Looking for a better way to treat patients who have dermatologic and cosmetic conditions? Fotona has developed a new aesthetic laser, the Dualis VP, which combines two lasers (the Nd: YAG and KTP) into one system. This combination allows you to use the entire range of absorption characteristics of human skin. The Dualis VP just entered the U.S. market, so if you don’t have experience yet using this product, here’s a backgrounder on the laser, as well as some comments from physicians who are using it now. Technology Highlights According to Fotona, the strongly absorbed shorter wavelength (532 nm) KTP laser mainly targets smaller, superficial vessels and pigmented lesions. The system’s more homogeneously absorbed longer wavelength (1064 nm) Nd: YAG laser penetrates deeper skin layers. The combination of long (Nd:YAG) and short (KTP) wavelengths opens a whole spectrum of activities in laser aesthetics. Mohamed-Hany El-Tonsy, M.D., professor of dermatology and dean of the faculty of medicine at Al-Minya University in Egypt, explains that the Dualis VP laser has a wide range of therapeutic applications and uses a safe, computerized control board. He’s been treating five to six patients each week with the Dualis for the past 7 months. Dr. El-Tonsy also highlights the fact that the Dualis’s cryogen spray minimizes pain and skin complications. He’s seen this firsthand while using the laser to remove patients’ body hair. Explains Dr. El-Tonsy, “The Dualis VP provides an optional cryogen spray that eliminates both epidermal damage and pain so much that I don’t need local topical anesthesia when performing hair reduction procedures, even in the most sensitive areas of the body.” Treating Patients with the Dualis Dualis VP literature states that this laser treats leg veins, superficial red vascular lesions, superficial pigmented lesions, removes hair (even in dark skin types) and rejuvenates skin. In addition to these conditions, Dr. El-Tonsy uses the Dualis to treat hemangiomas, warts, syringoma, eccrine poroma, senile lentigines, seborrheic keratoses, nevus sebaceous, Becker’s melanosis, skin tags, dermatosis papulosa nigra and basal cell carcinomas. Since using the Dualis for the first time in December 2001, Dr. Uros Ahcan, M.D., Ph.D., now uses the laser about 5 days each week. Dr. Ahcan says that for hair removal, rejuvenation, hyperpigmentation and effects of cronolog and photoaging, he uses the Dualis VP but with different spot size, energy (fluence), frequency (repetition rate), cooling spray and other parameters that he sets to accommodate his personal needs. He says he treats his patients carefully while following clinical protocol (taking photos before treatment, using anesthesia, specifying laser parameters [spot, fluence-energy, pulse duration, number of passes, etc.], having the patient rate her pain [on a scale of 0 to 10], getting a surgeon’s opinion, getting the patient’s opinion, taking photos after treatment and documenting his own remarks). Operating Tips Dr. El-Tonsy says he uses the Dualis VP to treat leg veins according to the recommendations of the owner’s manual supplied by Fotona, but he sometimes has to vary the parameters from one patient to the other. The same applies when he’s using it to remove patients’ hair. Says Dr. El-Tonsy, “The Dualis is safe and user-friendly, but I do warn patients seeking hair removal that although the Dualis could be considered the best laser for this task, they shouldn’t expect results for at least three to four sessions 3 to 4 weeks apart. This is the case because of the nature of hair growth and how it’s affected by laser therapy. He also cautions physicians not to let patients pressure them into increasing the energy power or giving them sessions in shorter intervals. “Putting this pressure on the inexperienced therapist would open the door for complications such as burns and hyperpigmentation,” he says. Dr. Ahcan explains that because vascular malformations present a variety of different pathohistological conditions of blood vessels (e.g., vascular proliferation, swelling, etc.) of the dermal and hypodermal layers of the skin, you can treat these malformations safely and effectively with this multiple wavelength aesthetic laser system. As a final note, Dr. Ahcan offers, “In a new era of laser treatment, it’s important to offer each patient a selected manner of treatment (surgery, laser treatment, Botox or a combination of these.” A Look to the future The future for the Dualis line of lasers holds many possibilities in treating other skin conditions. In fact, Dr. E-Tonsy is using it experimentally in several ways. He maintains that the Nd:YAG can penetrate deep enough to remove black/grey/blue tattoo inks despite the fact that his experience in this regard is in the early stages. He also suggests that the Dualis VP holds a theoretically possible role in treating the Nevus of Ota that has posed a challenge for other types of lasers. Constructive Criticism Not many new products hit the market without any wrinkles that need ironing. After becoming familiar with the Dualis VP, Dr. El-Tonsy suggests that Fotona increase the spot diameter of the laser beam and make it possible to increase the energy in larger spot diameters. To learn more about the Dualis VP, visit the company’s U.S. Web site at www.fotona.si or call (888) 550-4113.
