Any experience with this machine? The company has a great way to purchase it. Pay $10,000 per year for 3 years. You can turn it back in at anytime and you are only out what you've paid. We actually have one that we've been using for 11 months and due to pay our next $10,000 on it. I'm not sure if we should keep it or get something else. It seems to be reasonable for tatoos for certain colors. (I do have one client with an aqua blue color that is not responding that well as expected.) Our tatoo removal business failry limited and I thought this machine would augment the other lasers we have for vascular lesions and brown spots. We also have a Syneron Aurora IPL with DS, SR and SRA handpieces and a Viridis 532 KTP (very small spot size is a real limitiation with this machine). So far I've not been impressed with results treating vascular lesions with the UltraLight II. Is anyone else using it for non-tattoo treatments?

The UltraLight II is a Q-YAG laser. Most of the articles I have read do NOT recommend Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers for treating vascular lesions. Problems with the very short (nanosecond) pulse duration and extremely high energy which can cause hemosidren staining, etc. But they can be used for pigmented lesions and -- depending on certain factors such as spot sizes and energy capabilities-- may be effective for melasma, etc. Apparently used commonly in Asia for this indication more than tattoos.

Any comments on using ND:YAG Q-switched 532/164 for indications other that tattoos? Any other feedback from users of this technology would be appreciated.

I have used the UltraLight II for almost 3-years. It has served its purpose. It is affordable and I have seen good to great results on most of my patients Only a handful of patients received fair to poor results. I rented prior to purchasing the UltraLight II from Sandstone. I have paid 2 of the 3 $10,000.00 payments and I will definitely pay the 3rd payment (then I will own it). I felt Sandstone was easy to work with and had a great price and the laser came with a 3-year warranty. I am pleased with the tattoo removal results and the results for removing pigmented lesions. I have successfullly removed cherry angiomas with the laser but I was not too impressed with the vein removal on the face. I did see fair to moderate results but all of the patients received purpura. I think the 532nm wavelength is correct but the pulse width is too short.

Laser nut, what interval are you using between treatments?

Laser nut,

what is the hertz, the spot size and the energy for the 1064 and the 532?
Is this laser as good as the MedliteC6 (it seems much less expensive).

JEE, I can give you some specs on the the Sandstone Ultralight II. I don't think it's as good as the Medlight C6 from everything I read. Spot size is 5mm, energy for both th 1064 and 532 is either 400 or 800 J. The maximum fluence is listed as 18J/cm. The pulse width is 10ns. I get the impression that this machine is "underpowered". How do these readings compare to others?

The spot size is 1.5mm or 5mm. I use a 5mm spot on a "fresh, 1st time" treatment for te first 2 or 3 treatments. Then I have to switch to the 1.5mm spot size. I use the laser at 5-HZ. This is not a C6. However, it is about 2/3 the cost of a C6. It is something I have realized my return on investment in less than 2-years. I evaluated the Palomar system and the con-bio systems. It just did not make any sense to spend the extra money.

It can not treat yellow or any colors with alot of yellow in it. However, Sandstone told me that up front. If I need to trat a yellow color I will stock pile my patients and rent an alexandrite 2-times a year.

Thet laser may not have the power a C6 has but I can remove the majority of the dark and red ink colors. I like this laser, the company and the affordability.

I purchased the Matrix Fractional CO2 last fall from Sandstone. I liked the Matrix and the compnay so much, it only made sense for me to talke with them once I decided to purchase a laser for tattoo removal. I bought the new version of the UltraLight-Q. It is a console system that puts out 1-joule of energy. So, far I am inpressed. I have only used it on 5-patients but have seen a nice response. Just like heir Matrix CO2, the UltraLight-Q is affordable. I paid $30,000.00 for the system. I looked at the Palomar Q-Yag and the Con-Bio lasers, I felt they were to expensive and their lasers only came with a 1-year warrant. The Ultralight-Q included a 3-year warranty. Once again, I feel like I got a good product at a great price. I wish all of the laser companies were as flexible and as easy to work with as Sandstone. Mark Rohrer (ownner of Sandstone) will wheel and deal and appears to know what he is speaking about.

I can not speak to the Matrix CO2. I have had the Scioton Profractional for about 6 months, and have had good results as long as I use good depth (800u) along with erbium ablation. As for the Ultralight ll I doubt it has sufficient fluence to treat large tattoos. I believe you must go to the small 1.5mm spot size to generate sufficient energy to be effective. How do you do this with a 4 inch tattoo? How are you going to treat green or aqua tattoos? Certainly not with this laser. You must have a ruby or alexandrite laser for those colors. As long as you inform patients with those colors that you can't help them, then it is fine, but i find many physicians don't tell patients, and treat them anyway until the patient figures out the tattoo is not disappearing. I believe you need both a ruby/alex and a Q-switched YAG to treat tattoos which is why many physicians give up or rent. The other option is to look at the used market. I just purchased a Medlite 4 for $33,000 which as good as any laser on the market. It is almost identical to the Medlite6 and half the price. Now I have an outstanding YAG for the same price as your Ultralite II but with a 2,4,and 6 mm spot with high energy. I think many people forget about the secondary market. gdp

Gary: Are you able to get a service contract on your used laser? Many of the companies make it virtually impossible to get decent service on used equipment-- as their modus operandi is to coerce buyers into trading up to a new device. This is exactly what happened to me with Cynosure a couple years ago.

Gary:

You are correct in your statement regarding the treatment on aqua, kelly green or yellow tattoos. The UltraLight-II can not treat these colors. I feel tattoo removal is something I must offer and most of the tattoos I see are red, blue or black. The UltraLight-II works as good as any other q-switched yag on these colors. The company recently upgraded my system to a 1-joule system. I looked at used systems but I found out that the manufactures will only privide parts after paying a $10,000.00 "check out fee". Then I could purchase a warranty for $15,000.00. What a joke. Sandstone Medical allowed me to rent the laser for $10,000.00 a year and if I did not want it after the 1st or 2nd year I could return it and not have to pay any more money. Plus it came with a 3-year warranty. I would reccommend the UltraLight-II to any physician just starting out in the tattoo removal system. It may not be the best system available on the market but it is a very good laser system and is priced so that you can "test the waters" for this market witout making a huge investment.

Laser Nut,
Did you get a new machine or handpiece or was there a software update for the Ultralight II? We "purchased" our machine a year ago and just made the 2nd year payment on it. The only 2 energy levels available for selection on the machine are 400 or 800J. What do you mean by a "1-joule system"?

Hi,
I was wondering do you have to pay the $10,000 up front or finance it?

You have to pay Sandstone $10,000 up front but you can finance it yourself. I don't know if they have any financing options.