Cutera has created a highly competitive advanced multiplatform laser that will leave practitioners and patients very happy with its versatile capabilities. The Xeo system has two intense pulse light systems, a versatile 1064nm YAG laser, an infrared skin tightening device, and an YSGG traditional full surface ablative and fractionated deep dermal laser. The versatility of the laser is unparalleled with a tremendous advantage in the ablative laser technology by combining the benefits and eliminating the problems of more traditional lasers such as erbium and CO2. The Xeo has numerous applications including: laser and intense pulse light hair removal, a 1064nm YAG system for rosacea, vascular lesions, and collagen building therapy, the Titan skin tightening application, and a full face ablative skin resurfacing rejuvenation.
The intense pulse light system also known as broad band light has two applications. The first is called the LimeLight. A LimeLight facial treats dyschromias (brown and red color imperfections), including: melasma, solar lentigines (sun spots), dilated capilliaries, telangectasias, and rosacea as well as stimulates superficial collagen production to improve wrinkling. It is best used during a period when the first signs of aging occur or as maintenance therapy between deeper rejuvenation procedures and is often performed as a series for optimal results. The second intense pulse light (IPL) application is called Prowave and it customizes the wavelengths it emits to specifically perform hair removal in a fast efficient manner.
The 1064nm YAG laser is extraordinarily versatile. It performs traditional YAG capabilities such as single pulsed vascular lesion treatments and hair removal and is called the CoolGlide. It can treat hemangiomas, dilated capillaries, spider veins, and telangectasias. The Laser Genesis uses a revolutionary patent pending millisecond-pulsed technology that allows the YAG to improve rosacea and skin texture, decrease poor size, and build collagen to treat superficial to moderate wrinkles. It is painless and can be performed on all areas of the face during a lunch break with absolutely no downtime. Similar to the LimeLight facial it is usually performed as a series to treat the beginning stages of aging or as maintenance therapy for facelifts and between deeper skin rejuvenation procedures.
Titan is the infrared skin tightening system on the Xeo multiplatform laser system and delivers equivalent results to comparable technologies. Skin tightening systems do not deliver dramatic results like face lift surgery but do provide an intermediary step for patients who are not committed to surgery and have realistic expectations for any non-surgical procedure to provide significant results.
The workhorses of ablative skin resurfacing have traditionally been the erbium and CO2 lasers. There are benefits and drawbacks to each of these lasers. The CO2 generates more thermal energy and has been associated with higher complications including permanent scarring and hypopigmentation, but it also delivers more impressive results. The CO2 has also been associated with much longer periods of healing and erythema or redness. The erbium laser is much safer with fewer permanent complications than the CO2, but is associated with bleeding due to less coagulation ability, interrupting the delivery of energy to skin tissue. Contemporary erbium lasers have improved this problem by using longer pulse durations to increase coagulation, but the problem still persists. Cutera introduced YSGG as a wavelength for ablative resurfacing technology to combine the benefits and eliminate the problems of the CO2 and erbium lasers. It delivers enough energy for excellent coagulation while minimizing thermal injury and complications such as hypopigmentation and scarring.
Fractionated resurfacing technology has provided a critical element to skin resurfacing and rejuvenation. Erbium, CO2, and YSGG lasers now have applications for fractioned resurfacing. Fractionated laser resurfacing uses laser micro-columns to treat a percentage of the skin surface area and penetrates into the deep dermis stimulating a deeper more robust collagen production improving deep dermal discolorations and wrinkles. CO2, Erbium, and YSGG full skin surface ablative technologies are being combined with fractionated procedures to provide the state of the art in total skin rejuvenation.
The Cutera Xeo YSGG total skin resurfacing treatment is called the Pearl. The Pearl Fractional is their fractioned, deep dermal technology. The Pearl Fusion treatment combines these two technologies to deliver optimal total skin rejuvenation results while minimizing the risk of complications. A detailed understanding of laser science and technology is critical to choosing the type of procedure indicated to meet patient expectations. Laser skin rejuvenation is not a substitute for facelift, midface lift, or brow lift surgery and should be viewed as a complimentary procedure. Choosing a facial plastic surgeon that is knowledgeable and experienced in both surgical procedures and laser skin rejuvenation is critical to being able to communicate goals and deliver the best outcomes.
