Topics List
Hair Removal
Q: How does
the Lightsheer Diode Laser System work?
A: The
system emits near-infrared laser light
that is absorbed by the pigment located
in the hair follicle. The laser is
pulsed, or turned on, for only a
fraction of a second. The duration of
each pulse is just long enough to damage
the follicle, while the system's unique,
patented contact-cooling handpiece, the
ChillTip, helps protect the skin by
conductive cooling during the laser
energy delivery.
Q: What
advantages does the LightSheer have over
other laser hair removal systems?
A: The
LightSheer Diode Laser System was
designed from the ground up for laser
hair removal, so it has the wavelength,
fluence, pulse width, and active
epidermal cooling system—the ChillTip
ideally suited for laser hair removal.
The system is small, compact, and (in
some models) portable, so it fits well
into virtually every type of existing
practices. The system's solid state
construction makes it durable; it's
state-of-the-art user interface makes it
easy to use. Finally, Lumenis has been
in the business of making medical and
cosmetic lasers for more than 30 years,
so we've been able to develop
unparalleled service and support—from
our extensive training and practice
building resources to our stand-alone
systems' 24-hour replacement service
(not available everywhere in the world).
No other hair removal system offers the
same combination of product excellence
and customer service and support.
Q: Why
should I use the LightSheer Diode Laser
System rather than the methods I've been
using for years?
A: The
LightSheer Diode Laser System's design
provides for enhanced comfort during
treatment, minimal risk of infection,
speed and accuracy. Since the system
uses a unique cooling handpiece, it
minimizes skin irritation that other
methods may create. Since it is
non-invasive (no needles to penetrate
the skin), the risk of introducing
bacteria into the skin is reduced.
Because the system is fast, it allows
for larger areas to be treated,
considerably increasing the efficiency
of the hair removal process, which
allows more patients to be treated
during a typical day. Finally, the
LightSheer Diode Laser is a precise
instrument that can be adjusted to
damage only the hair follicle while
minimally affecting the surrounding
skin.
Q: Does the
LightSheer work on tanned or different
skin colors?
A: The
LightSheer diode laser system safely and
effectively treats all skin types
(Fitzpatrick Skin Types I-VI) as well as
tanned skin. For darker skin types and
people with tans, appropriate fluences
are generally lower and appropriate
pulse widths are generally longer to
prevent damage to the epidermis. Using
the appropriate treatment parameters,
however, people with all skin types can
benefit from laser hair removal with the
LightSheer.
Q: Are the
Results Permanent?
A: The
LightSheer laser has been cleared by the
FDA for hair removal and permanent hair
reduction on all skin types and tanned
skin. To achieve a satisfactory level
of clearance, 3-5 treatments are
typically required.
IPL Skin
Treatments Using Photorejuvenation
Q: What are
IPL Skin Treatments using
Photorejuvenation?
A: Lumenis
IPL Technology improves the appearance
of photoaged skin, removes age spots
(sun-induced freckles), most benign
brown pigments, redness caused by broken
capillaries and gives the skin a
smoother, more even tone through a
process called Photorejuvenation for
face and body. IPL Skin Treatments using
Photorejuvenation help restore a more
youthful appearance without the patient
downtime.
Q: Are
patients satisfied with the results of
this gentler, more delicate approach?
A: IPL
Skin Treatments using Photorejuvenation
are recognized for a very high measure
of patient satisfaction. Patients are
very pleased with treatment results
because the process treats the full
face, neck, chest or hands, rather than
addressing a single isolated area or
imperfection. With a series of
treatments, IPL technology can help
restore a more youthful appearance
without patient downtime or a prolonged
recovery necessary after other types of
treatments.
Q: How does
Ultrapulse skin resurfacing work?
A: The
UltraPulse Encore is a CO2
laser designed to offer the versatility
of both deep and light - minimal
downtime, skin resurfacing. The
wavelength of light emitted by a CO2
laser is very well absorbed by water in
the skin. “Ultrapulses” of the laser
vaporize lines, wrinkles, scars, dark
spots and other irregularities, layer by
layer. This process also stimulates the
formation over time of new, underlying
collagen to provide better elasticity
and support for the skin.
With upper
eyelid blepharoplasty, the CO2
laser removes loose skin, and if
present, fat pads. On the lower lid, fat
pads are removed with no visible
incision and no stitches. Because the
laser beam seals blood vessels as it
touches them, the physician can clearly
judge how much tissue to remove, and
there is less swelling and bruising than
with traditional eyelifts.
