Pathway
to Beauty | by
John P. Ribner
Developed
by the recognized world leader in light therapy, Photo Therapeutics,
Inc., Lumière Light Thèrapie offers salons a way to
provide safe, effective and clinically proven anti-aging treatments
to their clients.
Good, common sense and an eye toward the future inspired
the formation of Lumière Light Thèrapie. The company was
formed after two forward-thinking tanning industry veterans at Raymond
Anthony International
discovered a relatively unknown but highly effective medical treatment,
Photo Dynamic Therapy or “red light,” which stimulates the production
of collagen and elastin in the skin delivered by Photo Therapeutics patented
medical device called Omnilux. Immediately seeing the benefits that such
treatments could offer the indoor tanning industry, which is becoming more
and more skincare conscious, they formed a partnership with Photo Therapeutics
to create the first non-medical version of Omnilux. Together, Raymond Anthony
International and Photo Therapeutics Inc. utilized the same core technology,
patents and proven clinical efficacy as Omnilux which is used by over 2,500
board certified dermatologists worldwide. That device – the Lumière
Light Thèrapie system – continues to offer tanning salon pros
a way to increase their revenues and services while helping their clients
achieve healthy looking skin.
Promising News
The history of what would become the Lumière Light Thèrapie
system begins across the pond in Merry Old England. It was there that Dr.
Collin Whitehurst, commissioned by the Cancer Research Institute, was experimenting
with a specific wavelength (633 nanometers) of red light to treat non-melanoma
skin cancers. “What the doctor discovered was that the light was not
only successfully curing the cancers, it also rejuvenated the healthy tissue
surrounding the lesions as well,” explained Tony Case, Lumière
President. “Dr. Whitehurst quickly patented the technology and formed
PTI with the Cancer Research Institute, Christie Hospital and the University
of Manchester. We came across this information while researching skincare
treatments that might be beneficial to offer in salons, and we were extremely
interested in it. We immediately thought about the beauty applications
this device could provide, and the possibility of developing a similar
unit for use in the indoor tanning industry.”
A Big Move
Tony Case and his business partner decided to take a “working vacation” when
they flew to England to meet with Photo Therapeutics, the manufacturers
(and patent holders) of the medical device, Omnilux. “Our goal was
to see if a similar unit could be made for use in the tanning industry,
one that would not require a medical license to operate, since this would
be used for beauty applications only, but still be protected by the same
patents and deliver the same great efficacy.” Tony explained. “The
company accepted our offer of partnership and immediately began production
of what would become the Lumière Light Thèrapie system.” Cleared
for use by the FDA, Lumière debuted at the Indoor Tanning Association
World Expo 2004 in Orlando. Needless to say, it was a huge hit among salon
owners who were looking for new growth and image building opportunities.
The recent big news is that with the success and acceptance of Lumière
Light Thèrapie in spas and salons around the country, Photo Therapeutics
made an offer to wholly acquire the Raymond Anthony International company
and bring everything under one roof. This move has made for some very exciting
opportunities to come for the tanning and beauty industries in the near
future.
The Lumière Light Thèrapie system is produced by Carlsbad,
CA-based Photo Therapeutics, Inc. The company, which also manufacturers
Omnilux and the popular TANOLOGY tanning lotion line, is located in a 6,000
square-foot office and warehouse facility, employing 15 people in-house
and supported by 20 outside sales representatives located in regions across
the U.S.
The “Red Light” Revolution
The Lumière device is nothing if not unique, and some might wonder
how it all works. “Our system utilizes a 633-nanometer wavelength,
known as ‘red light,’ to help stimulate fibroblast cells, which
stimulate the production of collagen and elastin in the skin,” explained
Case. “When combined with a regimen of topical solutions, this treats
the symptoms of various problematic skin conditions, such as age and sun
spots, oversized pores, fine lines and wrinkles, and issues associated
with acne-prone skin.” According to Case, the system offers tanning
salons enormous revenue growth potential because of its ability to draw
a diverse clientele – everyone from current tanners who are interested
in skincare to Baby Boomers who might have stopped tanning because of concerns
about its effects on their skin, and anyone in between.
The Lumiere system is designed as a client self-service similar to tanning,
and provides four different skincare regimes.
The first is the Vitalizing Regime, which is intended for clients up to
22 years of age to prolong their youthful appearance and defend against
environmental impact.
The second is the Repairing Regime, which stimulates collagen production
and reduces the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, age spots and blotches,
as well as helping reduce the size of pores and giving the skin a smoother
appearance. This is typically appropriate for clients over 22 years of
age.
The third option is the Firming Regime, which stimulates elastin production
and repairs thinning, drooping skin around the eyes and jaw line, and is
popular with clients over 45 years of age.
The last is the Clearing Regime, which helps eliminate symptoms of acne-prone
or problematic skin, and is used by clients of all ages.
Each regime includes its own topical serum to enhance the light’s
therapeutic effects, as well as after-care products, which can be offered
for additional retail revenue.
The system includes the light therapy device, spa facial table, extensive
marketing, and educational and point of purchase materials. Photo Therapeutics
takes education very seriously and has three different education platforms
to utilize. First is a complete interactive CD-ROM training that comes
with each device and has a final exam and answer key for new hires and
ongoing training. Second is online interactive training, which comes with
unlimited access to the bi-weekly schedule. The final is onsite training.
The training covers every aspect of light therapy from the photobiology
to the sales and marketing of retail packages. The company also allows
its salon clients access to its public relations agency for additional
promotional help at no charge. Photo Therapeutics recommends salon pros
sell sessions in packages – $299 for six and $499 for 12 sessions
including a complete skincare range, or EFT yearly memberships from $39
per month to $89 per month.
More to Come!
Photo Therapeutics, Inc. has some big plans for the future of Lumière
Light Thèrapie. “Now that we are the manufacturer selling direct
to salons, we are looking at ways to make Lumière Light Thèrapie
affordable to every salon in the U.S.,” Case commented.
