Equipment profile · Lumenis
Lumenis Stellar M22: Price, Specs, FDA Clearance and Alternatives
Stellar M22 is Lumenis’s multi-application platform for practices that want IPL, non-ablative fractional resurfacing, vascular and tattoo lasers on one console. The IPL handpiece carries nine filters for pigment, redness, acne and hair, and laser modules can be added as your menu grows.
The short answer
Stellar M22’s IPL is FDA cleared for pigment including melasma, vascular lesions, acne and hair reduction on skin types I to V, and its laser modules add leg veins, non-ablative resurfacing and dark tattoos. FDA found it equivalent to the earlier M22, with a larger screen and a new IPL handpiece. Lumenis doesn’t publish prices.
Who should buy a Stellar M22?
Shortlist it if
- You want one console for IPL photofacials, leg veins, texture and tattoos, adding modules over time.
- Several providers will use presets for consistent treatments.
- You have the room and budget for a multi-module system.
Compare another option if
- You only need broadband light and want motion tracking: compare BBL HEROic.
- You want IPL plus 1550 and 1940 nm fractional lasers: compare Nordlys.
Our take: Stellar M22 or Nordlys?
Both are modular IPL and laser platforms, so compare the modules you’ll actually use. Stellar M22 adds a Q-switched Nd:YAG for tattoos and the 1565 nm ResurFX; Nordlys adds 1550 and 1940 nm fractional lasers. Neither price is public, so quotes must list every module, filter and tip.
Ask Lumenis which modules come in the base price and which are later upgrades. A used original M22 can be good value if Lumenis will service it, but check its screen, IPL handpiece and software against the Stellar model.
Document-based buying analysis. Not a NuWays MD hands-on test of this device.
Stellar M22 specifications at a glance
Before you compare
| Specification | Stellar M22 | What it means for your practice |
|---|---|---|
| IPL | 400 to 1,200 nm with nine filters (cutoffs at 515, 560, 590, 615, 640, 695 and 755 nm, plus two dual-band notch filters) and three SapphireCool lightguides | Filters set what you can treat. Confirm all nine are included. |
| ResurFX | 1565 nm non-ablative fractional laser with SapphireCool and Precision tips; CoolScan scanning pattern (Lumenis) | Texture and scar work without ablation. |
| Multi-Spot Nd:YAG | 1064 nm with 2 x 4, 6 and 9 mm lightguides for leg veins up to 4 mm, hair and non-ablative wrinkle treatment | Covers deeper vessels that IPL alone does not reach. |
| Q-switched Nd:YAG | 1064 nm nanosecond laser for dark tattoos and pigment; tips from 2 to 8 mm, disposable or gold-plated | A tattoo option, though nanosecond rather than picosecond. |
| Speed and presets | Glide Mode up to 4 Hz for large areas; more than 850 presets (Lumenis) | Presets help keep results consistent across providers under your protocols. |
| Screen and service | 12-inch touchscreen; cloud connectivity for remote service on 2025 units |
Sources: Lumenis · FDA 510(k) K193500.
See it next to the alternativesSpecs, cleared uses and ownership questions in one table.
Stellar M22 vs. the original M22: what changed?
FDA’s 2020 record found Stellar M22 equivalent to the M22 in uses and modules. The changes are the screen and the IPL handpiece, plus connectivity added in 2025.
| Feature | Stellar M22 | M22 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen | 12 inches | 8.4 inches |
| IPL handpiece | Stellar IPL | Universal IPL |
| Laser modules | ResurFX, Multi-Spot Nd:YAG, Q-switched Nd:YAG | Same three |
| Cleared uses | Same as M22 | Same as Stellar M22 |
| Remote service | Added in 2025 | Not listed |
Sources: FDA 510(k) K193500 · FDA 510(k) K250809.
What is the Stellar M22 FDA cleared for?
Each 510(k) number links to its record in the FDA database. The summary PDFs are listed under Sources.
510(k) K250809 (Stellar M22), cleared April 16, 2025. Product code GEX; Class II medical device. Adds hardware for secure transfer of technical data to the cloud for remote service; uses unchanged.
Source: FDA 510(k) K250809.
510(k) K193500 (Stellar M22 for Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) and Laser System), cleared January 16, 2020. Product code GEX; Class II medical device. Cleared as equivalent to the M22 and ResurFX systems (K170060).
| Handpiece | Cleared uses (summarized) |
|---|---|
| IPL (400 to 1,200 nm) | Benign epidermal lesions including dyschromia, hyperpigmentation, melasma and freckles; warts, scars and striae; benign vascular lesions including port wine stains, telangiectasias, rosacea redness, spider angiomas, poikiloderma and leg veins; hair removal and permanent hair reduction on skin types I to V; mild to moderate inflammatory acne. |
| Multi-Spot Nd:YAG (1064 nm) | Vascular lesions, including leg telangiectasias and reticular veins 0.1 to 4 mm; hair removal on all skin types and permanent reduction on types I to V; non-ablative treatment of facial wrinkles. |
| ResurFX (1565 nm) | Fractional skin resurfacing and coagulation of soft tissue. |
| Q-switched Nd:YAG (1064 nm) | Removal of dark tattoos and treatment of pigmented lesions. |
Source: FDA 510(k) K193500.
