HOW TO SPOT COUNTERFEIT AQUAGOLD

Fake AQUAGOLD - Is it ever worth it? 

Counterfeit medical devices are currently among the most counterfeited products in the United States. According to an online survey given to members of the American Society for Dermatological Surgery (ASDS) and the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLML), 37.4% of medical devices have been counterfeited, 20.1% of which have resulted in adverse effects on patients¹. Counterfeit devices can be tempting, as you may save some money by choosing to try these devices that are being marketed and advertised on Amazon and various social media outlets. At first glance, they look exactly the same. They might have the same product description, images and photos. They sometimes even claim to be authentic – at a much lower price point. But they are not authentic, and the risks far outweigh the savings.

Counterfeits may use components that are not medical grade or are not properly sterilized, potentially posing a significant health risk to your patients. The quality and safety of unregulated products cannot be guaranteed, nor can the expected results of AQUAGOLD® fine touch™ treatments be delivered. Most importantly, counterfeits do not use real microchannels, and so they do not microinject and can instead puncture and damage the skin.  And, they can dangerously rust due to metal components. Give your patients the quality, safe, and authentic AQUAGOLD® treatments they deserve and expect by learning how to identify and avoid counterfeits.

Get to know the real AQUAGOLD® fine touch™

AQUAGOLD® fine touch™ is a disposable, single use microchannel microinjector sold only to medical professionals. The key is in the technology: AQUAGOLD® fine touch™ features its patented Microchannel Technology™ that delivers onto the skin, rather than strictly puncturing or wounding the skin with solid needles as typical microneedling devices (and counterfeit AQUAGOLD® devices) do. 

AQUAGOLD® fine touch™ units are made from medical grade material and are sterilized, sealed in bubble packaging, and placed in a white unit carton along with the user manual and product specifications.

Microscopic view of AQUAGOLD® fine touch™ patented Microchannel Technology™

AQUAGOLD® fine touch™ Trial Packs, Multi Packs, and bulk order shipping boxes are sealed with a round purple or blue sterilization indicator. If the box is missing the sticker, or has a different sticker, it is likely to be fake AQUAGOLD®.

AQUAGOLD® unit cartons and packing configurations contain serial numbers that are tracked closely by the company and reported to FDA at times of inspection for the overall QC system. Serial numbers can be found on the peel back label on an individual unit and on the outer box of the Trial Pack and Multi Pack box.

 AQUAGOLD® fine touch™ is manufactured by Aquavit Life Sciences Inc. and is distributed by Aquavit Skin Application Platform (A.S.A.P. Inc.). Aquavit’s manufacturing facility follows stringent quality control and sterilization measures that ensure the safety and efficacy of its products. In 2019, Aquavit completed a rigorous FDA inspection and is dedicated to adhere to the cGMP process to the highest level. 

How to spot counterfeit AQUAGOLD® fine touch™ before you buy:

1. Place of purchase:  If you’re considering buying from the likes of Amazon or other retailers that allow the general public to purchase a medical device, steer clear. AQUAGOLD® fine touch™ is a medical device and is sold to medical professionals only, and is regulated as such.  

2. Unit carton:  Counterfeit AQUAGOLD® often displays stolen and reworked trademarked arts on its packaging components and advertising material. And, when you continue to look further, the labeling and user manual will soon appear to be suspicious with broken English and some sloppy copy/paste work. 

Genuine AQUAGOLD® fine touch™                  Counterfeit 

 3. Multipack (20 unit) Configuration: These fake AQUAGOLD® units are packed without the white unit carton and user manual. Authentic AQUAGOLD® fine touch™ units are ALWAYS packaged in white, individual unit cartons no matter the pack quantity and configuration.

4. Material and Structural Defects: Counterfeit retailers may not disclose the lack of microchannels on their website, but you can review this for yourself if you think you may have purchased a fake. Now, you will need a microscope if you really want to be sure, but counterfeit AQUAGOLD® are missing the most important thing- microchannels! Here is a microscopic photo provided by a doctor who tested both genuine and fake AQUAGOLD® units:

Genuine AQUAGOLD® fine touch™              Counterfeit

To purchase AQUAGOLD® fine touch™ or to learn more, please visit www.AQUGAOLDFINETOUCH.com. 

To report counterfeit AQUAGOLD® fine touch™ or its retailers, please email admin@aquavitpharma.com. Together we can protect the safety and integrity of your patients and your practice. 

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