Laser Treatment Classes of Medical Spas Defined
Saturday, October 17th, 2009
The advent of aesthetic laser treatments in cosmetic medicine has led to many advancements in cosmetic medical device industries. In the cosmetic laser arena, new and improved cosmetic lasers are entering the cosmetic medical market every few months. This development curve is leaving the classification criterion of aesthetic lasers to continually be redefined. Therefore, the following information is to be used as a guideline and is not considered to be a current and thorough description.
Lasers in use by medical practitioners typically have low outputs of energy and power, and are thus placed in ANSI (American National Standards Institute) Class 2 category. Another important organization is the LIA (Laser Institute of America). The majority of medical lasers fall into the ANSI Class 3 or 4 categories with most surgical lasers being in ANSI Class 4. Most medical and/or surgical lasers are classified by the FDA (Food and Drug administration) as Class II or Class III medical devices.
Class 1 Lasers
Class 1 lasers are not considered to pose any hazards when operated according to normal conditions and includes lasers which are completely enclosed such as CD players, fiber-optics devices, and printers. These devices cannot have emissions exceeding the maximum permitted exposure (MPE) under any conditions are considered to be class 1 systems.
Still, problems can occur if the laser is outside of the enclosure.
Warning labels are required for this class inside the unit or underneath the cover.
Class 2a
Lasers in this class do not pose a threat unless the laser is directly viewed for more than 16 minutes or so and encompasses visible light lasers with a total output power less than 1 milliwatt, but greater than a few microwatts.
Class 2
This class of lasers includes visible light lasers that are intense enough that viewing the beam into a human eye can cause the normal “aversion response”. An aversion response is when the eyelids close, or the head moves in order to avoid the light. It can occur within 0.25 seconds and includes the blink reflex time.
Class 3a
Class of lasers that includes those emitting ultraviolet or infrared light as well as visible light. All devices within the Class 1 AEL (Allowed Exposure Level) with laser output between .18μm and 1mm fall in this class. Common Laser pointers that are readily available are class 3a laser devices.
Class 3b
This class of lasers includes the same laser output spectrum as class 3a, but increases the output level to that of Class 2 AEL.
Class 4
This class of lasers includes any that exceeds the Class 2 AEL. Most every laser that produces an excess of 0.5 watts is in this class.
As an aesthetician, you are now crossing the line from treating clients to treating patients. All the components of aesthetic care play an even more important role when designing a post-procedure treatment plan for the patient who just underwent a deep chemical peel for acne scarring. Or, the Rosacea patient who just completed her first intense pulse light treatment. It’s important to remember that you are the skin care expert in your recommendations of skin care products and regimens to your clients. However, you are also a critical adjunct to the physician who has planned an aggressive therapy treatment for his patient.
Medical Spa MD is a cosmetic medical community of Plastic Surgeons & Cosmetic Dermatologists with more than 3,500 medical spa members world wide. Medical Spa MD offers medical esthetician training manuals and provides information on nonsurgical cosmetic medical technologies and treatments.
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