Rhytec Inc. Files Bankruptcy, Leaves Doctors With Useless $79k Device
Doctors who own the Portrait plasma skin resurfacing device sold and distributed by Massachusetts-based Rhytec, Inc. will no longer be able to provide the treatment, because the consumable tip required to provide the procedure is no longer available.
A former employee of Rhytec, Inc. said that termination notices were given to all employees two Wednesdays ago and that he "knew they were looking for funds, but not that they were in such dire straits."
Rhytec, Inc. is the United States sales and distribution arm of UK-based Rhytec, Ltd., where all of the patents and intellectual property behind the technology are housed. Whether the doctors in the US will be able to obtain the required consumable treatment tips and support for their devices is yet undetermined.
Although the Portrait technology generated early buzz in the skin rejuvenation industry, it never quite made the mainstream like competing resurfacing devices such as Fraxel and ActiveFX.
Portrait treatment was unique to the skin resurfacing milieu because it used a stream of nitrogen plasma gas to ablate the surface of the skin while leaving the outer layers intact, resulting in a protective layer that sped up the healing process.
Vancouver, British Columbia Portrait device owner Dr. Sachit Shah was "surprised with their collapse [and] thought the Portrait plasma was a fine machine that did work very nicely for aging skin." Dr. Shah learned that Rhytec had filed bankruptcy from a competing laser company sales representative.
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unregistered guest
3 Dec 2008
If there is anone out there with extra unused tips that they would like to sell, please contact me immediately. I have several cases scheduled and will be unable to meet the demansa of the patient.
unregistered guest
4 Dec 2008
There is an individual now selling the heads by the box on E-Bay. $5000/box, however, the bidding wars have started. Is Rhytec in the UK bankrupt also? Do they have the capability of supplying?
5 posts
4 Dec 2008
As one of the women who was scarred by a Rhytec Portrait PSR3 treatment administered by the doctors who were it's most vocal proponents I am delighted to see that this procedure may no longer be available.
4 posts
5 Dec 2008
I too experienced a horrific outcome from this device and am pleased to see that it won't be available to harm anyone else.
unregistered guest
5 Dec 2008
The distributor of the Portrait in the Pacific Rim countries, ie: Asia, is also trying to locate nozzles. The supply must be out worldwide.
7 posts
6 Dec 2008
I was harmed by Portrait and received absolutely no benefit. I am so glad the procedure my be stopped by the Rhytec bankruptcy. That is very good news. Yeah!!! Ladies don't do the procedure with Portrait.
unregistered guest
23 Dec 2008
I had the procedure done a few years ago. 3,2 joule which is pretty high intensity. Even did double pass under the eyes. Had excellent results. I am surprised so many people above claim to be "scarred" from it. Considering it leaves the top of your skin alone and works from the inside out, I have to wonder if this is just bullcrap spamming. It's a great procedure and a hell of a lot safer then any of the ablative lasers. Do a search through the questions at D. Julio Garcia and you'll see how happy him and his patients are with it.(I actually had it done by a different Dr. however)..
7 posts
24 Dec 2008
This is no spamming to say I was harmed by the procedure. It added 10 years to my face with bags under the eyes, heavy folds around mouth and nose, stretched upper eyelids, etc. All this was caused by the stretching of the skin from one week of severe swellling. Also at 4 1/2 months, pigmentation problems are still apparent. White skin above the upper lip, red skin around eyes. I am hoping this will resolve with time. I have no hope that the general sagging and stretching of the skin will resolve. Perhaps the problem is due to age --I was 68 year old female. Perhaps my skin was too old to recover from the procedure. I don't know the cause, but I have seen 2 dematologists who have the portrait machine. I don't know if the problem is the machine or the doctor who administered it, but I must live with the awful results. It was administered by an M.D. so I was too trustful. Yours is the first positive report I have read by an actual patient.
1 post
14 Jan 2009
I'm truly sorry you did have a bad experience with it. Obviously you are serious and I shouldn't have been so dismissive. Actually it's true that your age may have had a great deal to do with it. They told me that the older you get the less collagen you are able to produce and so theoretically getting it done in the early years will yield a much better result. At the very least they should have tried you on a lower intensity and in segments. I would think a severe intensity to be a bit much for people without good healing capability. I'd imagine the body just gets overwhelmed with the damage. Look how easily children heal with minimal scar tissue. Even now if I scrape the back of my hand for example, it leaves a scar I can see forever. Anyway, all the best to you and I hope you see some improvement in the future with some other possible treatments.
4 posts
18 Jan 2009
My posting was not a spam and like others who have posted here and on MedSpaMD illustrate that you can have a bad outcome from any procedure, but it appears that Portrait may have more problems that some of the others. It's good to hear that someone had a positive outcome, but the results and struggle I've experienced, I wouldn't wish on ANYONE else as Portrait has permanently damaged my skin and probably will never recover.