Barry Lycka asked:


Tattooing, which is defined as the permanent insertion of ink or other pigments below the skin using a sharp instrument, has been used for cosmetic and ritual purposes since the Neolithic era. It has been used to identify criminals, invoke magical powers and, most recently, to adorn the skin with colorful designs in what has become a major trend.

Indeed, a recent telephone survey done by the American Academy of Dermatology reports that 36 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 29 are tattooed, and 24 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 50 have been inked. This represents a 16 percent increase over a similar survey done in 2003!

But what happens when that tattoo you thought was so cool 20 years ago just isn’t cool anymore?

Yes, tattooing has been around a long time, and something that has always gone along with tattoos since the very beginning is the desire to remove them. Whether the desire to remove the tattoo is a result of social, cultural, or physical reasons, people go to great lengths to get the job done.

Early techniques for removing tattoos included painful and scarring procedures such as sanding, cutting, and burning the skin. Unless you were willing to go to these lengths, tattoos were seen as permanent and irreversible. However, thanks to medical advances in the field of dermatology, surgeons are now able to remove tattoos safely and effectively.

Methods for tattoo removal today include dermabrasion, surgical excision, salabrasion, chemical peels, and laser surgery. Let’s examine how tattoos are removed with each of these methods.

Dermabrasion

With dermabrasion, the surface and middle layers of the skin are “sanded” away with a hand-held scraping or sanding tool. This process removes the pigmented skin and encourages the growth of new skin.

Dermabrasion is not for everyone. If the tattoo is old, or if the ink has been injected into the subcutaneous fat, dermabrasion may not work. Also, if the tattoo was done by an amateur and the ink is deposited at varying depths in the skin, complete removal may be difficult.

Side effects include skin discoloration, infection at the site of the tattoo, and scarring from repeated scraping and sanding. Complete removal of all the ink is not always possible.

Until laser surgery was introduced, dermabrasion was considered one of the most popular and effective ways of removing tattoos.

Surgical Excision

Surgical excision is performed under general anesthesia. During the process, the surgeon literally cuts the tattoo out of the skin, and closes the wound with sutures. This technique is more suitable for smaller tattoos.

This is one of the more invasive tattoo removal procedures, and complications include swelling, infection, and scarring.

Chemical Peel

A chemical peel, during which trichloracetic acid is usually used, progressively removes layers of skin, and eventually the tattoo.

Depending upon the age of the tattoo, and whether the ink is evenly distributed, it is not guaranteed that a chemical peel will completely remove a tattoo. Chemical peels can also cause permanent damage to the skin, such as lightening where the design used to be, or scarring.

Salibrasion

Salibrasion is perhaps one of the oldest methods of tattoo removal, and requires the skin to be “sanded” with salt. A local anesthetic is usually injected around the design, and the skin is aggressively rubbed with salt or a salt sanding block.

Complete tattoo removal can’t be guaranteed, and the procedure can leave the patient with raw, red, burned skin. Scarring is also a possibility with this method.

Laser Treatment

Laser treatment was introduced in the 1980s, and presented the best alternative to tattoo removal. The CO2 laser beam was used to vaporize the ink and the overlying skin, and was less painful, safer, and much easier than other techniques. However, the technique was not perfect. The healing process was long, there was considerable risk of scarring, and in almost all cases a faint image of the tattoo was left behind.

Q-Switched Lasers

Q-Switched Lasers were introduced about 10 years ago, and have been shown to be the most effective way to date to remove tattoos. Q-switched lasers emit light in very short but powerful flashes, which pass through the skin and break up the tattoo pigment.

Because the absorption of the laser light affects the energy’s ability to break up the pigment, different types of q-switched lasers are best used on different colors of pigment.

There are four different types of q-switched lasers:

1.Q-switched ruby lasers have a red light and are effective on most black, blue, and green pigments.

2. Q-switched alexandrite lasers emit a deep red light and are effective for most black, blue, and green pigments.

3. Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers emit an infrared light and are effective on most black and dark blue pigments.

