Carbon Wave patch
A carbon-embedded hydrogel patch that provides a surface target for a Q-switched Nd:YAG. Placed on the skin under a compression optic, it converts 1064 nm pulses into a contained mechanical shockwave, so a laser used for tattoo and pigment work can also deliver a course-based body treatment.
Will it work with my laser?
Carbon Wave runs on a laser the practice already owns. The protocol asks for three things.
- Q-switched Nd:YAG at 1064 nmThe laser most practices hold for tattoo and pigment work.
- Nanosecond or picosecond pulsesEither pulse duration fires the patch.
- An 8 to 12 mm spotThe largest spot available on the device.
Not sure? Send us your laser's make and model → Compatible lasers by make and model →
A consumable, not a capital purchase
Carbon Wave is a single-use hydrogel patch loaded with carbon. It supplies the surface target a Q-switched laser needs: each pulse lands on the patch and leaves as a pressure wave in the tissue underneath. Nothing is installed. The patch is the consumable you reorder.
Adding it to the practice
A Q-switched laser bought for tattoo removal and pigment work can also deliver Carbon Wave: a body treatment sold as a course of two or three sessions. What you are adding is a consumable and a reusable optic, not another capital purchase. Ask us for the ROI model.
Who the protocol selects for
The provider protocol is written for cellulite dimpling on the back of the thighs and the buttocks, with the abdomen and upper arms as further treatment areas. It covers mild through severe dimpling, notes that skin laxity may see mild to moderate improvement, and identifies a BMI under 30 as the ideal candidate profile. Standing photographs before and after are part of the sequence.
How the patch works
A chromophore you place, not one you find. Q-switched lasers act photo-mechanically: a nanosecond pulse is absorbed by a chromophore and the energy departs as a pressure wave rather than as heat. In tattoo and pigment work, the chromophore is already in the skin. Carbon Wave puts one on the surface, exactly where the wave should begin.
1Laser pulse
A Q-switched Nd:YAG fires a nanosecond pulse at 1064 nm.
2Patch under the optic
The carbon in the patch absorbs the pulse. The compression optic, pressed over the patch, contains the wave and directs it into the tissue.
3Wave into tissue
A pressure wave of about 40 MPa travels into the tissue below, where the provider documentation describes it breaking up fibrous septae.
On the bench, a patch alone turns a 2.0 J/cm² pulse into a shockwave of roughly 12 MPa, measured with a hydrophone and an oscilloscope. Early assessments found the effect of that pressure variable, so the system gained a compression optic: a coated quartz glass window in a rigid holder, pressed over the patch during firing. The optic contains the wave and directs it into the tissue, and the measured pressure rises to approximately 40 MPa.
The patch darkens as it absorbs energy, and a fully opaque patch is a finished pass.
Three patches, worked to opacity
The sequence has three stages: prepare, treat, and repeat after four weeks. What follows is a summary. The full treatment protocol is the version to work from, and we send it on request.
- 01
Prepare
Assess the patient standing and take photographs first. Patches go on clean skin, one per leg, and one cut into two pieces for the buttocks. The adhesive layer sits under a peel-away backing inside the foil pack.
- 02
Treat
Press the compression optic over the patch and fire at 10 Hz with a 50% overlap, in vertical and horizontal passes, three to four inside the optic footprint. Sensation should stay mild to medium; pain is a reason to stop.
- 03
Repeat
Plan two to three sessions at four-week intervals. Focus Medical places first visible change at two to four weeks after treatment and is direct that results vary.
Summarized from the Carbon Wave treatment protocol and Focus Medical. Confirm settings against the current protocol document with your representative before treating. How the cellulite treatment works →
One ex vivo study
The evidence is a prospective experimental study on ex vivo porcine skin by Martin Kassir, MD, FAAD. The full text is available on request.
Untreated control
After treatmentWhat was done
Patch plus compression optic on ex vivo porcine skin, fired with a Q-switched Nd:YAG at 2.0 J/cm², an 8–10 mm spot, 10 Hz and multiple overlapping passes. Treated samples were compared against untreated controls with hematoxylin and eosin staining.
What was found
Treated samples showed clear fragmentation and disorganization of fibrous tissue; control tissue held its native structure. The author states that further in vivo research is needed to optimize parameters and confirm clinical efficacy.
At length
Treatment parameters
- Laser
- Q-switched Nd:YAG, 1064 nm. Not included; the practice's own device.
