V page Review of Energy-Based Treatments Adapting to Millennial Patients IMCAS 2018 Preview 2017 Volume 15 Circulation 25,000 www.miinews.com isionary Company Commits to Global Technology Leadership 3
Lutronic Commits to Global Technology Leadership By Jeffrey Frentzen, Executive Editor With 20 years of success as one of the leading laser and energybased device manufacturers, Lutronic Corp. (Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.) is continuing to expand globally into Europe and the U.S., with a clear objective of leaping ahead of competing top tier companies. Lutronic s solid plan to grow its R&D capabilities will ensure the continued delivery of innovative technologies to practices that are eager to adopt its ever-widening range of aesthetic devices. According to Lutronic s CEO, Haelyung Hwang, the company has been reinvesting approximately 20% of its revenues in technology development efforts in order to deliver better products to their customers. Among our peers in the industry we have one of the top in-house technology development teams in the world. And although we have been very conservative about offering our products globally, we now feel that we can make this bold move and increase not only our presence, but also our product offerings. We have a broad range of excellent product lines, as well as highly-qualified managers who can make this growth happen quickly. As a whole, the company s energy-based systems are designed to address practically any indication. Having already cornered the Asia-Pacific markets, Lutronic has the momentum to overcome the competition with next-generation laser, radiofrequency (RF) and other light-based technologies. Lutronic is one of the best hidden secrets in the aesthetic industry, expressed Omar Ibrahimi, M.D., Ph.D., founder and medical director of the Connecticut Skin Institute in Stamford, Connecticut, U.S. Their systems are well built and reliable. I think the company is committed to building faster and more powerful devices across a wide spectrum of technology platforms. They are seeking to advance virtually every product they have and I am impressed with this ambitious desire to continually improve. With the purchase of a Lutronic device comes the real golden egg, which is the company itself and the service support, expressed Gilly S. Munavalli, M.D., M.H.S., F.A.C.M.S., founder and medical director of Dermatology, Laser & Vein Specialists of the Carolinas (Monroe, North Carolina, U.S.). I ve found in the years I ve been using these devices, I don t really need a lot on the maintenance side, but in terms of setting them up, the training, the updates, the ability to speak to Lutronic s marketing representatives, and even at a technical level, my experience has been unparalleled. Any time my staff or I have questions about using the devices, they are always available. I think that s so important when purchasing a device. Haelyung Hwang CEO Lutronic Boston, MA, USA Gilly S. Munavalli, M.D., M.H.S., F.A.C.M.S. Founder and Medical Director Dermatology, Laser & Vein Specialists of the Carolinas Monroe, NC, USA Steven Weiner, M.D. Facial Plastic Surgeon Destin, FL, USA Tatjana Pavicic, M.D. Dermatologist Munich, Germany Omar Ibrahimi, M.D., Ph.D. Founder and Medical Director Connecticut Skin Institute Stamford, CT, USA Saleem Loghdey, M.B.Ch.B. (U.C.T.), F.C. Derm (SA), C.C.S.T. (U.K.), F.A.C.D. Dermatologist and Mohs Surgeon Miranda, New South Wales, Australia Bettina Rümmelein, M.D. Dermatologist Owner House of Skin and Laser Medicine Zurich, Switzerland Laurence Imhof, M.D. Head of the Division of Esthetic Dermatology, Laser Medicine and Photodermatology University Hospital Zurich Zurich, Switzerland 3
For Saleem Loghdey, M.B.Ch.B. (U.C.T), F.C. Derm (SA), C.C.S.T. (U.K.), F.A.C.D., a dermatologist and Mohs surgeon in Miranda, New South Wales, Australia, This is a company I m very happy to deal with, especially in the non-surgical rejuvenation area. A lot of the bases are covered with Lutronic systems. Aesthetics is a growing market and I believe most practices will want to be a part of it. I think Lutronic is the way to go in terms of acquiring these types of systems for your practice. system s Hollywood Peel is a very quick, no downtime procedure to rejuvenate the face using a proprietary carbon-based lotion that is placed on the patient and penetrates the skin to several microns. Then you apply the laser, which pulls off around 7 to 10 microns of skin and makes the skin glow. As well, the Clarity is an exceptional hair removal system, which has an Alexandrite and a 1064 nm wavelength. The Alexandrite wavelength is used to address pigmentary problems, Dr. Weiner continued. Additionally, the company s Healite LED-based system promotes faster healing and decreased inflammation. Popular systems include the INFINI fractional RF-based device, which features a unique method of delivering RF energy. The eco2 laser-based platform incorporates Lutronic s patented Controlled Chaos Technology (CCT), which delivers multiple arrays of randomized microscopic laser beams to the skin for a more natural, uniform treatment that prevents bulk