Cutera Excel HR
Dual-wavelength laser · 755nm alex + 1064nm Nd:YAG
What it's actually cleared for: 755/1064nm hair removal all skin types, vascular and pigmented lesions (CoolGlide family)
Last verified: August 6, 2026 · How we verify
New: $95k–$135k|Used: $40k–$70kmarket estimate, no email required
Bottom line
Pairs a long-pulse 755nm alexandrite with Cutera's proven 1064nm Nd:YAG (the CoolGlide lineage that defined safe hair removal in dark skin) in one premium platform — the only real head-to-head competitor to Candela's GentleMax Pro. The "all skin types, all year" box: alex for speed and efficacy on lighter skin, YAG for Fitzpatrick IV-VI and tanned patients, plus a meaningful side business in leg veins on the 1064. The 2026 asterisk is Cutera's Chapter 11 restructuring — the device is excellent; underwrite the service relationship carefully. The corporate turbulence has created genuine used-market bargains.
Overview
Premium HR with sapphire contact cooling
How it works
The science
LHR targets follicular melanin with millisecond pulses long enough to heat the bulb and bulge without shattering pigment: 755nm alexandrite for high melanin absorption on Fitzpatrick I-III; 1064nm's deeper penetration and weaker melanin absorption as the safety standard for skin of color. Sapphire contact cooling on the alex handpiece continuously chills the epidermis — arguably gentler than cryogen spray — while the 1064 side uses CoolGlide-heritage copper contact cooling. Cutera's truPulse waveform delivers consistent energy across the pulse for reproducible thermal dosing; the 1064 also does long-pulse vascular work (leg veins, facial telangiectasia).
Patented tech
truPulse uniform pulse-profile delivery and the integrated sapphire/copper contact-cooling handpiece designs from the CoolGlide patent family.
Origin
Brisbane, California, USA (Cutera).
FDA & regulatory status
What it's actually cleared for:
755/1064nm hair removal all skin types, vascular and pigmented lesions (CoolGlide family)
510(k) numbers
K132185
Regulatory data is compiled from public FDA 510(k) records and may lag recent clearances. Always confirm status with the manufacturer before purchase.
Treatment economics
What practices charge
$150-350 small areas, $300-700 large areas (full legs, back), in 6-session packages of $1,000-3,500; leg vein sessions add $300-600. An excel HR running 30+ hours/week grosses $25,000-50,000/month.
Consumables & recurring cost
None per treatment — a decisive operating-cost advantage over diode rivals with tip fees and Candela systems burning DCD cryogen at $0.05-0.15 per pulse. Flashlamp and cooling-system maintenance is the only recurring cost.
Ideal for
Best-fit practice
The full-service medspa building a membership hair removal business across a diverse patient base, especially with significant Fitzpatrick IV-VI demand where the 1064 is non-negotiable; also solo NP/PA practices wanting one platform covering hair, veins, and pigment.
Compliance
Medical director & delegation
Hair removal delegation is the most state-variable service in aesthetics — some states allow aestheticians under supervision, others require RN-or-above; a medical director at $1,500-3,500/month plus compliant delegation protocols is standard.
Contraindications & screening
Active tan on the 755 side (switch to 1064), gold therapy, isotretinoin per protocol, pregnancy deferral, photosensitizers, and white/gray/true-blonde hair lacking chromophore — sell those consults a different modality rather than a refund later.
Ownership
Warranty & service
1-year Cutera warranty; extended historically $12,000-18,000/year; post-restructuring field service response varies by region and a healthy third-party market services the platform at $250-450/hour. Negotiate multi-year service into any new purchase while Cutera is motivated.
Resale & used market
New ~$100,000-135,000 by negotiation and config; used $35,000-70,000 with post-bankruptcy uncertainty temporarily suppressing values — a buying opportunity given the install base and third-party parts supply. Expect firming as Cutera's post-emergence stability gets proven.
Chains using this device
No confirmed chain deployments recorded yet.
Owner reviews
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Alternatives
History
Every tracked change to pricing, lifecycle status, FDA data and warranty terms — newest first.
August 5, 2026
Warranty & service
1-year Cutera warranty; extended historically $12,000-18,000/year; post-restructuring field service response varies by region and a healthy third-party market services the platform at $250-450/hour. Negotiate multi-year service into any new purchase while Cutera is motivated.
Source: Automatic record update
August 1, 2026
Record created
Added to The Aesthetic Index — August 2026
Source: The Aesthetic Index editorial
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