4. Q-switched frequency-doubled Nd:YAG lasers emit a green light and are effective on most red, black, dark blue, and purple pigments.

While tattoo removal with q-switched lasers is completely safe, patients usually experience discomfort on the same scale as receiving the tattoo. A topical anesthetic can be applied one to three hours before treatment. The more treatments the patient has the less pain he or she will feel, as there will be less pigment to absorb the laser energy.

Antibiotic ointment and a light dressing are applied to the area after treatment and normal activity, including showering, can resume the next day. Light blistering or bleeding following the treatment is normal and should subside within a day or two.

All tattoos will require more than one treatment, the average being between five and 10 treatments depending upon the depth of the tattoo, the colors used, the location of the tattoo, and the health of the patient. Fading of the tattoo should be evident about two weeks after treatment, and another treatment can be done as soon as a month later.

While scarring will not occur as a result of q-switched lasers, mild skin texture changes can occur. Darker skinned patients may also experience some skin lightening, though this is usually temporary.

Is it guaranteed that the tattoo will completely disappear when treated with a q-switched laser? Well, because more than 100 tattoo inks are used today, and none of them are regulated by the FDA, it is impossible to predict how a particular ink will respond to laser treatment. However, in most cases the tattoo will completely disappear.

To find a physician board-certified in laser surgery who removes tattoos look in the yellow pages under Cosmetic or Laser Surgery, and/or Tattoo Removal. Or contact the Ethical Cosmetic Surgery Association to find a practitioner in your area.



test

Barry Lycka asked:


Have you ever noticed a patch of unwanted hair forming underneath your chin? Perhaps the wrinkles gathering by your eyes are driving you crazy? Have you ever wanted to take care of that scar on your cheek from a childhood accident? All of these skin imperfections and more can be treated with simple procedures, which utilize a wide-range of laser options. This approach towards skin treatment is catching on more and more, as the effectiveness and long-lasting results of laser techniques are becoming quite evident to the public. For years, unsightly brown age spots to hairy legs, have been used successfully treated with lasers.

Unwanted Hair Removal

Unwanted hair can pop up anywhere from your legs to your shoulders to the upper lip. Whether it is perfecting bikini lines in women or removing the excess hair from a man’s back, laser treatments have been effective in creating a smooth appearance that lasts much longer than other methods of hair removal, such as shaving or waxing. Even when compared to another near-permanent hair removal solution, laser treatments also produce better results than electrolysis. Not only do the use of lasers take a much shorter time to complete treatment sessions, but also cost less in the long run.

Lasers remove unwanted hair by passing through the skin and killing hair follicles. When it comes to hair removal, there are different types of lasers that may be used to complete the process. For instance, the Inferred Altus Coolglide Laser may be used to focus on deeper follicles and thicker hair that may appear on the chin, armpits, and back. A Long Pulsed Ruby Laser has been known to work wonders on fair skin with dark hair, whereas a Long Pulsed Alexandrite Laser is effective in treating dark, medium to fine strands of hair. Some laser technicians may choose to use a Long Pulsed Neodymium option, which has been known for its speed in hair removal.

After a laser hair removal treatment, the hair will fall out and slowly creep back after six months. The more treatments that are done, the better and longer the effects will be, which can sometimes lead to permanent hair removal results. The number of sessions a patient must undergo is determined by the thickness, placement and color of hair they want treated.

Ingrown Hairs

You may have never referred to this common problem as “pseudofolliculitis barbae”, but the irritating development of ingrown hairs (also known as shaving bumps) wreaks havoc on the faces of many men. A variety of different laser treatments are used to correct this problem, depending on skin and hair color. For example, a patient with darker skin and black hair may require a long-pulsed Nd:YAG laser with a cooling tip, which has been known to provide remarkable results.

Wrinkle Treatment

As we age, the chances of acquiring those unwanted folds, stretches and gaps in the skin become higher and higher as our skin loses more of its elasticity and youthful appearance. Sometimes, wrinkles appear prematurely in younger patients, especially in those who excessively sunbath or smoke cigarettes. More and more people are turning towards cosmetic surgery and the less evasive laser treatment to ease some of these fine lines and wrinkles on the skin, especially on the hands and face.