thermal damage caused by conventional linear delivery methods. Clarity is a versatile, dual wavelength Alexandrite and Nd:YAG laser for hair removal, pigmentation, vascular lesions and more. Also, the Spectra provides a dual mode Q-switched Nd:YAG laser that offers customizable parameters, built-in safety and minimized downtime using four distinct Q-switched mode wavelengths (1064 nm, 532 nm, 585 nm and 650 nm). The entire product line is very well priced in comparison to other manufacturers, as well, noted Steven Weiner, M.D., a facial plastic surgeon in Destin, Florida, U.S. It is a little known fact that the Spectra is the biggest selling laser system in the world. It does everything from treating tattoos, pigmentation, all types of congenital nevi and more, he said. Additionally, the Before and six months after one INFINI full face treatment Photos courtesy of Edmond Griffin, M.D. Before and after INFINI full face treatment Photos courtesy of Gilly S. Munavalli, M.D., M.H.S., F.A.C.M.S. Acne scars before and after INFINI treatment Photos courtesy of Swapnil Shah, M.D. 6
According to Bettina Rümmelein, M.D., a dermatlogist and owner of House of Skin and Laser Medicine (Zurich, Switzerland), I saw my first Lutronic device, the eco2, at a congress. Each system I ve acquired has had a very positive influence in my clinic Spectra for tattoos; the extremely versatile Clarity; and the INFINI system, which is an outstanding device, and unique in the market. Not only are the Lutronic devices exceptionally versatile, but they are built with care. What I like most about Lutronic systems is their design, they are very easy to move and they always work. I use all my devices every day, and I perform about 40 treatments per day. They are very reliable systems. Before and after one LaseMD treatment Photos courtesy of Gilly S. Munavalli, M.D., M.H.S., F.A.C.M.S. Lutronic s new vaginal rejuvenation application, the Action II is a multipurpose fractional Erbium:YAG laser that received CE mark clearance for treatment of vaginal relaxation syndrome and stress urinary incontinence. The treatment is non-surgical, non-invasive and easy to perform, allowing practitioners to effectively treat a wide-range of vulvovaginal symptoms and conditions, stated Dr. Weiner. I think we are just scratching the surface with this device, because it can also work well for ablative skin resurfacing. On the vaginal rejuvenation side, it offers a quicker process that is very well tolerated by patients and achieves better results than competing systems. There are also potential combination therapies that use the INFINI and the Erbium laser. Other newer systems include the novel LaseMD, a Thulium laser that is changing the way the world thinks about non-ablative technology. This device is an advanced laser system that is designed to Before and after three LaseMD treatments Photos courtesy of Steven Swangel, M.D. work in concert with specially formulated cosmeceutical compounds, which are delivered into the skin via micro-wounds that are created by the LaseMD laser. The LaseMD creates a great niche for Lutronic, said Dr. Weiner. While the Spectra and INFINI have been solid systems for some time, Lutronic has done a great job with technology development efforts, such as laser resurfacing with the introduction of the LaseMD, without using topical anesthesia. Tatjana Pavicic, M.D., a dermatologist in Munich, Germany, utilizes the LaseMD system practically every day, Because it does not need any preparation time and has almost no patient downtime, she said. Due to its non-invasive treatment and the ability to interact with cosmeceuticals, you can use it on any skin type and patients of all ages. It also works well for different indications, from pigmentary problems to anti-aging and even treating superficial wrinkles. I also use the eco2 laser, which is effective for skin resurfacing and tightening, as well as treating acne scars. Adding body sculpting to the company s lineup of products, the new encurve device features an advanced form of RF-based energy that utilizes a specialized frequency (27.12 MHz) to selectively target and heat adipocytes to the optimal temperature to cause denaturation of cells, thus leading to adipocyte death. 7
The encurve is an interesting device that completes Lutronic s portfolio with a body contouring system, said Dr. Weiner. And it is quite powerful, as well. In Dr. Loghdey s experience, the encurve is becoming more popular with people. This will be a system to watch. It is a new technology that patients are just starting to learn about. encurve fills a very real need because a lot of patients are looking for noninvasive treatments to address body shape, size and weight. No other system is as effective when talking about this particular type of RF. The encurve is efficacious, with minimal downtime. Another new product, the Picoplus picosecond laser system, perhaps best epitomizes the company s approach to taking aesthetic technology to the next level. The Picoplus is more powerful than any other picosecond laser on the market, stated Dr. Weiner. It has four wavelengths, a variety of spot sizes and a