BLOG TEXT
ALL ARTICLES 22 APRIL
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The
Weekly US Aesthetic Device Leaderboard - Why & How
We get a lot of feedback - some of it constructive,
some of it complimentary, and some of it unfit to print - on the Weekly
US Aesthetic Device Leaderboard. That's been expected.
Here is why we have it and how it's calculated:
The leaderboard is improving over time as we refine
it. We're happy to discuss this in more detail, Just reach out.
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How
we estimate prices for new devices that aren't published
We get asked how we estimate price ranges for new
aesthetic devices that aren't publicly published.
Several of the founding team are experienced
financial quants and forecasting techniques are familiar to us. A technique
called regression is how we estimate new device prices. We also have five team
members that are very familiar with the US aesthetic device market and any
estimated prices have to pass the 'sniff test' - does the range look
correct?
Specifically, we gather (current) pricing information
for approximately 1,000 pre-owned devices being sold in the US and Europe. For
every device, its condition, age, use, certification and refurbishment status
are assessed. A group of used devices (typically 4-8) for a specific model is
used to define the 'like-new' device price. This price is then used to forecast
the new device price.
Our confidence in the price forecast is reflected in
the breadth of the price range that we apply to each new device model. if our
data isn't consistent and comprehensive, the price range is wider.
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Why
an AI - CliniMatch IQ - for AeonEx? What's wrong with a general AI like GPT?
Let's talk about why we have spent a good deal of
time and money building our own unique product recommender - CliniMatch IQ.
Summary: General AI is very poor at
providing accurate information on device selection topics - 40-80% of the time
it's wrong.
AI-Provided Intelligence is Part of Our Direct
Sales Vision
Providing open and accurate information is central
to our vision to sell devices direct from manufacturers to clinics.
It's the poor information environment - no prices, misleading marketing,
incomparable data and more - that makes it so difficult to evaluate and
purchase aesthetic devices. Practice owners tell us just how frustrating and
confusing the buying process is.
Travelling sales agents tend to be very good at their
jobs and build strong relationships with clinicians as a result. However, it's
accurate information and product intelligence that makes human sales agents
indispensable. That's the basis of the trust they earn.
To sell direct, we provide - through the AI
CliniMatch IQ - a way for non-experts to narrow down and select a suitable
device without needing a human. Please don't misunderstand; we don't think
anyone will buy an expensive device without talking to a human. That's just
human nature, and we don't see that changing.
So CliniMatch IQ is a replacement for sales agent
knowledge and advice. In truth, the AI is SUPERHUMAN. It's
like having 1,000 of the best clinical experts, technologists, product
managers all combined, 24/7. Put differently: no human or team can ever
begin to compete with the product selection intelligence that the AI has.
It's not possible. It truly can tell you almost ANYTHING you want to know - but
only related to buying a medical device. We're not saying its a human.
OK but that doesn't answer the question why build our
own AI
CliniMatch IQ is a closed DB that is WAY BETTER,
than a general AI like ChatGPT. In fact, general LLMs are wrong 40-80% of the
time re devices.
It's the comprehensive and accurate information
that our AI has that distinguishes it from any other AI. CliniMatch IQ is a
closed device purchasing database with a conversational AI 'on top.' It
doesn't mine the Internet, it's strictly only presents our double-checked
info.
Using a regular AI doesn't work when you're
selecting an aesthetic device. Worse, it's flat-out hallucinating, and
it sounds accurate because you get answers that look plausible!
This may surprise you, but LLMs give wrong answers
between 40% and 80% of the time when they are doing the work that's needed to
help you select a device. Their information is out of date (temporal
decay), their extraction capabilities are poor (unstructured data noise fools
them), they have algorithmic bias (don't ask - its a tech rabbit-hole), and
semantic drift (again, don't ask). Put simply: there is a long list of
technical reasons why general AIs aren't accurate, and won't be, anytime
soon. They are not structured like vertical databases, they are astonishingly
good autocomplete machines.
LLMs like ChatGPT fail device selectors. This is
why we built a - large 30,000 information sets - closed database with a LLM 'on
top.' It's the only way to get the device purchasing advisor right.
I've become an AI geek, and you are reading the blog
of the small team that built CliniMatch IQ.
We're happy to discuss this topic with you anytime.
We're happy to demo the AI on a zoom.
Just contact us.
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Supporting
foreign OEM devices in USA > Doable, fast & inexpensive
We get asked one smart and reasonable question so
many times that it's worth highlighting here so that more people have the
answer.
How can you support a foreign OEM device in the
USA with repairs and parts?
Device Protection in Place: All new clinical
devices on the AeonEx marketplace come with a warranty, which is typically 12
or 18 months - depending on the manufacturer. The legal obligation is with the
OEM, and they do not want to take ANY risks with supporting their US customers.
It is the world's largest market by far; too important to fail in.
In addition, our US service firm partners will offer
an independent 'protection plan' that covers major device contingencies beyond
the warranty. This typically includes getting a replacement device overnight -
an identical device or very close tech match.
Typical Device service Process: The
marketplace - AeonEx - has the service form that can be filled out
(https://aeonex.com/pages/service-request) out and we will phone you right
after seeing that. Our US team will spring into action to set up a service tech
call, and then a tech visit if needed. We also handle the OEM billing.