Q: Can CO2
laser technology be used less invasively
for treating milder indications?
A:With
Lumenis' CO2 laser
technology, skin resurfacing is so
precise that you can tailor treatment
according to the nature and extent of
photodamage, wrinkling, skin type and
individual requirements for recovery
time. For instance, the Active-FX peel
using the unique CO2 Lite
feature allows you to achieve a
superficial laser peel with just one
pass. CO2 Lite utilizes
fluences that are below the ablation
threshold and with a single pass imparts
intraepidermal coagulation that is
confined to the epidermis with little to
no thermal injury in the dermis. In
addition, the CoolScan program on the
CPG places pulses in such a manner as to
minimize thermal conduction of heat to
deeper tissues and reduce the recovery
period. The epidermis is typically left
intact and serves as a natural wound
dressing. The coagulated epidermis
sloughs off in 3-5 days. Downtime is
typically 4-7 days and offer substantial
results. Offering both superior results
for treating deep wrinkles and the
ability to achieve controlled
superficial resurfacing, the UltraPulse
Encore is the most logical choice for an
"all-in-one" resurfacing laser.
Q: What
results can my patients expect, and how
long will the benefits of treatment
last?
A: Laser
resurfacing can restore your patient's
skin to a healthy state, similar to that
of skin that has not experienced sun
damage or scarring. With proper sun
protection, results can persist for more
than five years. In areas where muscle
activity is strong, lines may begin to
reappear sooner. After laser eyelid
surgery, the cosmetic improvement is
usually sustained. Typically, only one
blepharoplasty procedure is needed to
remove excess skin and fat pads. As skin
continues to age at a normal rate, you
may advise your patient to maintain
results with a 'touch-up' resurfacing
treatment. In any event, with cosmetic
laser surgery you will have definitively
'turned back the clock.'
Q: What are
the advantages of using authentic CO2
vs. erbium lasers with extended pulse
widths?
A: A
bilateral study comparing resurfacing
with long pulse erbium:YAG followed by
traditional short-pulse erbium ablation
to UltraPulse CO2 followed by
short-pulse erbium ablation (Rostan E,
Goldman M, Fitzpatrick R. Laser
Resurfacing With a Dual-Mode, Long-Pulse
Erbium:YAG Laser Compared to the 950-µs
Pulsed CO2 Laser. Am J
Cosmetic Surg. 2000; 17(4):227-231.)
found that there was no statistical
difference in healing between the two
sides and in 5 patients (26%), greater
clinical improvement in periorbital
lines, perioral lines, or both was noted
on the UltraPulse CO2 side.
(A reprint of this article can be
ordered from the Lumenis web site,
Lumenis Lit. # 5448).
The value of
utilizing authentic CO2:
-
When
addressing moderate to severe
wrinkles, true high-energy
short-pulsed CO2
technology has proven to be the
superior modality.
-
Physicians
report that continued, progressive
improvement in solar elastosis is
seen post UltraPulse CO2
laser resurfacing.
-
The hemostatic
effect only afforded by CO2
provides superior visualization of
clinical endpoints.
-
For surgical
incisions, the cutting ability of CO2
is unsurpassed.
Leg Veins
Q: What are
the advantages of Lumenis' Nd:YAG
technology?
A:
Lumenis' proprietary Nd:YAG technology
provides multiple synchronized pulsing
to selectively heat blood vessels of
different sizes and depths. The
wavelength of light and pulsing
characteristics of the system allow the
energy to be virtually invisible to the
epidermal melanin, thus protecting the
skin and allowing treatment of all skin
types and tanned skin. Normally only a
few pulses of the laser are required to
achieve complete closure and sealing of
the vessels. The sapphire cooled Nd:YAG
treatment head, available in the IPL
Quantum DL and Lumenis One systems (and
as an upgrade to other systems),
increases patient comfort. Multiple spot
sizes available on the Lumenis One
“Multispot” Nd:YAG head allows accurate
targeting of vessels anywhere on the
body including larger telangiectasia on
the face.
Q: How does
high-tech laser/light technology compare
to traditional sclerotherapy?
A: The
combined light sources of IPL and Nd:YAG
offer important benefits over injection
therapy. The combination of IPL and
Nd:YAG therapy allows treatment of
injectable leg veins as well as matting
and small spider vessels that are often
too small to inject. In addition laser /
light therapy is fast, less painful;
minimally invasive without needles; and
typically does not require compression
wrapping.
