- Devices
- Lasers, intense pulsed light, radiofrequency, ultrasound and controlled cooling
- Matched to
- Your concern, skin type and health history
- Eye safety
- Protective eyewear for everyone during laser and light treatments
- Questions
- Call (310) 326-2161
How we choose a device for you
At your consultation in Torrance, Dr. Shin’s team looks at your concern, skin type and health history, then explains which device may fit, what it can and cannot do, and its risks.
Skin type describes how your skin reacts to the sun, from type I (always burns) to type VI (rarely burns). The American Academy of Dermatology notes that darker skin is more prone to burns and dark marks after laser treatment, so wavelength and settings matter. Longer-wavelength lasers, such as the 1064-nm Nd:YAG, are generally preferred for darker skin, and some clearances cover only certain skin types.
Our devices at a glance
| Device | Type | FDA status | Cleared uses (short) | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ultherapy® | Microfocused ultrasound with imaging | FDA-cleared, K260618 (first authorized 2009) | Lifting the brow and loose skin under the chin and on the neck; chest lines; newer clearances add the abdomen, arms and knees | Ultherapy |
| Infini | Radiofrequency (RF) microneedling | FDA-cleared, K121481 | Facial wrinkles; stopping bleeding (coagulation) in skin procedures | RF microneedling |
| Oligio® | Radiofrequency without needles | FDA-cleared, K221989 | Coagulation of soft tissue, a general use; no specific tightening or wrinkle use | RF skin tightening |
| PicoCare® Majesty | Picosecond Nd:YAG laser, 1064 and 532 nm | FDA-cleared, K241144 | Tattoo removal; benign pigmented lesions (skin types I to IV) | PicoCare Majesty |
| Spectra laser | Q-switched Nd:YAG laser, 1064 and 532 nm | FDA-cleared, K080248, K113588 or K213569, by model | Tattoo removal; benign brown spots; nevus of Ota; resurfacing for acne scars and wrinkles; melasma on newer models | Melasma and pigmentation |
| A-Tone IPL | Intense pulsed light, about 530 to 1,100 nm (not a laser) | FDA-cleared, K131712 | Benign pigmented and vascular lesions; permanent hair reduction | IPL |
| GentleLase | Long-pulse alexandrite laser, 755 nm | FDA-cleared, K140732 | Permanent hair reduction on all skin types; benign pigmented lesions; wrinkles; vascular lesions | Laser hair removal |
| Aerolase LightPod Neo | Nd:YAG laser, 1064 nm, very short pulses | FDA-cleared, K120235 | Vascular lesions including rosacea; benign pigmented lesions; mild-to-moderate inflammatory acne; hair reduction and razor bumps; wrinkles; warts | Redness and veins |
| CO2 laser (eCO2) | Ablative CO2 laser, 10,600 nm | FDA-cleared, K091115, K100610 or K244060, by model | Skin resurfacing, wrinkles and texture; on certain models, acne scars and removal of skin tags, warts and seborrheic keratoses | Laser resurfacing |
| Pixel | Fractional erbium laser, 2940 nm | FDA-cleared, K072564 | Skin resurfacing | Laser resurfacing |
| CoolSculpting® | Controlled cooling of fat (cryolipolysis) | FDA-cleared, K233732 (first authorized 2010) | Reducing visible fat bulges in specific areas, within BMI limits; not a weight-loss treatment | CoolSculpting |
What “FDA-cleared” means
Most lasers and energy-based devices reach the U.S. market through FDA’s 510(k) process. The maker shows the device is substantially equivalent to one already legally sold, and FDA issues an order that “clears” it for specific uses. Each clearance has a number, such as K241144, that anyone can look up in FDA’s public database.
Under FDA rules, neither a 510(k) clearance nor registering a device with FDA means that FDA approved it. Prescription medicines and some higher-risk devices, such as dermal fillers, go through FDA approval instead.
Eye safety
Laser and intense pulsed light can injure the eyes. A review of eye injuries from cosmetic laser treatments found that in most cases eye protection was not used or was removed, and called protective eyewear essential. You and everyone in the room wear eye protection suited to the device.
Who performs treatments
The Medical Board of California says laser and IPL treatments must be performed by a physician, or by a registered nurse or physician assistant under a physician’s supervision, and that cosmetologists may never use lasers. Our aesthetic care is physician-directed by Dr. Shin, and a treatment may be performed by Dr. Shin or by a licensed registered nurse or physician assistant under his supervision.
Common questions
Is FDA-cleared the same as FDA-approved?
No. Most lasers and energy-based devices are cleared for specific uses through FDA’s 510(k) process, based on being substantially equivalent to a device already on the market. FDA’s rules say a clearance does not mean approval. Medicines and some higher-risk devices, such as dermal fillers, go through FDA approval.
What does off-label mean?
Off-label means using an FDA-cleared device for a purpose that is not listed in its clearance. A physician may do this, but FDA has not cleared the device for that use. We label off-label uses on our treatment pages, and Dr. Shin will review the evidence, risks and alternatives with you.
Can lasers be used on darker skin tones?
Many can, with care. Darker skin is more prone to burns and dark marks after laser treatment, so longer-wavelength lasers such as the 1064-nm Nd:YAG are generally preferred, and some devices are cleared only for certain skin types. Your skin type is assessed before any treatment.
How can I check a device’s FDA clearance?
Each clearance has a number that starts with K, such as K241144. You can search it in FDA’s public 510(k) database to see the device name, the decision date and, for most devices, a summary of its cleared uses. Our devices’ numbers are linked in the table above.
Important information
- What “off-label” means: A physician may use an FDA-cleared device for a purpose that is not listed in its clearance. This is called off-label use, and it means FDA has not cleared the device for that purpose. Our treatment pages label off-label uses, and Dr. Shin reviews the evidence, risks and alternatives with you first.
Sources & further reading
- Premarket notification 510(k) (opens in a new tab) — U.S. Food & Drug Administration
- 510(k) premarket notification database (opens in a new tab) — U.S. Food & Drug Administration
- 21 CFR 807.97: Misbranding by reference to premarket notification (opens in a new tab) — Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
- 21 CFR 807.39: Misbranding by reference to establishment registration or listing (opens in a new tab) — Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
- Dermal fillers (soft tissue fillers) (opens in a new tab) — U.S. Food & Drug Administration
- Skin conditions that lasers can treat (opens in a new tab) — American Academy of Dermatology
- Laser hair removal: a review (Gan & Graber, 2013) (opens in a new tab) — Dermatologic Surgery, via PubMed
- Tattoo removal (opens in a new tab) — American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery
- Ocular injury in cosmetic laser treatments of the face (Huang et al., 2018) (opens in a new tab) — Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, via PubMed
- Medical spas: what you need to know (opens in a new tab) — Medical Board of California
Last updated October 2026. This page is educational and does not replace a visit with a clinician.
