The Gold Standards for Laser Dermatology

If you’ve been reading online about laser treatments for a particular skin problem that you’d like to improve, you may have come across the term “gold standard.” It refers to the idea that a device or technology is the “best around” and the “bar” we use to measure other devices against it.

You may also wonder if the term “FDA-approved” relates at all to this concept? Surprisingly, it doesn’t! It simply means that the FDA has deemed the device safe to use on people and has little to do with how effectively it does what it claims to do.

Unlike “FDA-approved”, “gold standard” is more of a subjective term. People in laser medicine tend to use it as a consensus term, meaning that they believe it to be the best option. Sure, there are clinical trials and data showing that a device can be effective, but many people get too caught up in the hype that often surrounds a new device and will often tout it as the new “gold standard” before they treat enough real-world patients to really know for sure.

At Celibre Medical, we want the laser devices and technologies that we offer our patients to be BOTH safe and effective.  We understand there is a group of patients that just want the “latest and greatest” laser dermatology treatments out there. We know we might miss out on taking care of this group of people because of this, but we’d rather offer proven options, true gold standard treatments, and have happy patients than offer sub-par services that are the fad of the moment.

We believe that safety and efficacy can go hand-in-hand. We only offer laser treatments that are FDA-approved for the conditions they treat and know from personal experience give us superior results. This means we often don’t have the latest, hottest devices that may be “trending” at any given time.  We’re okay with that! We’ve built our practice with over 20 different devices that have stood the test of time and we know how to consistently deliver results patients are looking for.

If a laser practice the term “gold standard”, carefully consider if this is a self-imposed term. This is especially true if a practice only has a handful of lasers that it claims can treat almost any skin condition.  This kind of “jack-of-all-trades but master-of-none” mentality is very common in our field.  Ask questions and make sure you feel comfortable that your laser provider has your best interest in mind.