Why a “Smart” Laser is the Smart Choice for Skin Resurfacing
Many reviews have applauded the HALO® hybrid fractional laser as the first to combine ablative and non-ablative wavelengths to the same treatment area at the same time. This revolutionary technology has given doctors more flexibility in their treatment delivery and has produced amazing ablative results with non-ablative downtimes.
But the HALO laser also integrates another technological breakthrough that doesn’t get the full credit it deserves. It’s called dynamic thermal optimization (DTO), and it turns the HALO handset into a “smart” device that automatically adjusts the laser energy to ensure optimal treatment.
DTO focuses the energy so that you can focus on your patient
Dynamic thermal optimization is an innovative feature that continually measures the patient’s skin temperature during treatment and calculates the exact energy needed to optimally heat the tissue. It’s like cruise control in your car. You can drive up or down hills, but the cruise control maintains the programmed speed. DTO maintains the ideal laser energy, regardless of ups and downs in the patient’s skin temperature.
By automatically adjusting the laser energy to changes in the skin’s temperature, DTO lets you concentrate on operating the handpiece—without having to worry about controlling the power of the laser. If the tissue cools down, DTO automatically adds more power. If the skin heats up, DTO automatically reduces the power. You can remain focused on your patient and providing the optimal treatment. Without DTO compensating for tissue temperature, other lasers may overtreat, leading to complications. Or they may undertreat, leading to poor results.
The science of smart1
Why is it important that the laser energy be adjusted for skin temperature? For non-ablative fractional treatment, you want to heat a portion of the skin to the temperature that destroys or coagulates the tissue but does not remove it. The skin itself has a major impact on the energy required to reach this desired heat. If the tissue is colder, it will take more energy to heat the tissue. If the tissue is warmer, it will take less energy.
Many factors can affect the skin’s temperature during treatment, including changes in the room temperature. But more directly, numbing creams, cooling during treatment, and fluctuations in the laser’s application to the skin can impact temperature. For this reason, many adjustments to the laser’s energy level may be needed in real time. DTO technology uses infrared temperature sensors to monitor the skin before each pulse and adjusts the pulse energy to constantly ensure the ideal temperature in real time. Ultimately, DTO helps practitioners consistently produce amazing results.
HALO has other smart features, too
Beyond DTO, the HALO laser also incorporates optical navigation. This feature monitors the speed of the moving handset relative to the skin’s surface and automatically adjusts the pulsing to ensure an even, accurate treatment. In other words, HALO also adjusts to your speed. HALO also includes integrated cooling to keep the skin cool and comfortable throughout the treatment and integrated suction to evacuate smoke and keep the air clear of debris during ablation.
HALO is the “smart” choice for skin resurfacing
The HALO laser from Sciton is not only the world’s first hybrid fractional laser—it’s also the first and only hybrid laser to combine the advanced features of DTO, optical navigation, integrated cooling, and integrated suction. With HALO, your patients get the results they want, without the downtime they would expect from other laser procedures. In testimonials, reviews, and social media posts, patients and doctors express the highest levels of satisfaction with their HALO treatment and results.
Reference:
- Pozner J, Robb CW. Hybrid fractional laser: the future of laser resurfacing. https://sciton.com/wp-content/uploads/2600-003-13-Rev-A-Pozner-and-Robb-WP-HALO.pdf. Accessed February 2020.