Wrinkle treatments, as well as skin resurfacing is becoming a popular method of choice that might be rather painful to endure. Once the redness and swelling subsides, a more refreshed layer of skin is revealed. Laser treatments involve the removal of dead and damaged layers of skin. The time it takes to heal from the procedure varied from patient to patient.

Acne Treatments

You may have suffered from the ups and downs of adolescence with results that appeared all over the surface of your face. Today, the spread of acne and skin flare-ups may continue into adulthood to those well into their 50s. It may be an inherited condition or simply influenced by the environment and lifestyle of a patient. Nonetheless, acne and acne scarring is an unwanted condition of the skin. Lasers can be used to treat this condition. The use of lasers produces a much less painful treatment choice than the more abrasive chemical peel or irritating skin creams.

First, lasers are used to kill the bacterium that causes active acne. Secondly, the glands that produce oil will be decreased in size. This aids in lessening future outbreaks. When having an acne laser treatment, you will find that the painless treatment takes less than an hour and requires no “out-of-commission” time to be taken from work and play.

Treating Acne Scars; Brown and Red Spots

When acne scars are treated with lasers, they are used to promote the new growth of collagen, which fills in the unattractive appearance of the scars from the inside out. The brown and red discoloration spots left behind from acne is similar to pigmented lesions and vascular lesions that appear on the skin as we age. Laser treatments aim to eradicate the appearance of such spots in the same manner.

Stretch Marks

Whether you have completed your last pregnancy or have been bodybuilding for a while, you may notice stretch marks forming about your body. They tend to appear throughout the body when skin is expanding at a faster than normal rate, which is also common in overweight patients or those who have recently underwent a weight reduction surgery. For many, they are simply unappealing to look at. More patients are moving towards laser treatments to ease their appearance. Tossing away their creams and gels, patients recognize the collagen-plumping properties of laser treatments, which eventually fills in the undesirable “stretched” look of the skin.

Skin Resurfacing and Scar Removal

It may be the scar on your knee from a daredevil bike trick or the car accident that has left impeding scratches on your face; laser treatments have been known to provide effective scar removal and skin resurfacing treatments for patients. Lasers allow doctors to remove tissue without bleeding and aid in the tightening of collagen fibers. After the treatment, there is about a month of healing time that needs to be considered. For some, the pain and recuperation time is well worth the trouble, especially when the lasers are able to remove the remnants of painful memories.

Tattoo Removal

It may have seemed like a good idea at the time, but tattooing the Grateful Dead on your arms may not be as attractive as it once seemed years ago. This is when tattoo removal may be a good idea to consider and laser removal is one of the most effective treatments to consider.

When a laser is used to remove a tattoo, the laser passes through the pigment of the skin and disperses the leftovers of the ink, which is then carried throughout the body as waste. A Q-Switched laser has been known to create the best results, where the ink absorbs visible damage. Different colors of ink will require a different kind of laser. For example, Q-switched Alexandrite produces a purple or red light, which is good for removing the green coloring of a tattoo. Usually, the best results of tattoo removal are seen in those who have medium to fair skin.



Content

David Maillie asked:


A chemical skin peel is a popular procedure used to treat various skin problems and conditions from acne, age spots, wrinkles and even some cancerous and precancerous growths. A caustic acid or substance is applied to the skin to burn and usually slough off or remove the outer layers of the skin (epidermis) and allow new skin to grow. Some chemical peels may go deeper into the dermis (next layer of skin). The purpose of this chemical peeling is to remove damaged, blemished, sun-damaged, freckled skin and replace it with younger, healthier skin. After healing the skin will be tighter, thicker (due to increased collagen production - an added benefit of the stronger peels). Upon healing the skin may appear fuller, smoother with smaller pores and with less wrinkles and fine lines. Basically ones skin will look rejuvenated and more youthful following a chemical peel.

