPL in which it targets the pigmentation. Finally, Remodel makes use of the radiofrequency that will help tighten the skin.

Dr. Askari, a UK based doctor, is one of the first to use 3Juve on his patients says:

“The great thing about this means that my patients can get a truly customisable, individual program, created by myself and my staff that will last them several weeks giving them the best possible results.”

Combining technologies is not unheard of, and a study shows that with IPL and RF, patients are able to see positive results. This study, referenced below, used IPL, continuous RF, and ablative RF. In the research, the disappearance of fine lines and wrinkles were successful using those three technologies.

Findings:

• Lesion score: Pigmentation change after 6 weeks = 40%
• Found: mild erythema and edema for all and had been treated after one day
• 100% improvement in wrinkling

However, with this research they claim reduced pigmentation had least improvement. The authors of the research agree that all the technologies used to treat signs of aging are safe and effective.

In another study, it notes the importance of using light-based technologies for skin treatment.

The authors acknowledge IPL’s efficacy on pigmentation:

“IPL devices have also been used to treat benign pigmented lesions including ephelides and solar lentigines, with significant lesional improvement observed after a series of monthly treatments.”

In the same study, laser resurfacing have achieved best results with improvement and recovery.

Studies are somewhat light, but have shown potential as a new non-surgical treatment that would lessen any incidence of signs of aging in the long run.

Studies:

Gold et al., 2016   
Husain and Alster, 2016

Debunking the Top Myths About Medical Laser Procedures

Many don’t understand the concept of a laser treatment, which is why they assume that laser procedures are unsafe.  With time, such misconceptions have become myths. In this post, we’ll debunk the  most significant and common myths associated with laser treatments.

The technology—Cosmetic Lasers are still in the Early Primitive Stages. 

Many laser applications are taken for granted these days. We understand that a few laser technologies such as fiber optics, lighting displays, printers, and bar code readers are new; but we can’t think similarly for medical lasers, especially the cosmetic ones. For your knowledge, the first laser treatment was carried out by Leon Goldman, a dermatologist, in 1962.

Lasers are unnecessary because similar benefits can be experienced by skincare products as well

Many skincare products make very bold claims despite very few products that can actually deliver on their promises.  With medical laser equipment, it’s quite the opposite – laser manufacturers can’t make any claims on the effectiveness of their equipment without the approval from the Food and Drug Adminisration to support those claims.  In fact, medical laser equipment remains unmarketable until it has received approval from the FDA for the claim it is making – whether it be laser hair removal or skin rejuvenation.

Laser treatments can cause thinning of skin

The fact is that lasers let skin to become neither thin nor weak. Actually, properly controlled laser skin treatments can replace damaged skin with fresh collagen. Even the medical aesthetic lasers for sale are checked thoroughly by leading resellers/sellers before making the final delivery.

So, with this post, we hope we have dispelled many of the common myths surrounding used medical lasers.

Why it’s best to buy used aesthetic laser equipment

If you’re thinking to buy a brand new cosmetic laser machine, you require a lot of financial resources. That is why many clinics and hospitals rely on buying secondhand laser equipment because it isn’t highly priced.

Through this post, we’ll enlighten you about the benefits that you can gain after buying used quality aesthetic laser equipment from an established reseller.

Low price

As we’ve mentioned earlier, new aesthetic laser equipment is very expensively priced. Which is why, if you’ve got budgetary constraints, you can only buy a secondhand one. Nevertheless, many businesspeople assume that a secondhand machine will not perform. This belief is false only when you buy the laser equipment from a reliable seller/reseller. That is, you’ll spend less and gain quality—the best of both worlds!

Quality control

Now, this point can only be claimed by a leading reseller such as Rock Bottom Lasers. A well-known reseller will always check the machine—in terms of safety and functionality—thoroughly. A reliable reseller, who’s in the business for a long time, will have a team of quality testers. This team will check the machine against several quality standards before making the final delivery.

By keeping these three points in mind, many business owners (doctors, dermatologists, hospitals, and skincare clinics) have taken the decision to buy a used cosmetic laser machine rather than a new one.

Points to remember before buying used medical lasers

You are into the business of aesthetic treatment, and your happiness knows no bounds whenever you see an ad with a title “Medical Lasers for Sale!” We understand your joy as buying a new medical laser system can cost a small fortune; plus, its high depreciation cost is a put off as well. But do not presume that buying a used medical laser is a cakewalk. This buying process is a bit complex and requires you to remember a few points. Let us read up on these points, now.

