It may be tempting to buy older medical laser equipment because of the great price, however you must be extremely cautious about this.  The newer equipment on the market has become more user-friendly and safer to use.  Using older technology can be much more “expertise” driven and in the wrong hands, can have disastrous results.  Some of the problems with older technology is inadequate cooling on the skin, a lack of ongoing calibration and maintenance, and a poor user-friendly interface that helps ensure the operator provides a safe treatment.  While newer equipment can never replace someone who has been properly trained in the safe user of lasers, it goes a long way to help prevent adverse reactions from occurring in the first place.

Ideally, you want to buy a laser that has seen little use that is no greater than 3 or 4 years old.  If you go too far beyond this point, you can run into a lack of third party support for the laser and a lack of people who can repair it or find replacement parts.  It can also be too outdated and more dangerous to use.  That said, some technology has not changed dramatically over the past 8 or 9 years and it may still be worth a look, laser hair removal being a prime example  If you find a laser with a low pulse count that is an older model unit (Candela Gentlelase for example), find out if the same unit is still manufactured today.  If it is, then obsolescence may not be a problem and you can potentially get a really great deal on a very effective and reliable laser.

Vin Wells, MHSA
www.RockBottomLasers.com
800-794-1097