American Society for Laser Medicine & Surgery

What American Society for Laser Medicine & Surgery does

The American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional membership organization founded in 1981 and headquartered in Wausau, Wisconsin. It is self-described as the world's largest scientific organization dedicated to laser, light, and energy-based technologies in medicine, serving clinicians, researchers, nurses, allied health professionals, students, and industry across 10+ medical specialties including dermatology, ophthalmology, oncology, urology, otolaryngology, neurosurgery, general surgery, obstetrics/gynecology, dentistry, and veterinary medicine. The society's product surface spans the peer-reviewed Lasers in Surgery and Medicine journal, the largest U.S. annual conference on laser and energy-based medicine, ACCME-accredited CME programming delivered through an Online Learning Center, mentorship and preceptorship programs, a Physician Locator service, a Career Center job board, and social impact programs such as New Beginnings and Clean Slate that provide pro bono laser tattoo removal to trafficking and abuse survivors.

ASLMS generates revenue from four primary streams: recurring annual membership dues (with free membership for students/residents/fellows acting as a funnel), transaction-fee revenue from the annual conference (registration, exhibit booths, sponsorships, plus a $350 host-hotel discount incentive), subscription revenue from journal access and CME course fees, and advertising/sponsorship revenue from laser and energy-device industry partners. Distribution is primarily self-serve through aslms.org and the my.aslms.org member portal, supplemented by the conference as a direct-sales channel and industry-partner exhibits. The society maintains de facto industry authority through published Standards of Practice documents and is governed by a rotating board of physicians with annual presidential transitions.

Name

American Society for Laser Medicine & Surgery

Legal name

American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, Inc.

Website

https://aslms.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ASLMS is a nonprofit professional membership organization, founded in 1981, that serves as the world's largest scientific body dedicated to laser and energy-based medicine, providing peer-reviewed journals, an annual conference, ACCME-accredited CME, and standards of practice to physicians across 10+ specialties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Medical Association

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Healthcare & Clinical Professional Development (CME/CE) (EDAGANAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Medical & Clinical Reference (Physicians, Nursing, Allied Health) (EDAGAGAA), Healthcare Clinical Professions (CME/CE for Nurses, Allied Health, Pharmacy) (EDAAALAC), Health Sciences & Nursing (EDAGABAF), Medical Oncology (HLAKAFAB)

Keywords

• Laser medicine education
• Professional medical society
• Continuing medical education
• Physician training standards
• Scientific conference organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Wausau

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: ASLMS generates primary revenue through annual membership dues. Membership provides access to the LSM Journal, Online Learning Center, member-only content, reduced Annual Conference registration rates, and other member benefits. Free membership is offered to students, residents, and fellows.
2. Annual Conference Revenue: The 45th Annual Conference (May 7-9, 2026) generates revenue through registration fees (with early bird pricing through April 1, 2026), exhibit booth sales, sponsorship opportunities, and advertising. Attendees booking at host hotels receive a $350 registration discount.
3. Journal and Online Learning Subscriptions: Revenue is generated from online journal access, CME course fees, online learning content (including annual conference recordings, Laser Aesthetics Course, preceptorship programs), and advertising in publications.
4. Industry Partnerships and Advertising: Industry partners pay for exhibit space at the annual conference, year-round advertising opportunities, and sponsorship. Industry representatives receive access to member-only content including the LSM Journal and Online Learning Center content.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ASLMS is the world's largest scientific professional membership organization dedicated to laser, light, and energy-based technologies in medicine. It provides continuing medical education, an annual conference, a peer-reviewed journal (Lasers in Surgery and Medicine), standards of practice, research grants, and pro bono clinical programs to physicians, researchers, nurses, allied health professionals, students, and industry partners across 10+ medical specialties.

Product overview

The American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS) is a professional membership organization that serves as the world's largest scientific organization dedicated to laser medicine. Rather than offering a single unified software product, ASLMS provides a portfolio of member services including: the peer-reviewed Lasers in Surgery and Medicine Journal; the Annual Conference (the largest U.S. conference on laser and energy-based technologies); the Education Center offering CME courses, online learning, mentorship, and preceptorship programs; the New Beginnings Tattoo Removal Program and Clean Slate Tattoo Removal (pro bono social impact programs); a Physician Locator Service; an Early Career Network for students and trainees; Grants and Awards programs; a Career Center job board; Women in Energy-Based Devices professional networking; and comprehensive Standards of Practice guidelines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• New Beginnings Tattoo Removal Program: Pro bono laser tattoo removal program for sex trafficking survivors, including branding tattoo removal and radiation mark removal services.
• Clean Slate Tattoo Removal
• Lasers in Surgery and Medicine
• Early Career Network