Laser Technology Speeds Ahead
Looking for a better way to treat patients who have dermatologic and cosmetic conditions? Fotona has developed a new aesthetic laser, the Dualis VP, which combines two lasers (the Nd: YAG and KTP) into one system. This combination allows you to use the entire range of absorption characteristics of human skin. The Dualis VP just entered the U.S. market, so if you don’t have experience yet using this product, here’s a backgrounder on the laser, as well as some comments from physicians who are using it now. Technology Highlights According to Fotona, the strongly absorbed shorter wavelength (532 nm) KTP laser mainly targets smaller, superficial vessels and pigmented lesions. The system’s more homogeneously absorbed longer wavelength (1064 nm) Nd: YAG laser penetrates deeper skin layers. The combination of long (Nd:YAG) and short (KTP) wavelengths opens a whole spectrum of activities in laser aesthetics. Mohamed-Hany El-Tonsy, M.D., professor of dermatology and dean of the faculty of medicine at Al-Minya University in Egypt, explains that the Dualis VP laser has a wide range of therapeutic applications and uses a safe, computerized control board. He’s been treating five to six patients each week with the Dualis for the past 7 months. Dr. El-Tonsy also highlights the fact that the Dualis’s cryogen spray minimizes pain and skin complications. He’s seen this firsthand while using the laser to remove patients’ body hair. Explains Dr. El-Tonsy, “The Dualis VP provides an optional cryogen spray that eliminates both epidermal damage and pain so much that I don’t need local topical anesthesia when performing hair reduction procedures, even in the most sensitive areas of the body.” Treating Patients with the Dualis Dualis VP literature states that this laser treats leg veins, superficial red vascular lesions, superficial pigmented lesions, removes hair (even in dark skin types) and rejuvenates skin. In addition to these conditions, Dr. El-Tonsy uses the Dualis to treat hemangiomas, warts, syringoma, eccrine poroma, senile lentigines, seborrheic keratoses, nevus sebaceous, Becker’s melanosis, skin tags, dermatosis papulosa nigra and basal cell carcinomas. Since using the Dualis for the first time in December 2001, Dr. Uros Ahcan, M.D., Ph.D., now uses the laser about 5 days each week. Dr. Ahcan says that for hair removal, rejuvenation, hyperpigmentation and effects of cronolog and photoaging, he uses the Dualis VP but with different spot size, energy (fluence), frequency (repetition rate), cooling spray and other parameters that he sets to accommodate his personal needs. He says he treats his patients carefully while following clinical protocol (taking photos before treatment, using anesthesia, specifying laser parameters [spot, fluence-energy, pulse duration, number of passes, etc.], having the patient rate her pain [on a scale of 0 to 10], getting a surgeon’s opinion, getting the patient’s opinion, taking photos after treatment and documenting his own remarks). Operating Tips Dr. El-Tonsy says he uses the Dualis VP to treat leg veins according to the recommendations of the owner’s manual supplied by Fotona, but he sometimes has to vary the parameters from one patient to the other. The same applies when he’s using it to remove patients’ hair. Says Dr. El-Tonsy, “The Dualis is safe and user-friendly, but I do warn patients seeking hair removal that although the Dualis could be considered the best laser for this task, they shouldn’t expect results for at least three to four sessions 3 to 4 weeks apart. This is the case because of the nature of hair growth and how it’s affected by laser therapy. He also cautions physicians not to let patients pressure them into increasing the energy power or giving them sessions in shorter intervals. “Putting this pressure on the inexperienced therapist would open the door for complications such as burns and hyperpigmentation,” he says. Dr. Ahcan explains that because vascular malformations present a variety of different pathohistological conditions of blood vessels (e.g., vascular proliferation, swelling, etc.) of the dermal and hypodermal layers of the skin, you can treat these malformations safely and effectively with this multiple wavelength aesthetic laser system. As a final note, Dr. Ahcan offers, “In a new era of laser treatment, it’s important to offer each patient a selected manner of treatment (surgery, laser treatment, Botox or a combination of these.” A Look to the future The future for the Dualis line of lasers holds many possibilities in treating other skin conditions. In fact, Dr. E-Tonsy is using it experimentally in several ways. He maintains that the Nd:YAG can penetrate deep enough to remove black/grey/blue tattoo inks despite the fact that his experience in this regard is in the early stages. He also suggests that the Dualis VP holds a theoretically possible role in treating the Nevus of Ota that has posed a challenge for other types of lasers. Constructive Criticism Not many new products hit the market without any wrinkles that need ironing. After becoming familiar with the Dualis VP, Dr. El-Tonsy suggests that Fotona increase the spot diameter of the laser beam and make it possible to increase the energy in larger spot diameters. To learn more about the Dualis VP, visit the company’s U.S. Web site at www.fotona.si or call (888) 550-4113.