Microdermabrasion
Q: What does
microdermabrasion do?
A: The
AestiLisse operates in two modes
providing both crystal-free and
crystal-flow microdermabrasion. In
either mode an abrasive medium removes
the stratum corneum giving the skin a
smoother, more radiant glow.
Microdermabrasion is reported to:
diminish the appearance of fine lines
and wrinkles, open and refine pores,
reduce thickened areas of the skin,
reduce comedones, lighten age spots and
other areas of hyperpigmentation and
improve the appearance of acne scars.
Q: Is
aluminum oxide safe?
A:Yes.
It is the material recognized as the
appropriate abradant for the
microdermabrasion procedure. Also, the
Material Safety Data Sheet indicates
that AI2O3, (in various forms known as
Corundum, White Fused Alumina or
Bauxite), is non-toxic for ingestion, is
not associated with adverse skin contact
reactions and is not a known carcinogen.
Vascular and
Pigmented Lesions
Q: What
product solutions are available to treat
vascular lesions?
A:
Depending on the specific nature of the
condition, Lumenis offers two key
solutions for the treatment of benign
vascular lesions. The IPL family,
featuring the IPL Quantum product line
and the Lumenis One platform
successfully treats a broad range of
vascular conditions including
telangiectasia, port wine stains,
hemangiomas, etc. Deeper vascular
lesions can be treated with our Nd:YAG
laser systems available on the IPL
Quantum platform and the Lumenis One.
Q: How do
the Lumenis One and IPL Quantum treat
mature hemangioma?
A:
Mature hemangiomas can be rather thick,
namely part of them is superficial and
part is deep. Lumenis One is equipped
with two treatments heads that can
effectively target the different depths
of the hemangioma. The Nd:YAG head can
be used first to reach the deeper parts
of the lesion, while being marginally
absorbed by the superficial
telangiectasia that often lay on the
surface of the hemangioma. Excessive
heat production is thus eliminated.
Following a few sessions with the
Nd:YAG, the IPL can be used to treat the
remaining superficial blood vessels.
Q: Can the
Lumenis One effectively treat Rosacea?
A:
Although the IPL Quantum can target the
telangiectasia and blush associated with
rosacea, the high power, short pulses
and optimal pulsing technology only
available with the Lumenis One is
believed to result in superior treatment
for the vascular symptoms associated
with rosacea.
Q: Some
pigmented lesions have to be removed
surgically, as they are potentially
harmful. Can they be treated by IPL
instead?
A:
Technically, it is possible to treat
such pigmented lesions with IPL and
diminish their brown color; However,
doing so does not affect the
pre-malignanat cells; it only obscures
them and delays the diagnosis. It is
therefore essential to consult a
dermatologist prior to IPL treatment of
any suspect pigmented lesion.
Q: Can IPL
treat hairy pigmented lesions?
A: Yes,
due to the versatility of filters, IPL
is an effective treatment for hairy
pigmented lesions. IPL with longer
filters can penetrate deeper than IPL
with short filters. Thus, a shorter
filter may be used to treat the
superficial (epidermal) pigmented lesion
while a longer filter may be applied to
remove the hair.
Wrinkles
Q: What type
of facial wrinkles can be treated with
the Aluma Skin Renewal System?
A: In
order of increasing depth, the majority
of the wrinkles treated include the
peri-ocular (crow-feet around the eyes),
peri-oral (around the mouth and upper
lip), on the forehead, glabella (frown
wrinkles) and along the cheeks (smile
wrinkles). Aluma treatment is best
suited for treating fine to moderate
facial wrinkles and skin laxity.
Q: Who can
be treated?
A: Aluma
energy is not effected by skin color,
tanning or any other characteristic.
Anyone wanting to treat mild to moderate
wrinkles and achieve smoother skin can
be treated.
Q: What can
my patients expect?
A: Aluma
treatment is comfortable. A
revolutionary technology called FACES
(Functional Aspiration Controlled
Electrothermal Stimulation) results in
energy deposited deep in the skin
without affecting the skin’s surface and
virtually without pain. Skin is gently
drawn into the tip of the handpiece.
Energy is delivered resulting in a
gentle warming of the deeper layers of
the skin. A treatment typically takes
about 15 minutes.
A series of
treatments are recommended for best
results. Fine lines and skin laxity
improve as new collagen is deposited in
the dermis. Although some improvement
will be seen within a month to a few
months, the skin should continue to
improve for several months after
treatment as new collagen is deposited.