There are capable aesthetic device technicians in
every US city and many of them can repair several technologies. An industry
secret is that if you can capably repair one RF or laser device, you can likely
repair many brands' models. We have a literal nationwide network of energy
device techs - up to 8 in major cities - that want us to send them work. Like
an Angi's list for aesthetics. Our AeonEx executive team has extensive industry
experience and we know EXACTLY who to go to for specialist (electronics) service
work when that is required.
Service & Repair Speed and Cost: We can
get techs to you fast and common replacement parts will be available to ship
overnight either stateside or from the OEM HQ.
In most cases our virtual service network will not be
as fast as the major US OEMs - if they can do 24-48 hours for a part
replacement, we expect to be 2-4 days - but you PAY A HEFTY PREMIUM to the
majors for that speed. Naturally, the nature of the repair or replacement
determines time taken; plus travel time. No firm can work miracles with
circuit-level repairs for sensitive electronics.
In some cases the network of AeonEx contractor techs
will be roughly equal to the OEM majors in repair speed by virtue of the
nationwide network size; OEMs don't have the vast coverage of independent
contractors that AeonEx will host.
We expect AeonEx market OEM device repairs to be both
faster and less expensive than non-giant US firms - mostly distributors. There
is no question the three-week device absence and $5,500 nightmare does not need
to be the norm. What we'll reduce is the tech travel costs and device
shipping time (if needed).
That's our solution. It's not perfect, but we will
work extremely hard to keep marketplace customers happy.
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Low level light therapy (LLLT) for eye concerns
LED Therapy isn't just for aesthetic concerns and
dermatology treatments. Focused light energy devices are being used by
optometrists for eye concerns.
As ever; the information provided here isn't
medical advice, but rather a summary of reported LED uses from credible
sources.
LED Therapy in Optometry: Photobiomodulation Via a
Dual-Wavelength Approach
LED therapy is gaining traction in optometric care
as a noninvasive treatment for dry eye and demodex-related conditions. By
emitting low-intensity light at targeted wavelengths, it can modulate
biological activity without damaging tissue.
1) Red / Near-Infrared Light for Inflammation
and Dry Eye
Red (630–670 nm) and near-infrared (810–850 nm)
light is proven to reduce inflammation. In addition, it stimulates
mitochondrial function in meibomian glands, enhancing ATP production.
This improves gland activity and tear film stability in patients with MGD.
Unlike IPL (intense pulsed light), red light is non-thermal and safe for
sensitive skin types. When used with IPL, it can extend symptom relief and
reduce post-treatment inflammation. The typical irradiance range applied is 5
to 100 mW/cm2
2) Blue Light for Demodex Management
Blue light (405–470 nm) targets demodex mites and
associated bacteria. It produces reactive oxygen species that damage microbial
cells, reducing mite populations and inflammation. Optometrists report cleaner
lid margins and better tear stability. Blue light is painless and non-contact.
The typical irradiance range applied is 10 to 50 mW/cm2
Suitable Low Level Light Therapy Devices
There are dozens of suitable professional LED
devices available on the market. Many aesthetic LED devices can provide the
required optometry specifications. The most important technical criteria we
suggest in selecting a device are:
One device that fits these criteria that we
provide on AeonEx is the Omni Photodynamic System.
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Q:
How do we know you are in the USA and not some Asian firm masquerading as a USA
site?
We have a US EIN (for taxes), a USA address (Park
City, Utah), and a USA telephone number. This likely won't convince many,
though. Technical proof is more definitive: Three common methods are 1) You can
use an IP geolocation lookup, 2) an EV SSL certificate, or 3) a WHOIS domain
record. There are other ways, too, but this should do it for a simple
query.
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Q:
Are you buying products from Alibaba and shipping them to the US?
No. We are not.
We do work with Asian suppliers because they have
some great products, and you can't easily match their cost advantage. So, do we
have a few Chinese suppliers? A firm yes. Korean? Yes. The Koreans are beauty
industry innovators and early tech adopters. Japanese? Yes. European? Yes.
South American, Yes. USA, Yes.
Many companies try to shield their supply chain
locations, preferring to be USA-based when very little of the work is done
here. That works for them, and perception matters. We are offering great value
products on AeonEx. That’s an imperative for us – the best prices in the US.
This holds for premium products, too. However, great value products can't be
provided without cost-competitive manufacturing.
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Q:
Do you have American suppliers or distributors working with you?
Yes, of course we do. Quite a number of them since
we're a USA-based firm. Manufacturers treat us as a sales channel, while
distributors treat us like an additional US sales team.
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Q:
When will you sell outside of the US?
We already sell in Canada. But to answer the
question: not in 2025 and likely not in 2026 either. We're a young company – AeonEx is 18 months old (as of March 2026) - and
the US is more than big enough for the near term. We have had a number of
inquiries from potential international partners who want to take the AeonEx
concept to other regions. That can work, but you'll need resources for the
journey. email us :-)
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Q:
Do you have affiliate and referral programs?
Yes. Partners are very important to us, and we'll set
the program up so that our promoters can make tens of thousands of dollars.
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Q:
Do you have a direct sales team in the US?
Yes. When they originate or close a sale they get
paid a generous commission like any sales team.