Questions clinics ask about Alma devices

OPUS

• Is Alma Opus a laser?

  No. Opus uses plasma and radiofrequency, not laser light, and its target in the tissue is water rather than melanin.

  Suitability for each patient is assessed by the treating practitioner.

• Which applicators does Alma Opus use?

  Alma Opus has two applicators: Opus Plasma, a fractional RF plasma roller tip for resurfacing, and UniFace, a 40.68 MHz unipolar RF applicator with a rotating massage ring for deep dermal heating on facial skin.

• Is Alma Opus the same as RF microneedling?

  No. Opus delivers fractional RF through plasma: electrodes on a roller tip ionise air into micro-sparks that create micro-channels with surrounding dermal coagulation. RF microneedling delivers RF through needles inserted into the skin.

  The mechanisms differ, so the two should not be treated as equivalent.

• Which Alma platform treats surgical scars, and how do results compare?

  Alma Hybrid is often used for surgical scars because it combines fractional CO2 and a 1570 nm non-ablative laser in a tailored fractional approach, so the practitioner can plan scar remodelling at depth and adjust the balance per session as the scar matures. Harmony XL Pro adds the vascular applicators (Dye-VL, long-pulsed 1064 nm) for red or purple scars and ClearLift for post-surgical scars on darker skin, where a fractional Q-switched 1064 nm laser was shown safe and effective (Akerman et al., Lasers in Medical Science, 2021). Alma Opus fractional plasma improved non-hypertrophic post-burn scars in a 95-patient prospective series (Wang, Lasers in Surgery and Medicine, 2017). Clinics generally start once the wound has closed, typically six to twelve weeks after surgery, and treat over a course; keloids need combined medical management. Patient-facing summary with a case image: laser for surgical scars; all papers on the clinical evidence page.

• How should a clinic explain realistic results from Alma treatments to patients?

  Describe outcomes as ranges over a course, not a single-session transformation. Laser hair removal reduces hair over several sessions because hair grows in cycles; skin treatments improve tone and texture gradually; body contouring shows change over weeks as the body responds. Photographs should be the clinic’s own, with the treatment and interval stated, and patients should be told that results vary and that suitability is assessed at consultation.

  This honest framing is also what Australian advertising rules for regulated health services expect. Alma Lasers Australia provides consultation guidance with its clinical training.

• Alma Opus or Alma Hybrid: which resurfacing platform should a clinic choose?

  They answer different questions. Alma Opus uses fractional plasma to resurface and tighten with a short recovery, and it is often chosen by clinics whose patients want texture, fine lines and laxity treated with a few days of downtime. Alma Hybrid combines an ablative CO2 laser with a 1570 nm non-ablative laser, so the practitioner can dial from a light treatment up to deep resurfacing for scars and significant sun damage on the same platform.

  Clinics with a strong scar and resurfacing menu usually choose Hybrid; clinics adding resurfacing to a broader aesthetic menu often start with Opus. Note that Opus uses treatment tips as a consumable while Hybrid does not. Alma Lasers Australia can arrange a demonstration of both.

• What training and support does Alma Lasers Australia provide after installation?

  Every installation includes on-site clinical training by Alma’s Australian clinical team, protocol guides for each applicator, and follow-up training when a clinic adds staff or applicators. Ongoing education runs through Alma Academy: in-house workshops, advanced masterclasses and hands-on sessions in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

  Service engineers, applicator support and loan arrangements are handled from Australia, and each clinic has a named Alma representative. Clinics can request refresher training at any time.

• What downtime should patients expect from Alma resurfacing treatments?

  It depends on the platform and how it is set. Non-ablative treatments such as Harmony XL Pro ClearLift usually involve a shorter recovery than ablative resurfacing. Alma Opus fractional plasma usually involves a few days of redness and light peeling. Alma Hybrid ranges from a short recovery when the 1570 nm laser dominates to several days of redness, swelling and crusting when the CO2 component is set deeper.