There are many types and varieties of these chemical peels. They are usually grouped and defined by their relative strength and depth of the peel that is achieved. There are basically four groups, the light peels (AHA), light oil-based peels (BHA), medium peels (TCA), and deep peels (Phenol). AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) - These are the mildest of the peels. They are usually sugar derived hence their names, glycolic, malic, lactic and other fruit acids. These peels are usually performed by a dermatologist or esthetician and have minimal healing or downtime. Downtime is referred to as the time when the skin is healing and may be uncomfortable to be viewed in public due to peeling and possibly discolored dead skin that is usually associated with a deeper peel. These lighter peels are usually done on an outpatient basis and are commonly referred to as a ‘lunch time’ peel. An occlusive dressing similar to plastic wrap or layering (more than one application at one time) may be used to drive the acid in further and result in a deeper peel. They are effective for light skin pigmentation problems, reduction of oil produced by overactive sebaceous glands, sun spots, light sun damage and other minor skin problems. Usually multiple treatments are required to have the desired effect as it is not a deep peel. AHA’s are easily dissolved in water and are prepared either as a liquid or a cream. Glycolic acid is the most popular and extensively used of these peels.

BHA (Beta Hydroxy Acids) - The main difference between these acids and alpha hydroxyl acids (AHA) is that BHA’s are only oil soluble. There is basically only one BHA, salicylic acid. This unique feature of being oil soluble makes this acid very effective in cleaning and removing bacteria, dead skin cells and sebum oil from deep inside the pores. Because of this solubility difference, salicylic acid is better suited for use on oily, irritated skin with postules, blackheads and whiteheads. It is available in numerous forms, cream, gel, lotions, shampoo and topical solutions. The latter two forms are primarily for treating the scalp as salicylic acid has also been found effective in the treatment of dandruff, psoriasis, and dermatitis of the skin and scalp. Same as with AHA peels, occlusive dressings and/or layering may be used to drive the acid in farther.

TCA (Trichloroacetic Acid) - TCA or trichloroacetic acid peels are deeper medium depth peels. TCA is a more effective and longer lasting peel than the sugar and citric peels as it goes deeper into the dermis and can therefore treat more skin ailments, conditions and problems. A TCA peel does not require layering or occlusive dressings (methods used to drive AHA and BHA peels deeper). TCA, being a deeper peel, is effective on more skin conditions and problems. Basically a TCA peel has the benefits of both AHA and BHA peels along with deeper penetration and longer lasting effects. Healing or downtime tends to be longer as much as several weeks or more depending on the depth achieved. Peeling is more severe and the results more dramatic. TCA peels are routinely used by dermatologist and plastic surgeons in office as recommended treatments for all stages of acne including acne vulgaris. Numerous clinical studies have found to be every bit as effective as Accutane without any of the side effects (Accutane has been in the news lately for some rather severe potential side effects). TCA peels have also been proven to remove and treat freckles, years of sun damage, bad pigmentation, scars, loose skin and wrinkles and fine lines. TCA has recently even been used by doctors to treat, remove and lighten tattoos. Phenol Peels. Phenol peels are the deepest chemical skin peels. They commonly result in a permanent bleaching pigmentation effect as they reach deeply through the dermis.. Phenol is toxic when absorbed through the skin and can effect heart rate, function and cause arrythmias, so a phenol peel is always done in a doctors care and with anesthesia as it is the deepest and most painful of the peels. It is a last resort peel due to its harshness and bleaching properties. Phenol is rarely performed nowadays due to its toxicity and the advent of safer medium depth peels like the TCA peel. Phenol peels have a long healing process and can require extensive care.

There are various derivatives of each of these 4 groups, but basically these are the various chemical skin peelsl. Clinical studies published in the Annals of Plastic Surgery and elsewhere show the TCA peels are the most effective of the peels on the most skin conditions and problems. Regardless of the peel used, maximum sun protection must be used to protect the new skin from harmful UV rays that can cause cancer in unprotected skin. A high SPF (sun protection factor) sun block and protective attire (hats) are recommended.



Website content