I am Type 1 skin and am doing session with Cynosure Apogee Elite. Can someone please let me know the ideal settings? Thank you.
Let me preface my response by stating that I am not a laser technician, but I have done a lot of research.
With Type I skin you theoretically should be able to tolerate the highest settings (pain not withstanding). Power (or Joules) is determined by the spot size used. The smaller the spot size, the higher the Joules.
As for pulse width there seems to be a bit less certainty. Paler skin (as in Type I) should tolerate shorter pulse durations (dark skin requires longer duration to avoid burning). However, I have also read that hair thickness and density determines pulse width. Thick/dense hair needs higher pulse width (around 20ms) and thin/fair hair needs the lowest pulse width (around 5ms). I personally would love to talk to a laser expert to confirm this.
Anyway, hope this helps some. Make sure to get your settings at the first treatment and share with us.
I forgot the settings after the session, stupid me!
Question though: Why is the pulse duration said to be between 5-30 ms, but on the chart is says .5-300 milliseconds?
Also, I did full arms, and my practitioner did not grid my arms, so I don’t think she was thorough. I called and they said gridding is done for patients who ask. Don’t you think gridding is always necessary on large areas to confirm a through treatment?
Call and ask for the settings used. They should keep a chart for you. I’m very curious to know your settings as I’m getting the same treatment.
As for gridding…I personally think it’s a good thing. However, some “experienced” laser techs think it’s unnecessary.
The 5-30ms is the recommended (though they really should be using 5-10ms if you can handle it). I think the machine can go up to 300ms.
As for gridding, it depends. The place I go to has a Gentlelase which doesn’t “glide” like the apogee elite so maybe it’s easier to hit everything, but they don’t grid and we get everything. It feels easier to miss things with the apogee elite because of the gliding which is why I prefer a gentlelase if possible. Gridding isn’t necessary but maybe you can ask for a mirror to see the treated area to look for any missed areas
The clinic manager is giving me another session 2 weeks from my previous session to get a more thorough treatment as well as higher settings on the Apogee Elite. I am doing this package at Laser Away in San Francisco.
Oh no. Please don’t tell me it’s this one? https://www.laseraway.net/
I used them myself. It ended up being a waste of money – they refused to bump the settings high enough to have any permanent removal (maybe 10-20%). They bumped the settings higher each visit, but by the time they went the highest they would, it was the minimum recommended settings provided by the manufacturer (meaning all the earlier treatments were way lower than what wa suggested by the laser manufactuer).
If it is them, I hope you have way better luck than I had
Yes, it is them. I read your post not recommending this company after I had already purchased a package on a financing plan, or else I would not have gone with this company. I bought 9 sessions for full arms, hands and fingers for 1225. So I am sort of stuck with them. I will find out and post the settings they use next Monday at my appointment.
What were the max settings they used on you?
By the way, I was having great success at American Laser in Santa Rosa doing my arms on 20 joules 18 mm before American Laser went bankrupt. I should have stuck with a GentleLASE or GentleMax Pro (which is what American Laser used), but I ended up trying out this place with the Apogee Elite because I read on here that it was also a great machine.
The GentleLase is a great machine, but so is the Cynosure. The only problem with the Apogee is the fact that pulse width is variable which makes it possible for the tech to have the pulse width set too high. The Candela is set at 3ms.
I look forward to seeing your settings. I’m contemplating contacting my provider because I believe the settings used on me were insufficient.