Looking for a better way to treat patients who have dermatologic and cosmetic conditions? Fotona has developed a new aesthetic laser, the Dualis VP, which combines two lasers (the Nd: YAG and KTP) into one system. This combination allows you to use the entire range of absorption characteristics of human skin. The Dualis VP just entered the U.S. market, so if you don’t have experience yet using this product, here’s a backgrounder on the laser, as well as some comments from physicians who are using it now. Technology Highlights According to Fotona, the strongly absorbed shorter wavelength (532 nm) KTP laser mainly targets smaller, superficial vessels and pigmented lesions. The system’s more homogeneously absorbed longer wavelength (1064 nm) Nd: YAG laser penetrates deeper skin layers. The combination of long (Nd:YAG) and short (KTP) wavelengths opens a whole spectrum of activities in laser aesthetics. Mohamed-Hany El-Tonsy, M.D., professor of dermatology and dean of the faculty of medicine at Al-Minya University in Egypt, explains that the Dualis VP laser has a wide range of therapeutic applications and uses a safe, computerized control board. He’s been treating five to six patients each week with the Dualis for the past 7 months. Dr. El-Tonsy also highlights the fact that the Dualis’s cryogen spray minimizes pain and skin complications. He’s seen this firsthand while using the laser to remove patients’ body hair. Explains Dr. El-Tonsy, “The Dualis VP provides an optional cryogen spray that eliminates both epidermal damage and pain so much that I don’t need local topical anesthesia when performing hair reduction procedures, even in the most sensitive areas of the body.” Treating Patients with the Dualis Dualis VP literature states that this laser treats leg veins, superficial red vascular lesions, superficial pigmented lesions, removes hair (even in dark skin types) and rejuvenates skin. In addition to these conditions, Dr. El-Tonsy uses the Dualis to treat hemangiomas, warts, syringoma, eccrine poroma, senile lentigines, seborrheic keratoses, nevus sebaceous, Becker’s melanosis, skin tags, dermatosis papulosa nigra and basal cell carcinomas. Since using the Dualis for the first time in December 2001, Dr. Uros Ahcan, M.D., Ph.D., now uses the laser about 5 days each week. Dr. Ahcan says that for hair removal, rejuvenation, hyperpigmentation and effects of cronolog and photoaging, he uses the Dualis VP but with different spot size, energy (fluence), frequency (repetition rate), cooling spray and other parameters that he sets to accommodate his personal needs. He says he treats his patients carefully while following clinical protocol (taking photos before treatment, using anesthesia, specifying laser parameters [spot, fluence-energy, pulse duration, number of passes, etc.], having the patient rate her pain [on a scale of 0 to 10], getting a surgeon’s opinion, getting the patient’s opinion, taking photos after treatment and documenting his own remarks). Operating Tips Dr. El-Tonsy says he uses the Dualis VP to treat leg veins according to the recommendations of the owner’s manual supplied by Fotona, but he sometimes has to vary the parameters from one patient to the other. The same applies when he’s using it to remove patients’ hair. Says Dr. El-Tonsy, “The Dualis is safe and user-friendly, but I do warn patients seeking hair removal that although the Dualis could be considered the best laser for this task, they shouldn’t expect results for at least three to four sessions 3 to 4 weeks apart. This is the case because of the nature of hair growth and how it’s affected by laser therapy. He also cautions physicians not to let patients pressure them into increasing the energy power or giving them sessions in shorter intervals. “Putting this pressure on the inexperienced therapist would open the door for complications such as burns and hyperpigmentation,” he says. Dr. Ahcan explains that because vascular malformations present a variety of different pathohistological conditions of blood vessels (e.g., vascular proliferation, swelling, etc.) of the dermal and hypodermal layers of the skin, you can treat these malformations safely and effectively with this multiple wavelength aesthetic laser system. As a final note, Dr. Ahcan offers, “In a new era of laser treatment, it’s important to offer each patient a selected manner of treatment (surgery, laser treatment, Botox or a combination of these.” A Look to the future The future for the Dualis line of lasers holds many possibilities in treating other skin conditions. In fact, Dr. E-Tonsy is using it experimentally in several ways. He maintains that the Nd:YAG can penetrate deep enough to remove black/grey/blue tattoo inks despite the fact that his experience in this regard is in the early stages. He also suggests that the Dualis VP holds a theoretically possible role in treating the Nevus of Ota that has posed a challenge for other types of lasers. Constructive Criticism Not many new products hit the market without any wrinkles that need ironing. After becoming familiar with the Dualis VP, Dr. El-Tonsy suggests that Fotona increase the spot diameter of the laser beam and make it possible to increase the energy in larger spot diameters. To learn more about the Dualis VP, visit the company’s U.S. Web site at www.fotona.si or call (888) 550-4113.