Products and services

• Lasers in Surgery and Medicine Journal Official peer-reviewed scientific journal of ASLMS dedicated to basic and applied aspects of laser therapy and diagnosis; described as the most prestigious and widely circulated journal in the field. Distributed to members and sold via subscription.
• Annual Conference The largest conference in the United States dedicated to laser, light, and energy-based technologies in medicine, featuring over 20 workshops, daily plenary sessions, abstract submissions, and pre-conference courses on laser safety and fundamentals.
• Education Center Comprehensive continuing medical education platform providing online learning modules, CME courses, conference recordings, Laser Aesthetics Course, 24 Hours of Lasers, and specialty-specific education for laser and energy-based technology professionals.
• Early Career Network Membership program offering free ASLMS membership and reduced Annual Conference registration rates for qualified students, residents, and fellows, with access to mentorship, preceptorship, student board positions, residency liaison program, and student research grants.
• New Beginnings Tattoo Removal Program Pro bono social impact program providing free laser tattoo removal services to sex trafficking survivors, with a network of nearly 100 participating physicians. Survivors must be affiliated with the National Trafficking Sheltered Alliance.
• Clean Slate Tattoo Removal Tattoo removal program designed to help individuals remove unwanted tattoos as part of rehabilitation and new beginnings.
• Physician Locator Service Public-facing directory service enabling patients to find qualified professionals who use lasers and energy-based devices in their practice.
• Standards of Practice Comprehensive guidelines and standards for the use of lasers in medicine and surgery, including physician training standards, perioperative clinical practice standards for nursing/allied health, and the 2017 Laser and Energy Device Plume Position Statement.
• Grants and Awards Program Research grants and honorary awards supporting advancement in laser medicine, including the ASLMS Research Fund, Leon Goldman Circle Advancement of Laser Medicine Endowment Fund, and multiple named awards.
• Career Center Job board dedicated to laser and energy-based medicine careers, connecting employers with qualified professionals in the field.
• Preceptorship Program Hands-on training program allowing professionals to learn from experienced practitioners in laser and energy-based procedures.
• Mentorship Program Program connecting experienced professionals with those seeking guidance and career development in laser medicine.
• Women in Energy-Based Devices Group within ASLMS dedicated to supporting and advancing women professionals in the field of energy-based devices, promoting diversity and inclusion.

Quantifiable outcome

• Near 100 physicians in New Beginnings network providing free tattoo removal to sex trafficking survivors
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Vascular Birthmark Foundation (VBF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASLMS and the Vascular Birthmark Foundation conduct a joint project to support patients with vascular birthmarks. This collaboration includes a dedicated section on the ASLMS website, online learning content, and professional resources developed jointly to advance care for vascular birthmark patients.
• National Trafficking Sheltered AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASLMS's New Beginnings Tattoo Removal Program requires trafficking survivors to be affiliated with or participating in a rehabilitation program or recovery support group affiliated with the National Trafficking Sheltered Alliance, ensuring survivors are at a safe and appropriate stage of recovery to undergo tattoo removal.
• Cooperating/Collaborating International SocietiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerASLMS enters into cooperation or collaborating agreements with non-profit international and US-based organizations. The website lists cooperating societies with details available on the Cooperating Societies page. These agreements facilitate international knowledge exchange and cross-specialty collaboration.
• Burn Survivors Throughout the WorldminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerASLMS members partner with this organization to provide complimentary laser treatments to burn survivors, including survivors of the Pentagon 9/11 attacks and domestic abuse survivors, as part of the society's philanthropy initiatives.
• Innocents At RiskminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerASLMS member Dr. Tina S. Alster partners with this organization to provide complimentary laser treatments to individuals who cannot afford reparative services, including trafficking victims and abuse survivors.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• European Society for Laser and Energy Based Devices (ESLD): European-focused counterpart society for laser and energy-based device medicine, offering comparable congresses and education. Not a direct US competitor but a peer organization addressing the same clinical specialty.

Direct peers

• American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS): The leading US dermatology society for surgical and cosmetic/laser procedures; directly competes with ASLMS for laser-medicine CME, conference attendance and industry sponsorship in the dermatology segment, making it the closest like-for-like peer.
• American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (The Aesthetic Society): Specialty society focused on aesthetic plastic surgery, a heavy user of energy-based devices. Competes for aesthetic-laser education, conference attendance, and device-manufacturer sponsorship.

Emerging players

• American College of Mohs Surgery (ACMS): Specialty society for Mohs micrographic and reconstructive surgeons, many of whom also perform laser/energy-based procedures. Overlaps with ASLMS in cosmetic/aesthetic dermatologic surgery training and industry partner relationships.
• World Association for Laser Therapy (WALT): International scientific association dedicated to laser therapy with overlapping research and education mission. Non-US peers serving similar clinician/researcher audiences with cross-society collaboration but smaller scale than ASLMS.
• Laser & Health Academy (LAHA): Focused education provider for aesthetic and medical laser practitioners running training events and educational content. Smaller and more laser-only-specialized but addresses a similar practitioner audience to ASLMS.

Broad incumbents

• American Academy of Dermatology (AAD): The largest US dermatology professional society, covering medical, surgical and aesthetic dermatology including laser/energy devices. Its annual meeting and JAAD journal compete with ASLMS for laser-focused CME attendance and industry revenue.
• American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO): The largest US ophthalmology society, covering refractive and ophthalmic surgery where lasers are core tools (LASIK, photocoagulation, SLT). Overlaps with ASLMS for laser education in the ophthalmic specialty.
• American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS): Major surgical specialty society whose members perform laser and energy-based aesthetic procedures. Overlaps with ASLMS on aesthetic laser CME, conference programming, and industry partner relationships.

Others

• American Urological Association (AUA): Specialty society where lasers are an important tool subset (e.g., HoLEP, laser lithotripsy). Overlaps with ASLMS for laser-in-urology education, training, and industry partnerships but its scope is much broader.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/aslmsedu
• Facebookfacebook.com/aslms.connect
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-american-society-for-laser-medicine-and-surgery-inc-aslms-

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about American Society for Laser Medicine & Surgery