Equipment profile · Cynosure
Cynosure Elite iQ: Price, Specs, FDA Clearance and Alternatives
The Elite iQ is Cynosure’s dual-wavelength laser for practices that want alexandrite and Nd:YAG without cryogen. It works with a cold-air chiller and includes the Skintel reader, which measures skin melanin to set a starting fluence for test spots.
The short answer
The Elite iQ is FDA cleared for permanent hair reduction on skin types I to VI, plus vascular, pigment and wrinkle treatments. A newer Elite iQ PRO, cleared in 2024, keeps the same cleared uses and adds a 30 mm handpiece and a 12 Hz top rate. Cynosure doesn’t publish prices, so make sure every quote names the exact model.
Who should buy an Elite iQ?
Shortlist it if
- You’d rather budget for a chiller than for cryogen canisters that scale with volume.
- Your providers would use a melanin reading as a starting point for test spots, not a replacement for them.
- Your room has space for the chiller and a dedicated 208 to 240 V circuit rated for 5,500 VA.
Compare another option if
- You want DCD cryogen cooling and the GLX upgrade path: compare the GentleMax Pro Plus.
- You’re weighing a diode platform with interchangeable applicators: compare the Soprano Titanium.
Our take: Elite iQ or Elite iQ PRO?
Decide the version before you compare prices. The PRO’s 30 mm handpiece and 12 Hz rate don’t tell you how many more patients you can book. Ask the demo team to run your busiest appointment type on the model you’d actually buy. If large areas are a small part of your work, the original may cover it.
Then price the whole setup: the handpieces you need, the chiller if it isn’t included, installation, training and service from year two. An alexandrite-only Elite iQ also exists, so confirm the quote covers the dual-wavelength system.
Document-based buying analysis. Not a NuWays MD hands-on test of this device.
Elite iQ specifications at a glance
| Specification | Elite iQ | What it means for your practice |
|---|---|---|
| Wavelengths | 755 nm alexandrite and 1064 nm Nd:YAG; an alexandrite-only workstation is also sold | 755 nm suits lighter skin and finer hair; 1064 nm is the safer wavelength for darker skin types. One console can serve a mixed patient base. Confirm which version the quote covers. |
| Maximum fluence | 600 J/cm² | |
| Spot sizes | 2.5 to 24 mm on the Elite iQ; the Elite iQ PRO adds a 30 mm handpiece | Large spots cover more skin per pulse on legs and backs. Confirm which handpieces are included. |
| Pulse duration | 0.5 to 300 ms | |
| Repetition rate | 0.5 to 10 Hz (Elite iQ PRO: up to 12 Hz) | |
| Melanin reader | Skintel, an FDA-cleared reader that measures skin melanin to set a starting test-spot fluence | A measured starting point for test spots. It does not replace clinical judgment or test spots. |
| Skin cooling | Compatible with a cold-air chiller | No cryogen canisters. Confirm whether the chiller is included, its service and the floor space it needs. |
| Delivery | Lens-coupled fiber with quick-release handpieces and electronic spot recognition | |
| Electrical | 208 to 240 V single phase, 5,500 VA | Plan a dedicated circuit before delivery. |
Sources: FDA 510(k) K193426 · FDA 510(k) K240396 · Cynosure.
See it next to the alternativesSpecs, cleared uses and ownership questions in one table.
Elite iQ vs. Elite iQ PRO: what changed?
FDA cleared the Elite iQ PRO in March 2024 with no change in intended use. It adds a 30 mm handpiece and a 12 Hz maximum repetition rate, with fluence levels updated for the new handpiece. Cynosure’s product page still features the Elite iQ, so confirm which system a quote covers.
| Feature | Elite iQ | Elite iQ PRO |
|---|---|---|
| Largest spot | 24 mm | 30 mm |
| Repetition rate | 0.5 to 10 Hz | 0.5 to 12 Hz |
| Intended use | Hair removal, vascular, pigment and wrinkle indications | No change |
| Skintel melanin reader | Included | Included, unchanged |
Sources: FDA 510(k) K240396.
What is the Elite iQ FDA cleared for?
Each 510(k) number links to its record in the FDA database. The summary PDFs are listed under Sources.
