| Over the course of the last twenty years, members | | | | With each passing year, the medical spa world also |
| of both the medical and scientific communities have | | | | becomes privileged to the introduction of new |
| worked diligently to explore the potentials that energy | | | | technologies and exciting new applications of energy |
| based devices may hold for healthcare and cosmetic | | | | based equipment. With each new technological |
| applications. As of today, such technologies are a part | | | | threshold, the industry becomes strengthened and, |
| of modern life, and have become integral tools to | | | | subsequently, increasingly popular. The advent of laser |
| medical and cosmetology professionals. | | | | hair removal, laser resurfacing, skin tightening and other |
| The use of laser, led, intense pulse light, radio | | | | services over the last few years have marked |
| frequency, and ultrasonic energies are now | | | | significant milestones in the evolution of this field. |
| commonplace, and recent advances in the efficiencies | | | | As industry leaders and research groups continue to |
| of these technologies have finally created reproducible | | | | work to understand the potential that these |
| services and procedures that meet patient and client | | | | technologies hold, we can only expect that each |
| expectations. | | | | passing year will be marked by new applications and |
| So what does the future hold for these incredible | | | | new tools to further bolster this rapidly expanding |
| technologies? While surgical laser equipment, for | | | | industry. |
| example, has become prevalent in hospitals and | | | | Another topic of interest that will surely receive a |
| outpatient surgery facilities, the largest segment of | | | | great deal of attention with regard to the use of lasers |
| market growth has clearly been in the cosmetic and | | | | in skin care will be seen in related state and local |
| medical spa industry. At roughly $20 billion in annual | | | | legislative activities. Currently each state has been |
| sales in 2006, the medical spa industry is a force to be | | | | charged with the task of regulating its medical spas, |
| reckoned with. | | | | but there are no two states that operate under the |
| Lasers and energy based technologies are at the | | | | same exact set of rules. This is likely to change as |
| heart of this emerging industry. In these environments, | | | | each state looks for a standard to follow. |
| lasers and similar devices are utilized for the | | | | Common issues include the question of what type of |
| permanent reduction of unwanted hair, the eradication | | | | professional is qualified to provide these services in a |
| of tattoos or sun spots, the elimination of wrinkles, the | | | | safe and effective manner, what type of education or |
| tightening of skin, the treatment of acne, and much | | | | training should be required, what is the role of the |
| more. | | | | physician, and how is the equipment itself to be |
| Medical Laser Insight and many other industry reporting | | | | regulated. It is likely to be at least ten years or more |
| groups have estimated that the medical spa industry | | | | before all of these issued may be settled and |
| will reach in excess of $110 billion in annual sales | | | | standard policies are accepted on a national basis. |
| revenue within the next ten years. As an integral part | | | | The bottom line is that lasers and energy based |
| of this industry, there will no doubt be an obvious | | | | equipment are now a part of the skin care industry |
| correlation with the growth of equipment | | | | and are no longer a futuristic concept. As the esthetics |
| manufacturing and medical spa support firms that will | | | | industry and its clients continue to embrace these |
| all stand to benefit from the increasing popularity of | | | | technologies, the sky is truly the limit for what the next |
| these advanced skin care services. | | | | twenty years may hold. |