• Check whether the laser machine is properly maintained or not. If possible, try to get the machine’s refurbishing or maintenance schedule from the reseller as well. Also, crosscheck each and every part (handpieces and fibers) of medical laser systems before buying.
• Before making the payment, try to get a demo (including all the working features) of the machine.
• Also, check if any prior installation is required during the time you will install the machine in your med spa business, clinic, or hospital. If yes, hire a trained professional to do the installation work.
• Check the seller’s facility before buying the equipment. You should not solely rely on the information (about the equipment) that is available on his/her website.
• Ensure that each and every warranty document related to the laser equipment is authentic and up to date.
• Last but not least, try to contact the reseller’s previous customers or go through their testimonials to know the quality of the offered equipment.

So, we hope you will remember, if not all, some of these points before buying used medical lasers.

Which are the three medical lasers in demand today?

Everyone yearns for having the charm and good looks, and there is nothing wrong in it. To fulfill this desire of many, aesthetic medicine was developed. Aesthetic medicines use cosmetic treatments that are minimally invasive to beautify physical appearances; the concept has gained traction in the late 90s.

Presently, you will find many undergoing laser-based aesthetic procedures. In 2013 alone, close to 23 million laser-based aesthetic procedures were done. That is, lasers are popular when it comes to carrying out aesthetic treatments. Now, let us go through three of the most popular laser systems that are used in aesthetic treatment.

Solid state laser systems

The system deploys solid matrix to distribute lasing material. The solid state system uses solid state gain media (crystals or glass). Moreover, the system generates output powers, ranging from milliwatts to kilowatts and has two components—electronics and optics.

Dye laser systems

In this system, the gain medium is dye (that is a liquid solution). Machine operators of this system use different solvents—dimethyl sulfoxide, p-dioxane, and ethanol—for laser dyes. Generally, the operators buy powdered dyes that are made into solutions having the desired concentration.

Diode laser systems

Primarily used in medical diagnostics, a diode laser system emits radiation in a visible spectrum or an infrared spectrum whenever current goes through it. The system can be categorized into two types—low power diode laser (used for soft tissue treatments) and high power diode laser (used for medical aesthetics and dentistry).

The popularity of these machines has persuaded many clinics and hospitals to own medical lasers. But qualified and experienced equipment operators and experts recommend used cosmetic lasers because new laser equipment has high depreciation charges.

Owing to this reason, the demand for companies offering quality medical lasers for sale is pressing. So, whenever you are planning to get one of these machines for your clinic or hospital, just rely on used laser machines rather than new ones.

PicoWay: FDA Approved Laser for Removal of Tattos and Benign Pigmented Lesions

Here's some good news for patients who want to remove their tattoos and cosmetic surgeons alike: the Food and Drug Administration's has approved of Syneron Candela's PicoWay, a dual-wavelength picosecond laser.

It is estimated that about 25% of the population in the United States have tattoos and about 50% of them want to have their tattoos removed.

The newly FDA approved PicoWay enables the removal of recalcitrant and multi-colored tattoos, as well as benign pigmented lesions on any skin.

According to the Syneron Candela's site, the PicoWay works by delivering ultra-short picosecond pulses of energy to the tissues. The burst of energy create a photo-chemical impact which breaks up the tattoo ink or pigmentation into smaller and more easily eliminated particles. 

Some of the advantages of using PicoWay include its use of dual wavelengths and its ability to treat wide range of tattoos. It claims also to have the shortest picosecond pulses, that is 40% shorter, making it more effective while lowering risks or other side effects.

As early as 1965, Q-switched lasers were already used. These types of lasers produce a very short laser pulse in nanosecond range. This is the most commonly used laser in clinical practice. As Q-switched lasers come in three types, there is a tendency that there will be a need to use another type of laser, rather than owning just one of them to completely remove a patient's tattoo.

To remedy this, physicians shrink the spot size and increase energy deposits which significantly lead to the probability of producing a scar.

Compared to Q-switched lasers, Dr.Shimon Eckhouse of PicoWay says that:

Scientists acknowledge that shorter pulse duration lead to higher efficiency for converting laser energy needed to fracture particles into fragments. Smaller fragments mean that it is easier for the body to effectively remove it. Q-switch technology requires numerous treatment sessions, causes significant discomfort during treatment and incompletely removes tattoos and pigmented lesions.

Picosecond technology has ultra-short pulse durations that are 100 times shorter than Q-switch lasers, and in trillionths of a second. 

Read more on:

http://syneron-candela.com/na/product/picoway

The New Medical Spa MD Guide To Aesthetic Laser Platforms Is Out!

The Comparative Guide to Aesthetic Laser Platforms is now available for free to all Medical Spa MD Members.