510(k) K193426 (Elite iQ), cleared March 9, 2020. Product code GEX; Class II medical device; Class IV laser. Cleared on equivalence to earlier Cynosure lasers.
| Wavelength | Cleared uses (summarized) |
|---|---|
| 755 nm | Stable long-term or permanent hair reduction on skin types I to VI including tanned skin; vascular lesions, benign pigmented lesions and wrinkles. |
| 1064 nm | Benign vascular lesions including leg and spider veins; benign cutaneous lesions such as scars and striae; benign pigmented lesions; wrinkles; pseudofolliculitis barbae; stable long-term or permanent hair reduction. |
FDA defines permanent hair reduction as a long-term, stable reduction in the number of hairs regrowing, measured at 6, 9 or 12 months after a treatment regime.
Source: FDA 510(k) K193426.
510(k) K240396 (Elite iQ PRO), cleared March 8, 2024. Product code GEX; Class II medical device; Class IV laser. Same intended use as the Elite iQ; adds a 30 mm handpiece and a 12 Hz maximum repetition rate.
Source: FDA 510(k) K240396.
Clearance describes what a device may be marketed for; it does not predict results for a given patient.
How much does an Elite iQ cost?
| Price evidence | What we found |
|---|---|
| New system (manufacturer quote) | Cynosure does not publish prices, and we found no reliable public new-system price. Get an itemized written quote that names Elite iQ or Elite iQ PRO. |
| Used (asking prices) | Not reviewed for this profile. Treat any asking price as a starting point and confirm service history and transfer terms. |
| Documented sale prices | None found. |
What ownership adds after purchase
| Cost area | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Cold-air chiller | Confirm whether a chiller is included, its price if not, and who services it. |
| Handpieces | Spot sizes are separate handpieces. List which ones arrive and the price of any you add later. |
| Room and power | 208 to 240 V single phase at 5,500 VA; a dedicated circuit and a controlled laser room. |
| Service | Ask what the service plan covers after the warranty, response times and loaner policy. |
Elite iQ alternatives to compare
| Device | Technology | Why compare it |
|---|---|---|
| Candela GentleMax Pro Plus | 755 nm alexandrite / 1064 nm Nd:YAG | The closest like-for-like: 755/1064 nm with DCD cryogen cooling instead of a chiller, spots to 26 mm and an optional GLX upgrade. |
| Alma Soprano Titanium | 755 / 810 / 1064 nm diode platform | A diode approach with interchangeable applicators. Cleared hair-removal claims differ by applicator. |
| Candela GentleMax Pro · earlier generation | 755 nm alexandrite / 1064 nm Nd:YAG | Often compared on the used market. Check laser-head history and transfer support before comparing price. |
Different technologies are not interchangeable. Compare configurations, cleared uses and ownership costs before you book demos.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Is this the Elite iQ or the Elite iQ PRO, and is it dual-wavelength or alexandrite-only?
- Which handpieces and spot sizes are included, including the 30 mm on PRO?
- Is a cold-air chiller included? If not, which model is required and what does it cost?
- What does the warranty cover, and what does the service plan cost from year two?
- How many training days are included, and for how many staff?
- What is the total with tax, freight, installation and financing fees?
Plan the purchase
Plan your Elite iQ purchase.
- Compare it side by side with its closest alternatives.
- Check what each quote includes: configuration, supplies, service and financing.
- Model the monthly payment against realistic treatment volume in the ROI calculator.
Other laser hair removal machines to research
InModeOptimasMAXFull guideMulti-application RF, laser and pulsed-light workstationRead the full page →
CandelaGentleMax Pro PlusFull profile755 nm alexandrite / 1064 nm Nd:YAGRead the full page →CandelaGentleMax Pro · earlier generationFull profile755 nm alexandrite / 1064 nm Nd:YAGRead the full page →
AlmaSoprano TitaniumFull profile755 / 810 / 1064 nm diode platformRead the full page →
LumenisSplendor XFull profile755 nm Alexandrite / 1064 nm Nd:YAG, square spotsRead the full page →All laser hair removal machines →More Cynosure equipment →Full equipment catalog →
Sources
Show all 3 sources
- FDA 510(k) K193426: Elite iQ (March 9, 2020). Checked November 6, 2026.
- FDA 510(k) K240396: Elite iQ PRO (March 8, 2024). Checked November 6, 2026.
- Cynosure: Elite iQ product page. Checked November 6, 2026.