Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	3 Months Ended
Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	Mar. 31, 2017
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Consolidation, Subsidiaries or Other Investments, Consolidated Entities, Policy [Policy Text Block]	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 laser and other energy-based 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 currently markets the following key system platforms: en lighten TM , excel HR TM , truSculpt TM , excel V TM , and xeo ® . The Company’s systems offer multiple hand pieces and applications, which allow customers to upgrade their systems. The sales of systems, system upgrades, hand pieces, hand piece refills (applicable to Titan ® and truSculpt ) and the distribution of third party manufactured skincare products are classified as “Products” revenue. In addition to Products revenue, the Company generates revenue from the sale of post-warranty service contracts, parts, detachable hand piece replacements (except for Titan and truSculpt ) and service labor for the repair and maintenance of products that are out of warranty, all of which is classified as “Service” revenue. Headquartered in Brisbane, California, the Company has wholly-owned subsidiari es that are currently operational in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Hong Kong, Japan , Switzerland and the United Kingdom. These subsidiaries market, sell and service the Company’s products outside of the United States. The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. All inter-company transactions and balances have been eliminated.
Unaudited Interim Financial Information [Policy Text Block]	Unaudited Interim Financial Information The interim 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, 2016 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 previously filed audited financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Company’s annual report on Form 10 -K for the year ended December 31, 2016 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 15, 2017 .
Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block]	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 revenue elements, warranty obligations, sales commissions, 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, fair values of performance stock units and options to purchase the Company’s stock, recoverability of deferred tax assets, legal matters and claims, 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.
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Recent Accounting Pronouncements In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB ") issued Accounting Standards Updates (“ASU”) No. 2014 - 09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers , outlining a single comprehensive model for entities to utilize to recognize revenue when it transfers goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration that will be received in exchange for the goods and services. Additional disclosures will also be required to enable users to understand the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. In 2016, the FASB issued accounting standards updates to address implementation issues and to clarify the guidance for identifying performance obligations, licenses and determining if a company is the principal or agent in a revenue arrangement. In August 2015, the FASB deferred the effective date of this standards update to fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted on the original effective date of fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016. The standard permits the use of either a retrospective or modified retrospective application. The Company is evaluating the effects of the new guidance and have not yet selected a transition method or determined the potential effects of adoption on the consolidated financial statements. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016 - 02, Leases . This guidance establishes a right-of-use (“ROU”) model that requires a lessee to record a ROU asset and lease liability on the balance sheet for all leases with terms longer than 12 months. Leases will be classified as either finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. The mandatory adoption date of this standard is for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018. A modified retrospective transition approach is required for leases existing at, or entered into, after the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements, with certain practical expedients available. The Company expects that upon adoption, ROU assets and lease liabilities will be recognized in the balance sheet in amounts that will be material.