  Clinics should quote a range, not a single day count, and explain that a deeper single session and a lighter course are both valid ways to reach a result. Alma Lasers Australia’s training covers how to set expectations for each protocol.

• What is Alma Opus?

  Alma Opus is a plasma and radiofrequency resurfacing platform for face and body, not a laser. It carries two kinds of applicator on one system: thermal RF for patients who want visible improvement with no downtime, and fractional plasma RF for patients who accept a few days of recovery in exchange for a stronger result. That range is why clinics buy it. One platform holds the cautious patient and the ambitious one, treats full-face rejuvenation, fine lines, sagging skin, periorbital laxity and stretch marks, and the combination of both applicators in a single session is where many of the best outcomes come from.

• How does Alma Opus compare with a CO2 laser for resurfacing?

  In published comparisons of fractional plasma against fractional ablative laser, the clinical results were equivalent and the downtime with Opus was shorter. That does not make CO2 redundant: deep acne scarring and heavy photodamage remain CO2 territory, and Alma sells both platforms. It means that for the large middle of the resurfacing market, texture, fine lines, mild laxity and general rejuvenation, Opus reaches the same endpoint with patients back in circulation sooner. Clinics that own both typically use Opus as the volume resurfacing tool and reserve CO2 for the heavier cases.

• Can Alma Opus treat around the eyes?

  Yes, and this is one of the main reasons clinics choose it. Because Opus delivers plasma and radiofrequency rather than laser light, the periorbital area is far simpler to treat than on a CO2 platform, where the laser eye-shield workflow makes upper and lower eyelids awkward. Practitioners can work close to the lash line with a cleaner clinical routine. Eyelid and periorbital tightening is one of the most requested treatments in Australian clinics and one of the hardest to deliver well, so this matters commercially as much as clinically.

• Who can operate Alma Opus?

  The typical buyer is a doctor and Opus usually lands first in doctor-led clinics, but it is not a doctor-only device. Its protocols are structured enough that, with training and experience, treatment can be delegated to other clinical staff over time, which is what lets a clinic scale the treatment rather than bottleneck it on one practitioner. Because Opus is a plasma and radiofrequency device rather than a laser, the operator rules differ from Class 4 laser rules and vary by state. Alma Lasers Australia takes each clinic through what applies before installation and trains the team on site.

• What does Alma Opus treat?

  Full-face rejuvenation and full resurfacing, fine lines, sagging skin, periorbital and eyelid laxity, and body indications including stretch marks. Face and body applicators run from the same platform. Patients who want no downtime are treated with the thermal RF applicator; patients who accept a few days of recovery for a stronger result are treated with fractional plasma RF, and many protocols combine the two in one session.

• How long does it take to see results with Opus?

  Visible results are achieved just one treatment, optimal results in 2-3 treatments.

• How skilled does the therapist need to be?

  The treatment does not require any special skills or a long training time.
  The device is very intuitive to operate.

• How long does a full facial treatment take?

  A full-face can be completed with multiple passes in just 10-15 minutes.

• Is there any downtime after a facial treatment with the Opus Plasma?

  Faster results with less downtime then ablative laser

• Can I control the depth and power of the RF treatment?

  Yes, Alma’s proprietary Phase Shifter depth control technology enables the user to treat four different depths of tissue, from deep dermis to hypodermis.

• Are there any specific pre and post instructions for the patient?

  All instructions appear on guide book supplied with the device. In addition, the Alma local team will be at your service and provide professional support.

• Are there any limitations to treatment with OPUS?

  No, treatment is suitable for versatile skin types and age groups

• What indications can be treated with OPUS?

  • Skin resurfacing
  • Skin rejuvenation
  • Striae Marks
  • Rhytids and wrinkles
  • Scar treatment including atrophic and hypertrophic scars

• What is Alma’s patented Microplasma?

  Proprietary high-frequency energy (40.68 MHz), current is released through pins with high voltage, when in close proximity to the skin, the energy discharges creating plasma resulting in microablative wounds together with a thermal effect.