The Fraxel restore 1927 nm laser is an upgrade of the company’s1550 nm technology and is, according to the company, the first ever fractional application of a Thulium laser in dermatology.
The new non-invasive skin tightening and contouring device is suitable for both facial procedures and large body areas to treat pigmentation and other skin conditions in one single treatment and has also been certified with a CE (Conformite Europeene) Mark in the EU.
“Prior to the non-ablative Fraxel restore Dual system, laser skin resurfacing procedures were largely limited to the face. The expanded versatility of this technology with the addition of the new 1927 nm wavelength, increases the areas of the body that dermatologists can treat,” says Stephen J. Fanning, President and CEO at Solta.
In terms of the technology's specific function, Fanning explains that the upgraded focal cooling component increases the speed by 25 percent while the improved scanner design targets unwanted pigmentation.
Furthermore; he adds that the company's work to advance the device is down to the success of the treatment in the US, and will help dermatologists to better address aging skin “with enhanced efficacy and patient comfort in non-invasive treatments.”
Solta has also developed another brand Thermage, a device which delivers a non- invasive radiofrequency treatment for tightening and contouring the skin.
Competition for beauty devices heats up
In terms of beauty devices, the US largely dominates although Rudd expects the European market to become much more lively in future. This is set to occur as a result of both European manufacturers and retailers waking up to the trend, and as cosmetics giant L’Oreal develops in beauty devices through the acquisition of Clarisonic maker Pacific Biosciences Labs.
Beauty device launches in Europe include the Philips RéAura device in the UK that was developed with the makers of Fraxel laser technology, and the Filorga Lumitherapist (LED) device in France that is claimed to be seven times stronger than classic LED.
Women are not the only target for beauty devices, said Rudd, as men too are coming under the spotlight. Slendertone Male Face that promises to build up muscle tone is just one example of a beauty device developed for the male consumer.
Diagnostic devices for clinics and the home are also picking up speed, with Rudd noting that TrueSystems has developed two devices for Amore Pacific, while Aramo has developed the portable scanner and the hand-held smart skin navigator.
Looking ahead, Mintel has identified various ways in which the Kinetique trend is set to progress, with one such example being the use of alternative energy sources to power beauty devices.
The market researcher notes that electroporation, a technique used in cancer surgery and for transdermal drug delivery, is now being explored in cosmetics where electricity is used to facilitate skin penetration.
More home diagnostic devices are set to come onto the market, which Mintel says will allow consumers to test product claims. Direct sales brands are set to embrace diagnostics, according to Rudd, and new sales channels such as gyms and travel retail are predicted to be a target for beauty devices.