fractional component for skin rejuvenation. It is good for Asian skin rejuvenation, which is a difficult skin type to treat, but Lutronic perfected treatments on darker skin types. It is clear that this has both pico and nano technologies built into a single platform. For Dr. Loghdey, Picoplus is his favorite device. It is a picosecond laser that really addresses a multitude of problems, he reported. Initially it performs tattoo removal, which is a growing market. We can remove them in one-third to one-half of the time that it took in the past. The cost is much better for our patients, as well as the efficacy. Laurence Imhof, M.D., head of the division of Esthetic Dermatology, Laser Medicine and Photodermatology at University Hospital Zurich, recounted a story about one of her Picoplus patients. I had a young patient who had accidental tattooing on his face due to an explosion in Afghanistan, whom I treated successfully with the Picoplus. Overall my patients are really happy with their results. In addition, the system offers many other benefits, including pigment removal, rejuvenation and laser facial toning, Dr. Loghdey expressed. The user interface Before and after encurve treatment Photos courtesy of Michelle Gueseloff, M.D. Before and after Clarity treatment Photos courtesy of Bettina Rümmelein, M.D. Ephelides before and after one Picoplus treatment Photos courtesy of G.S. Lee, M.D. is very friendly and comes with a toggle function for adjusting fluence energy settings very easily. Settings can be adjusted at any stage of treatment and the warm up time is very quick. For treating pigmentary problems, the Picoplus is safe on all skin types. This is very important, added Dr. Loghdey. I also use it to perform a lunchtime facial where patients get a quick treatment with no downtime, so they can go back to work an hour later. 8
In particular, the Picoplus has been very helpful in treating melasma, Dr. Loghdey continued. This is an extremely difficult condition to treat that often comes back, he said. With other laser systems I would find that there would be an initial improvement, but then at some point the condition would rebound. With the Picoplus system, we are able to stay on top of this condition, so it has been a bonus having it in our practice. Tattoo previously treated with nano and pico lasers before and after three Picoplus treatments Photos courtesy of G.S. Lee, M.D. Overall, Lutronic systems have had a very positive impact on Dr. Pavicic s clinic. I recently opened another clinic and added new Lutronic devices, she said. They always work well and are ready to use almost immediately. I don t have to wait five minutes for them to start like some other systems I ve used. But most importantly, they are safe and I can manage any risks very efficiently. As a result, patients proactively ask for these procedures and we see increased patient satisfaction, as well as better turnover and conversion rates. Satisfaction has been very high and we ve not had any serious adverse events. That makes me confident. In order to meet what is seen as a growing demand for its systems, Lutronic has boosted its technical support capabilities. As stated by Dr. Weiner, With picosecond lasers you have to make sure that the company is reliable and they have good service because picosecond lasers can be finicky. I have no problem working with Lutronic s technical support, though there really are very few problems that I have encountered with their devices. The highly trained technicians respond quickly and fix any issues in a single visit. That has to be factored into the cost equation when you purchase a laser-based device. Before and after Picoplus treatment Photos courtesy of G.S. Lee, M.D. According to Dr. Ibrahimi, Having more options available to individual practices is a winning scenario. Lutronic s wonderful portfolio of products will also raise the bar and force other companies to improve their product offerings, which will ultimately increase the quality available to individual practices. I ve been working with Lutronic for over five years and have been impressed with their growth trajectory. I attribute this to their wonderful products and great customer service. As Mr. Hwang asserted, prospects for Lutronic s global push are extremely bright. We have more than 10,000 customers worldwide who have found a home with us. In addition, we have the stable financial structure and funding that will make this continued expansion a success. This very strong financial ability and dedication to technology advancements will bring us closer to our customers, he said. Dr. Weiner concluded, This is a solid manufacturer and they are financially very sound, and that is something you need to evaluate when you buy aesthetic devices. In an environment where larger players are acquiring so many energybased device suppliers, a big concern for practitioners is; what does the future hold for these companies? Is the research going to continue? Will the product lines be upgraded and will there be new products created that offer the latest technology advancements? In the case of Lutronic, the answer is a definite yes. 9