- Pulse duration
- Nanosecond or picosecond
- Spot size
- 8–12 mm, the maximum available on the device
- Fluence
- 1.5–2.5 J/cm²
- Repetition
- 10 Hz, 50% overlap
- Technique
- Vertical and horizontal passes, three to four within the optic, until the patch is fully opaque
- Course
- Two to three treatments at four-week intervals
- Areas
- Back of thighs and buttocks; also abdomen and upper arms
Supply and format
- Format
- Carbon-embedded hydrogel patch with an adhesive backing
- Packaging
- Sealed foil pack, single patient use
- Per treatment
- Three patches: one for each leg, one cut in two for the buttocks
- Compression optic
- Coated quartz glass in a rigid holder. Reusable; one per practice.
- Bench pressure
- ≈12 MPa from the patch alone; ≈40 MPa with the optic
- Supplied by
- Hyperion Medical, direct. No distributor.
Figures from the Carbon Wave treatment protocol, Focus Medical and the ex vivo study. Where documents differ on fluence, the range shown is Focus Medical's; the protocol sheet lists 1.0–2.5 J/cm². Confirm current settings with your representative. Compatible lasers by make and model →
Side effects and precautions
What the Carbon Wave patient consent form and the Focus Medical provider FAQ list for patients and providers.
Short-term effects
Reddening, mild burning, temporary bruising or blistering. These usually resolve within one to three months.
Less common risks
Hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation is a rare risk, and avoiding sun exposure before and after treatment reduces the risk of color change. There is a risk of scarring, and a potential risk of epidermal or dermal disruption lasting three months or longer.
During treatment
Eye protection is required during laser treatment. Patients should feel a mild to medium sensation; pain or discomfort is a reason to stop the treatment.
After treatment
The treated area can be sore, so patients are advised to avoid excessive activity. Following the aftercare guidelines is part of healing.
The consent form directs the provider to review the contraindications for laser treatment and for Carbon Wave treatment before treating. Ask your representative for current labeling and contraindications.
Trained before the first patient
Carbon Wave is supplied with a protocol and training.
Training
The staff who will deliver the treatment are walked through patch handling, optic technique and settings against your own laser before the first case is booked. The consent form and the protocol document come with the first order.
Reordering
Patches and optics come from the same people who trained you, on one phone number. If a question comes up mid-course, you call us directly.
Documents on request
Clinical documents are configuration-specific and versioned, so we send current copies rather than publish them.
- Treatment protocolEquipment requirements, settings, patient selection and the step sequence.On request
- Focus Medical FAQMechanism, sensation, course length and pricing guidance.On request
- Ex vivo studyKassir, full text. Methods, histology and stated limitations.On request
- Patient consent formA template to adapt into your intake pack.On request
- ROI modelPackage pricing arithmetic for a practice considering the treatment line. Request the ROI model →On request
Asked and answered
Which lasers can fire it?
A Q-switched Nd:YAG at 1064 nm, nanosecond or picosecond, with a spot size of 8–12 mm per the protocol. If you are not sure whether your platform qualifies, tell us the make and model and we will check it against the protocol before you order.
Is this a carbon peel?
No. Nothing here is spread on as a lotion and nothing works by surface effect. The patch is a solid hydrogel target used under a compression optic, and the useful output is a contained mechanical shockwave beneath the surface. The two treatments share an ingredient, not a mechanism.
What does the patient feel?
Focus Medical describes a mild to medium sensation during treatment, no lingering discomfort afterwards, and is explicit that pain is a reason to discontinue rather than push through.
When is change visible?
Per Focus Medical, results vary and may be seen two to four weeks after treatment, across a planned course of two to three sessions at four-week intervals.
What is the evidence?
One prospective experimental study on ex vivo porcine skin, summarized in the Evidence section above. It found fragmentation and disorganization of fibrous tissue against intact controls, and calls for further in vivo research. We will send the full text on request.
What do I buy?
Single-use patches in foil packs and one reusable compression optic. The laser is yours already. Ask for the ROI model for the package pricing.
Selene fractional CO₂
The other half of the laser line: fractional resurfacing with four interchangeable tips, built by Focus Medical in Connecticut.
Why buy from Hyperion Medical?
Direct sales, installation, training and service from one company since 2010, with no distributor in between.
A demo on your schedule
Demos, pricing, compatibility checks and documents, from a rep for your state.