Clearance describes what a device may be marketed for; it does not predict results for a given patient.
- In 2021 FDA also granted a De Novo request (DEN200028) for the Stellar M22 IPL to improve signs of dry eye disease caused by meibomian gland dysfunction, for patients 22 and older with skin types I to IV, alongside other dry eye treatments. It is an eye-care use, separate from the aesthetic uses above.
Stellar M22 clinical studies
Published studies we found on this system, its earlier models and related technology, each labeled by what it tested. Most are small, and some have manufacturer-affiliated authors, so use them to frame questions for the demo rather than as proof of results.
What we found: None on this system; 1 on an earlier model, 1 on related technology.
- Earlier model: Lumenis M22Combined 400-600nm and 800-1200nm Intense Pulsed Phototherapy of Facial Acne VulgarisFive treatments with the M22’s dual-band acne filter in skin types II to V; half the patients had at least 50% fewer lesions at 4 weeks. Very small, with short follow-up.
- Related technology: ResurFX module; console not namedTreatment of erythematous acne scars using 595-nm pulsed dye laser combined with 1565-nm ResurFX nonablative fractional laserResurFX alone against ResurFX plus a pulsed dye laser for red acne scars; adding the dye laser improved redness and scar scores 4 weeks after one session.
Links open the PubMed record.
How much does a Stellar M22 cost?
| Price evidence | What we found |
|---|---|
| New system (manufacturer quote) | Lumenis does not publish prices, and we found no reliable public price for a new Stellar M22. The price depends on the modules. |
| Used (asking prices) | Not reviewed for this profile. Confirm M22 or Stellar M22 and which modules are installed. |
| Documented sale prices | None found. |
What ownership adds after purchase
| Cost area | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Modules | Itemize the IPL, ResurFX, Multi-Spot Nd:YAG and Q-switched modules, plus filters and lightguides. |
| Tips | Price ResurFX tips and Q-switched disposable tips if you plan tattoo volume. |
| Service | Ask whether remote service is included and what service costs after the warranty. |
| Used systems | Confirm M22 or Stellar M22, the installed modules and whether Lumenis will service a transferred unit. |
Stellar M22 alternatives to compare
| Device | Technology | Why compare it |
|---|---|---|
| Candela Nordlys | SWT pulsed light and laser platform | Candela’s IPL with 1550 and 1940 nm fractional and Nd:YAG handpieces. |
| Sciton BBL HEROic | Broadband pulsed light; not a laser | Sciton’s broadband light on the modular JOULE or mJOULE platforms. |
| Cutera excel V+ | 532 / 1064 nm laser | Cutera’s 532 and 1064 nm laser for vessels and redness. |
Different technologies are not interchangeable. Compare configurations, cleared uses and ownership costs before you book demos.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Stellar M22 or the original M22, and which year and software?
- Which modules are included: IPL, ResurFX, Multi-Spot Nd:YAG, Q-switched Nd:YAG?
- Are all nine IPL filters and three lightguides included?
- What do ResurFX tips and Q-switched disposable tips cost?
- Does the system have the 2025 remote-service hardware, and what does service cost after the warranty?
- What is the total with tax, freight, installation and financing?
Plan the purchase
Plan your Stellar M22 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 IPL and light machines to research
InModeOptimasMAXFull guideMulti-application RF, laser and pulsed-light workstationRead the full page →
ScitonBBL HEROicFull profileBroadband pulsed light; not a laserRead the full page →
ScitonmJOULE · BBL HEROic + MOXIFull profilePulsed light plus fractional non-ablative laserRead the full page →
CandelaNordlysFull profileSWT pulsed light and laser platformRead the full page →
Cuteraexcel V+Full profile532 / 1064 nm laserRead the full page →All IPL and light machines →More Lumenis equipment →Full equipment catalog →
Sources
Show all 4 sources
- Lumenis: Stellar M22 (November 7, 2026). Checked November 7, 2026.
- FDA 510(k) K193500: Stellar M22 for Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) and Laser System (January 16, 2020). Checked November 7, 2026.
- FDA 510(k) K250809: Stellar M22 (April 16, 2025). Checked November 7, 2026.
- FDA De Novo DEN200028: Lumenis Stellar M22 (dry eye) (February 23, 2021). Checked November 7, 2026.