Sponsored by Lutronic;
LaseMD Ultra™ from Lutronic Corporation (Billerica, Mass.) is the next generation of the popular LaseMD™ and its versatile 1927 nm thulium laser. At 20 Watts, it is more powerful than competitors – providing the deepest penetration in its class – but like its predecessor, it is tunable and gentle enough to treat darker skin types and even improve challenging pigment conditions.
Kate Holcomb, MD, a dermatologist in Metairie, La., sees a lot of darker skin types in her region, and needs effective options to treat this patient population. “Originally I was looking for an alternative to hydroquinone for melasma in patients whose condition was highly recalcitrant. What I got was an easy-to-use workhorse. If I had more employees, I would support a second device in my practice.”
Like the original platform, the LaseMD Ultra features a unique, intuitive contact roller handpiece which simplifies and optimizes delivery by tracking. This decreases the likelihood of human error while increasing treatment speed; sessions can be completed in as little as 15 minutes.
“The handpiece is lightweight, ergonomic and easy to handle, making it a lot more comfortable to treat a large area such as the back, but also capable of treating under the eye easily and safely,” Dr. Holcomb mentioned. In addition, the scanner randomly distributes the emission of laser micro-beams to avoid hotspots or the usual visible grid-like pattern. Greatest among the advances seen with the new LaseMD Ultra is its aspherical lens, which permits greater beam diameter (200 to 350 µm) and scan size (up to 6 mm x 10 mm), as well as consistent, precise delivery of laser energy.
Precision and customizability allow treatment of any age or skin type, and downtime can be easily managed. “Patient satisfaction is extremely high, especially among patients who have had previous laser treatments in the past because there is so much less pain and downtime with LaseMD Ultra,” Dr. Holcomb explained. “We have a low-setting treatment we call ‘dusting’ (UltraGlo™ ) that patients say makes them look airbrushed or ‘filtered,’ even among older patients.” She added that LaseMD Ultra can be gentle enough to treat without numbing, allowing for better management of allergic patients or those with more complicated conditions like rosacea or atopic dermatitis.
In Dr. Holcomb’s experience, the device is ideal for combining with other modalities such as microneedling with or without radiofrequency (RF), or platelet-rich fibrin (PRF), which has birthed a popular proprietary protocol in her practice. “We call it ‘Bright Eyes,’” she said. “It takes three sessions, the first two are spaced one month apart, with the final at three to six months. We combine under-eye injections of PRF with periocular treatment using LaseMD Ultra, which the device excels at without compromising safety. Any injection-related bruising is mitigated by the laser treatment. The versatility of the device allows us that kind of creativity.”
Return on investment (ROI) is phenomenal with LaseMD Ultra, according to Dr. Holcomb. “After only one month I was thrilled with it because it was in near-constant use. In our high-volume dermatology practice, it is easy to get medical patients interested in LaseMD Ultra, and it helps differentiate us from competitors. By three months, we had paid off the device, and I have had it for three years now.”