Choosing which aesthetic platform you're going to build your clinic or medical spa around is one of the most important, and expensive, decisions that you're going to make. Switching costs are high and if you make a mistake, you're going to be regretting it for a long, long time.

Included Laser Platforms:

• Alma Harmony
• Palomar Icon
• Syneron elos Plus
• Cutera Xeo
• Sciton Joule
• Syneron Emax

This first edition guide offers a starting point for physicians and clinics who are just beginning to research the purchase of a platform, or as a resource for dotors who are in the market but want to know what else might be available. We've done much of the preliminary leg work for you by taking six popular platfroms from Palomar, Sciton, Alma, Cutera and Syneron and comparing them across a number of treatment modalities.

We've also included links throughout the guide to the discussion forums on each platform for deeper investigation that allows you to ask questions directly from other physicians who own that specific laser, as well as discuss other important purchasing decisions around consumables (which can be a significant cost) and support (which can be critical).

Download this free aesthetic lasers report >

Medical Spa MD Guide to Aesthetic Laser Platforms

Note: While there are dozens of laser and IPL systems that might have been included, we started with thise six since they're all "multi-purpose" platforms with wide utility, widely available around the world, and are generally well known. If you represent a cosmetic laser company and would like to be included in future reports, please contact us.

Do you have a suggestion to improve our services or an idea for as research project you think we should be doing? Would you like to be interviewed, or sponsor a report? Please contact us.

Our contributing physician list is growing fast. Thank you to the physicians and clinics who have contributed to this report.

Also: Please feel free to distribute, email, link to, tweet, post or send this report to anyone who may be interested as long as you do not modify or change the report in any way.

Palomar Icon Aesthetic System

Some information about the Palomar Icon system from the upcoming Comparative Report for Aesthetic Laser Platforms.

We're writing a new report for Members that compares the most used aesthetic laser platforms. One of the most popular platforms, at least in the US, is the Palomar Icon.

There are always discussions around the Palomar Icon and other cosmetic lasers in the forums.

About The Palomar Icon Aesthetic System

The Palomar Icon Aesthetic System builds on Palomar’s 20 year history of creating quality aesthetic technology.  The platform itself is powerful and compact, offering a max power of 1600 VA.  Offering nine applicators, this system is modular and able to perform common treatments such as hair removal, leg vein treatment, wrinkle treatment, and fractional ablative and non-ablative skin resurfacing.  Unfortunately there is no application for lipolysis available.  The us

er interface screen is relatively small but includes treatment tracking software to improve feedback during treatment.

The Palomar System includes the only FDA- cleared melanin reader available.  Known as Skintel, this reader allows quantitative determination of the average melanin density of the skin prior to treatment.  The system also takes advantage of increased surface coverage over its competitors allowing for greater overall effective energy and faster treatment time.   The Palomar system can complete a full face single pass high speed non-ablative fractional resurfacing in less than fifteen minutes.

Overall patient comfort is optimized by adjustable cooling technology.  By maintaining a treatment temperature of five degrees Celsius skin damage is minimized and your patient is more comfortable.  In addition, dual filters minimize excess epidermal exposure and further enhance patient comfort.

Used Palomar Icon Systems are available online, however quantities are limited.  Pricing varies depending upon the age and configuration of the machine.  

Laser/IPL Procedures For Patients With Skin Cancer History

There was a recent posted question on the American Board of Laser Surgery's website about treating a patient who has had basal cell carcinoma (BCC) in the past with a treatment like IPL.

This is obviously a controversial topic for sure!

My protocol (remembering that I am a surgeon) is that anyone with a history of skin cancer must have a full body skin cancer screening in the last six months by their dermatologist prior to me treating them. I must have a letter from that dermatologist stating that there is no active cancer anywhere on the skin and no suspicious lesions that need to be followed. Obviously, if there was a h/o skin cancer on an area I am NOT treating with IPL or laser, I just want a full body check and then we're good. If there is a previous lesion IN the area I am treating, then after dermatology clearance, I have a strong talk with the patient discussing the fact that treatmetns that potentially depigment lesions can mask the warning signs of a potential or growing cancer. They sign separately in consent their understanding and acceptance of risk and wish to proceed with the cosmetic treatment.

This particular question was regarding a simple IPL treatment for a cosmetic concern in a patient that had had h/o BCC in another area. If cleared, you would be fine to treat the cosmetic condition. I did not want anyone reading this to think that I was indicating that the IPL was meant to actually treat the BCC. I do think that it can be preventative of precancers buy removing damaged pigment cells and pigment, but that is obviously an impossible study. Hope that helps!