Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	Note 1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Description of Operations and Principles of Consolidation Cutera, Inc. ("Cutera" or the "Company") is a global provider of laser and other energy-based aesthetic systems for practitioners worldwide. The Company designs, develops, manufactures, and markets the CoolGlide, Xeo, Solera, GenesisPlus, ExcelV, VariLite (acquired in 2012) and truSculpt (introduced in 2012) product platforms for use by physicians and other qualified practitioners which enable them to offer safe and effective aesthetic treatments to their customers. The Company's products offer multiple hand pieces and applications, which allow customers to upgrade their systems (Upgrade revenue). In addition to systems and upgrade revenue, the Company generates revenue from the sale of post-warranty service contracts, providing services for products that are out of warranty, Titan and truSculpt hand piece refills, and distributing third party manufactured dermal fillers and cosmeceuticals. Unaudited Interim Financial Information The financial information filed is unaudited. The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included in this report reflect all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) that the Company considers necessary for the fair statement of the results of operations for the interim periods covered and of the financial condition of the Company at the date of the interim balance sheet. The December 31, 2012 Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America ("GAAP"). The results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results for the entire year or any other interim period. The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the Company's financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), on March 15, 2013. Use of Estimates The preparation of interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements in conformity with GAAP requires the Company's management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported and disclosed in the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and the accompanying notes. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates. On an ongoing basis, the Company evaluates these estimates, including those related to warranty obligation, sales commission, accounts receivable and sales allowances, provision for excess and obsolete inventories, fair values of marketable investments, fair values of acquired intangible assets, useful lives of intangible assets and property and equipment, recoverability of deferred tax assets, and effective income tax rates, among others. Management bases these estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities.

Note 1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Description of Operations and Principles of Consolidation

Cutera, Inc. ("Cutera" or the "Company") is a global provider of laser and other energy-based aesthetic systems for practitioners worldwide. The Company designs, develops, manufactures, and markets the CoolGlide, Xeo, Solera, GenesisPlus, ExcelV, VariLite (acquired in 2012) and truSculpt (introduced in 2012) product platforms for use by physicians and other qualified practitioners which enable them to offer safe and effective aesthetic treatments to their customers. The Company's products offer multiple hand pieces and applications, which allow customers to upgrade their systems (Upgrade revenue). In addition to systems and upgrade revenue, the Company generates revenue from the sale of post-warranty service contracts, providing services for products that are out of warranty, Titan and truSculpt hand piece refills, and distributing third party manufactured dermal fillers and cosmeceuticals.

Unaudited Interim Financial Information

The financial information filed is unaudited. The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included in this report reflect all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) that the Company considers necessary for the fair statement of the results of operations for the interim periods covered and of the financial condition of the Company at the date of the interim balance sheet. The December 31, 2012 Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America ("GAAP"). The results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results for the entire year or any other interim period. The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the Company's financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), on March 15, 2013.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements in conformity with GAAP requires the Company's management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported and disclosed in the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and the accompanying notes. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates. On an ongoing basis, the Company evaluates these estimates, including those related to warranty obligation, sales commission, accounts receivable and sales allowances, provision for excess and obsolete inventories, fair values of marketable investments, fair values of acquired intangible assets, useful lives of intangible assets and property and equipment, recoverability of deferred tax assets, and effective income tax rates, among others. Management bases these estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities.