Cynosure, Inc.

Apogee Elite

By David M. Cauger, Contributing Editor

Cynosure, Inc. revealed the Apogee Elite at the Annual Meeting of American Academy of Dermatology in Washington, D.C., in March of this year. On June 10th I visited Cynosure at their headquarters in Chelmsford, MA, to examine the dual wavelength laser. The Elite is a high-powered variable pulse 1064nm Nd:YAG, and proven variable pulse 755nm Alexandrite in one single unit. This is, without question, the best designed marriage of two long pulse wavelengths in the emerging trend of multi-wavelength aesthetic lasers.

While several companies do offer a 1064/755nm laser, they are lacking in the required fluences on the 1064nm side as well as other critical specifications. The Elite does not share these problems and delivers an impressive 80 J/cm2 with a 10mm spot with the its 1064nm Nd:YAG. The Elite has spot sizes of 3, 5, 7, 10, 12 and 15mm, pulse durations between 0.4ms to 300ms, and repetition rates of up to 5 shots per second. These specifications provide incredible versatility.

For example, it will allow a hair removal treatment of a skin type II patient with a 755nm mode; and in less than 30 seconds, it can be treating reticular leg veins with a 1064nm mode. This is but one scenario which distinguishes the Elite as a first choice laser for those offices that do not currently own a high-powered Nd:YAG or an Alexandrite...

[»] Purchase

CANDELA CORPORATION

GentleYAG

By David M. Cauger, Contributing Editor

Candela Corporation, Wayland, MA (NASDAQ: CLZR) unveiled its new GentleYAG at the Annual Meeting of American Academy of Dermatology in Washington, D.C., last month. There were many rumors from test sites about its immense power and versatility. Needless to say, my first stop at the exhibit hall was to examine this device and question the Candela staff. The staff claimed the unit had maximum peak power of 26,333 watts. This is almost twice that of its major competitor. Furthermore, the GentleYAG is designed to include spot sizes of 1.5mm, 3mm, 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 15mm, and 18mm. Its nearest competitor has a maximum spot size of 10mm, and most other Nd:YAGs max out at 7-8mm.

The long pulsed Nd:YAG can be the single most versatile wavelength for a cosmetic practice because it serves as a very effective hair removal device for all skin types, is a very effective vascular laser, and is fairly effective at non-ablative wrinkle reduction. The problem has been that most long pulsed Nd:YAGs are underpowered and use smaller spot sizes to compensate for this fact. Small spots sizes (less than 10mm) are actually preferable when treating telangectasias and other vascular lesions; but not with human hair, especially deeper seated hairs at 3-5mm in depth...

[»] Purchase

PALOMAR MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

StarLux

By David M. Cauger, Contributing Editor

Palomar Medical Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: PMTI) is scheduled to release the StarLux™, its latest intense pulsed light (IPL) product this June. The StarLux is more precisely a hybrid device because it incorporates a 1064 Nd:YAG laser handpiece along with its numerous IPL handpieces. I visited Palomar headquarters in Burlington, MA, on April 14th to inspect the device and meet with the key scientists and clinical personnel behind the StarLux.

to the meeting I was simply expecting to find Palomar’s top-of-the-line MediLux IPL system upgraded with integrated epidermal contact cooling, touch screen controls, and an Nd:YAG handpiece. While I thought the most important upgrades were the contact sapphire epidermal cooling and the Nd:YAG handpiece, I had no idea what Palomar’s engineers were up to.

Within ten minutes of my arrival I was handed the StarLux specifications in the office of Michael DiToro, Vice President of Marketing. I was immediately struck by the increased fluences and pulse duration in this new system. I had not expected such significant changes, and I was eager to question Palomar’s V.P. Research Gregory Altshuler, Ph.D., D.Sc. about these specifications. As I read further and compared the new specifications with my research materials, I realized that in some cases the maximum fluences are almost twice that of the MediLux. Combined with integrated sapphire epidermal cooling and a true "flat-top" pulse structure, practitioners may take advantage of these higher fluences with significantly reduced chances of side effects...

[»] Purchase

Cutera, Inc.

Titan

By David M. Cauger, Contributing Editor

Cutera, Inc. (Nasdaq: CUTR) has developed a completely new product in the aesthetic device industry. The Titan was developed as a “light-based answer” to radio frequency skintightening devices. I fully understand that other companies (i.e. Lumenis, Syneron, Thermage, etc.) have produced, or are producing RF devices. In upcoming issues I will be covering these devices and the basic principles of bioelectrical impedance in human skin tissue that govern their clinical uses. This article will examine the Titan’s thermal effects on skin tissue and the potential clinical uses which arise from this new technology.

I visited Cutera’s headquarters just outside San Francisco, CA, on August 9th and 10th for an in-depth inspection of the Titan. I spent two full days with the staff of Cutera, with 80% of that time spent in the lab with the engineers and scientists.

The Titan is built on Cutera’s diverse Xeo platform. Its patent pending light source operates between 1100nm and 1800nm targeting water. Please do not mistake this for an IPL handpiece. All known IPL’s have little power beyond 1100nm.

[»] Purchase

Cynosure

Cynergy MultiPlex Technology

By David Cauger, Contributing Editor

Cynosure Inc., (Westford, MA) has developed yet another long pulsed multi-wavelength laser: Cynergy. What makes this laser a first in aesthetic medicine is it produces two wavelengths from the same handpiece at almost the same time. These wavelengths are 595nm (Pulsed Dye) and 1064nm (Nd:YAG). Utilizing the 595nm and the 1064 almost simultaneously creates a new approach from two “gold standard” wavelengths which have been used separately for many years. By combining the two wavelengths from one fiber at specific intervals, Cynergy is destined to become the new standard for treating specific vascular malformations such as port wine stains and may alter the way many other vascular lesions are treated as well. I will explain the mechanisms and my reasoning later in this article.

[»] Purchase