From the March 2011 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine
Freezing the fat
The hottest news in cosmetic procedures is actually more on the cold side. The FDA recently approved two new devices for selective fat reduction that perform “cold lipo,” or cryolipolysis on those unwanted love handles. The new procedure essentially entails cooling underlying tissues causing cell death within subcutaneous fat tissues. This is being seen as a minimally invasive alternative to liposuction and has not been shown to cause long-term side effects. One of these devices is the Zerona laser, manufactured by Erchonia and another is a device manufactured by California-based Zeltiq.
Some successes for resellers
In the used and refurbished market there continues to be a flood of lasers, but some businesses are still booming. The Laser Outlet, a medical and cosmetic laser marketplace headquartered in Jupiter, Fla. has experienced significant growth, according to Sam Lehrer, president and CEO of the company.
Lehrer attributes the success to online marketing strategies and the opening of international markets, but he also acknowledges that refurbishers face a challenge.
According to Lehrer, the greatest challenge to resellers and refurbishers is getting support from original manufacturers in terms of manuals and parts sourcing. The FDA requires manufacturers to provide these resources, but Lehrer says some OEMs ignore the requirements or make it extremely difficult for resellers and refurbishers to obtain the parts and infomration. Lehrer says OEMs are charging “astronomical” recertification fees before providing service for their lasers — as much as $30,000 for lasers that cost less than $100,000 new.
In addition to difficulties in servicing a wide range of lasers, another issue is sourcing parts for these technologies. “Getting parts is a grind,” says Lehrer. “Every single day we are on the phone having to source parts.”
Some of the technologies moving in the used market are fractional erbium YAG and CO2 lasers and those synergistic platforms that offer combination therapies like IPL or RF technologies and lasers in one device.
A full spectrum industry
Laser hair removal may account for as much as one-third of all laser treatments, but on the clinical side, new research and emerging technologies in laser and optical medicine are advancing therapies and helping surgeons operate with more precision and diagnostic insight. There’s no doubt that new procedures like those used to freeze your midsection and heat up cancer cells using tiny gold particles will continue to shine a light on this focused brilliant industry sector.
