Questions clinics ask about Alma devices

CO2

• What is the difference between the Alma Pixel CO2 and the Alma Hybrid?

  Alma Pixel CO2 is a dedicated fractional CO2 platform. It leads with the LiteScan scanner for resurfacing, tone and texture, scars and photodamage, with Focus surgical applicators available for skin doctors who also do lesion work. It is included in the ARTG under 323941.

  Alma Hybrid does everything the Pixel CO2 does and adds a second laser. It fires the ablative CO2 beam and a non-ablative 1570nm beam side by side in the same grid, at a ratio you set, so one pass can combine surface renewal with deep dermal stimulation. It also carries the IMPACT applicator for ultrasound-assisted delivery of approved topicals. Both platforms offer Pixel Peel. Choose Pixel CO2 if resurfacing is the job; choose Hybrid if you want the dual-wavelength control and the wider indication range.

• Is a CO2 laser machine worth the investment for my clinic?

  CO2 resurfacing carries one of the highest per-treatment values in aesthetics and needs no consumables, so after the platform is paid for the cost per case is practitioner time and disposables for aftercare. It also anchors a clinic as a skin clinic rather than a beauty room, which changes the patients you attract. The questions that decide the case are volume and operator: how many resurfacing cases you can realistically book each month, and who on your team will run them. Bring your treatment prices and booking numbers to a demo and an Alma representative will build the payback with you. Finance is available through Medfin.

• What is a fractional CO2 laser machine and how does it work?

  A CO2 laser emits at 10,600nm, a wavelength water absorbs strongly, so it vaporises a controlled amount of tissue wherever it lands. Fractional means the beam is split into a grid of microscopic columns instead of treating the whole surface, leaving untreated skin between each column. Those bridges of intact tissue are what allow fast healing while the wound-healing response rebuilds collagen through the full treated area. On the Alma Pixel CO2 the LiteScan scanner sets the pattern, density and depth, so the same machine delivers anything from a light refresh to a deep resurfacing pass.

• How much downtime does CO2 laser resurfacing involve?

  It depends on how aggressively you treat, which is the point of a fractional device. A light full-face fractional pass usually means two to four days of redness and flaking, comparable to sunburn, with make-up back on by around day five. A deeper pass for acne scarring or heavy photodamage runs closer to seven to ten days. Pixel Peel changes this equation: by firing the fractional beam in a randomised pattern rather than sequentially, it lengthens the thermal relaxation time between adjacent columns, so the skin holds less bulk heat and patients recover faster at the same treatment density.

• Who can operate a CO2 laser machine in Australia?

  A fractional CO2 laser is a Class 4 device, and who may operate one is set state by state rather than nationally. Some states require licensing or registration for Class 4 laser use and a nominated laser safety officer, others rely on documented training and a written safety plan. Most Australian clinics run CO2 with a doctor, nurse or senior therapist who has completed manufacturer clinical training. Alma Lasers Australia trains your team on site at installation and takes each clinic through the rules that apply in its state before the machine arrives. See laser and IPL regulations.

• What qualifications or approval are needed to operate the Alma Hybrid?

  Two separate things have to be in place. First the device: Alma Hybrid is included in the ARTG under 321320, so it is lawful to supply and use in Australia. Second the operator: laser and IPL use is regulated state by state, not federally, so requirements differ depending on where your clinic is. Some states require a licence or registration for Class 4 laser use and a nominated laser safety officer, others rely on training records and a documented safety plan. In practice most clinics run Alma Hybrid with a doctor, nurse or experienced therapist who has completed Alma clinical training at installation. Alma Lasers Australia walks each clinic through the rules that apply in its state before installation. See laser and IPL regulations.

• What is the main clinical advantage of the Alma Hybrid?

  The clinical advantage is control over the balance between ablation and dermal stimulation in a single pass. Because the CO2 and 1570nm beams fire side by side in one grid at a ratio you set, HyGrid, you can give an older patient with heavy photodamage a resurfacing-weighted treatment and give a younger patient with acne scarring a stimulation-weighted one, without changing handpiece or machine. That means fewer compromises between result and downtime. Pixel Peel adds a randomised firing pattern that spreads heat over time and shortens recovery, which is the main objection patients raise to CO2 resurfacing.

• Does the Alma Hybrid have FDA and CE approval, and is it included in the ARTG?

  Alma Hybrid is CE marked and FDA cleared. For a clinic buying in Australia the relevant listing is the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods, and Alma Hybrid is included in the ARTG under 321320, the same entry as the Alma Harmony platform. Device inclusion is separate from who may operate the device: operator licensing and training requirements are set state by state. Ask an Alma representative for the current certificates for your market, and see laser and IPL regulations for the Australian rules that apply to your clinic.

• What is unique about the Alma Hybrid?

  Alma Hybrid is the only laser that fires an ablative CO2 beam at 10,600nm and a non-ablative 1570nm beam side by side in the same grid, with the ratio between them set by the operator. You can weight a treatment towards surface renewal or towards deep dermal stimulation, or fire the two wavelengths sequentially, all from the same handpiece. Pixel Peel fires the fractional beam in a randomised pattern, which lengthens thermal relaxation time between adjacent columns and reduces downtime for the patient. The IMPACT applicator then uses ultrasound to drive approved topical preparations into freshly treated skin.

• What are the main indications of the Alma Hybrid?

  Alma Hybrid is used for skin resurfacing and tone and texture correction, acne scars and surgical or traumatic scars, wrinkles and photodamage, stretch marks, pigmentation, and skin tightening. With the HyLight applicator the CO2 laser can also be used alone for soft tissue surgery, including ablation, vaporisation, excision, incision and coagulation, which is why skin doctors and dermatologists use it as well as aesthetic clinics. The IMPACT applicator adds ultrasound-assisted delivery of approved topical preparations immediately after resurfacing.

• what applicators available

  Alma Pixel CO2 is supplied with the LiteScan scanner, which is the applicator used for the large majority of clinic treatments, covering resurfacing, tone and texture, scars and photodamage. Focus surgical applicators are available for skin doctors performing lesion removal and soft tissue work. Your configuration is set with an Alma representative based on the treatments your clinic intends to offer.

• In what power the Co2 comes with?

  The Pixel Co2 comes in 2 options- 30W and 70W. both can be used for Dermatology and Gynecology but with different protocols.

• What will be the best option for me to use the system for stretch marks?

  The Pixel Co2 has a the scanner and the I-Roller applicators that can treat the stretch marks. The I-roller is a patented applicators that will enable you to treat big surface areas within minutes.

• Can I use the Pixel Co2 for more than just dermatology?

  Yes, the system applicators enables you to treat GYN and Plastic patients.

• What is Pixel Co2 advantage over other systems?

  The Pixel Co2 is using the Pixel patent in order to shoot all fractionated beams at the same time. This enables the doctor to get a thermal effect that can bring more treatment options for the doctor and patients.

• What applicators does Pixel Co2 has?

  Pixel Co2 has many optional applicators. From cutting applicators, to scanning applicators and Non-ablative ones.