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A device that undergoes substantial modification yearly probably has unsolved problems that require correction.
Last year, I bought a box of instant cereal. I thought it tasted like sugared cardboard.
I resolved never to purchase this product again - until I noticed that the breakfast concoction is now "new and improved."
Maybe they got rid of the gritty feel, artificial sugary taste, overpowering strawberry flavor and foul aftertaste.
I am not sure.
The 'ultimate' in antiaging
I must admit I feel this way about many of the electronic devices sold to dermatologists as the "ultimate" in anti-aging therapy.
At last year's American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) meeting, Wonder Device "X" was hot!
Why, this LED device produced tissue-tightening - resulting in wrinkle reduction after four to six treatments, with no downtime. The carefully selected diodes were programmed for perfection.
This sounded wonderful - until I vaguely remembered the electronics salesman telling me that I could purchase a big-screen LED television for about the same price.
I purchased the television, and I sit in front of it every night as part of my own anti-aging therapy.
The Wonder Device "X" company didn't come to the AAD this year. Maybe they are selling TVs.
'New and improved' rarely is
However, a new laser is showcased at the meeting this year.
The manufacturer is selling "new and improved" technology.
The old, painful, scarring, long-downtime device touted last year is now new - painless and devoid of side effects.
It treats wrinkles, removes pigmented lesions, decreases redness, removes hair, and sits neatly in a small corner of the exam room. It even has built-in storage in the base.
Marvelous! Should I buy the laser, or should I buy a bookcase for extra exam room storage? I am not sure.
The laser sounds promising, but a bookcase purchase would be cheaper - with enough money left over to buy a new sports car.
I think I will wait until the next AAD to see if the laser salesman is now working at a car lot.
The only way to determine if a device truly lives up to expectations is to examine its longevity.
An excellent design will leave little room for improvement; thus, changes will be minimal and cosmetic.
A device that undergoes substantial modification yearly probably has unsolved problems that require correction - just like the sugared cardboard breakfast cereal.