A Ruby Laser is a solid-state laser that uses a synthetic ruby crystal as its gain medium. The first working laser was a ruby laser developed in May 1960. This laser generates pulses of visible light in a deep red color at a wavelength of 694.3 nm. Ruby laser pulse lengths are generally a millisecond in length.

A ruby laser usually has a ruby rod that is pumped with very high energy, from a flashtube, to achieve a population inversion. The rod is placed between two mirrors, forming an optical cavity, which oscillate the light produced by the ruby’s fluorescence, causing stimulated emission. The Ruby Laser is one of the few lasers that produce light in the visible range of the spectrum.

History:

The Ruby Laser was the first laser to be used in medicine. Leon Goldman who is recognized as a pioneer in laser medicine, used the Ruby Laser for treatments such as tattoo removal, scar treatments, and to induce healing. The Nd:YAG, Alexandrite and Argon Lasers eventually came to replace the Ruby Laser which had limits in output power and tunability. There were also complications in operating and cooling the units.

Cosmetic Applications:

The Ruby Laser can be used for laser hair removal. The laser emits a red-colored beam which seeks out the target melanin inside the hair shafts and adjoining hair follicles. Due to their specific melanin targeting these are best suited for individuals having light skin and dark hairs.

Older ruby lasers are still commercially available for laser hair removal .These include the E2000 and RD 1200 by Palomar Medical, the EpiPulse Ruby by Light Sheer from Lumenis; and the RubyStar by Aesculap-Meditec of Germany.

Today the primary cosmetic application for a Ruby Laser is tattoo removal. Palomar’s lastest offering, the Q-Switched Ruby Laser called the SINON, uses a short pulse duration to quickly remove a wide range of tattoo colors and to treat pigmented lesions.

Palomar’s latest offering is especially effective at removing dark tattoo colors such as green and black. The SINON is also effective for makeup tattoo removal. Tattoo removal treatments are on the rise, adding this unit to your practice will allow you to deliver services for this sought after treatment.

Specifications:

Wavelength: 694
Repetition rate: 0.5-1.2
Pulse width: 0.85-3
Fluence: 5-40
Spot size: 3-10
Output Energy >2.0 Joules
Electrical Input 220 VAC, single phase, 50-60 Hz, 30A (nominal)