The Palomar laser is an aesthetic medical device used for cosmetic purposes like hair removal, treatment of leg veins, wrinkle removal, and to address skin pigmentation issues. This machine was developed by Palomar, a company that was purchased by another medical devises developer, Cynosure, in 2013. Cynosure was already focusing on research and development of various laser technologies for applications in skin care, and Palomar laser was a logical fit for this acquisition. In addition to this newly acquired product line, the Cynosure carries other device brands like Slim Lipo, a laser machine designed to contour fatty tissues; the Palomar Emerge Fractional Laser, for skin resurfacing; and the StarLux machine to get rid of wrinkles, scars, and unwanted hair. Although lasers have been used in skin care for half a century, it is important to keep in mind that such technologies can be vastly different and can cause different levels of skin damage, have different recovery times, and may not be effective for everyone. With this in mind, a good way to understand what the Palomar laser can do is to look at its complementary features and how they affect treatment.

How the Palomar Laser Works

When it comes to laser technology for skin care, the idea behind treatment is pretty simple. Devices like the Palomar laser amplify light energy to the point where the beam is strong enough to affect skin cells. Think about it this way, your body already reacts to light radiation by producing melanin pigment to reduce skin damage. When this energy is amplified in a laser, it can be strong enough to coagulate cells, or to vaporise them altogether. When technologies like the Palomar laser are used, the damage they cause to skin cells and collagen fibers stimulate the body’s natural responses to replace the damaged cells with new ones and create the appearance of healthy skin.

When is the Palomar Laser Used?

Technologies like the Palomar laser are used to treat a variety of skin conditions like wrinkles, acne scars, pigmentation issues, and hair removal. However, it is important to remember that lasers can cause a lot of discomfort to the skin, because they actually damage tissues. This is more so true for ablative lasers, which often completely destroy cells on the surface, thus causing more discomfort and requiring longer healing times. In response to such problems, devices like the Palomar laser contain features designed to reduce discomfort and potential side effects.

For example, the PalomarIcon laser includes a cooling technology designed to prevent skin damage from device head overheating. Some of the other features included in Palomar laser line are special micro-lenses to increase the laser effectiveness and decrease procedure durations, as well as a number of hand pieces that specifically calibrate the light energy depending on the skin problem that is being treated.

Palomar StarLux

The StarLux is another laser device that was created by Palomar, and is specifically a non-ablative laser, designed for shorter recovery times. This Palomar laser is also used to get rid of wrinkles, minimize the appearance of acne scars, and stunt hair growth. Although the company claims that StarLux was designed to prevent pain and discomfort from over-heating, it is important to note that some individuals may experience redness and swelling after treatment. However, because the strength of the laser is mitigated, treatment may likely need to be repeated several times in order for results to show.

Slim Lipo

The Palomar Slim Lipo technology is used to address the signs of ageing by contouring problem areas of the body. This device uses laser energy to break down the lipids in fat cells, thus re-shaping fatty tissues that cannot be addressed with simple diet or exercise. Most commonly this device would be used on areas where the skin starts to sag because it can no longer support the fatty tissue underneath. Keep in mind that this Palomar laser technology can cause discomfort, and local anesthesia will likely be necessary.