Tattoo Removal

 

 

 

 

Are you rethinking the placement or choice of a tattoo? Laser tattoo removal is the best alternative for removing permanent ink from your skin.

Today, Q-switched lasers offer the most advanced technology for tattoo removal with a minimal chance of scarring.  Leif Rogers, MD, FACS utilizes the top-of-the-line Q-switched laser on the market, the Quanta System Q-Plus C, also named Q-Plus T (Total).  The Q-Plus C & T safely and effectively removes ink particles from decorative, cosmetic, traumatic, and multi-color tattoos.

Decorative Tattoos

Today, many million people every year choose to be tattooed for cosmetic, religious or sentimental reasons, or to symbolize their identification with particular groups, including ethnic groups. For this reason every year more and more people decide to remove their tattoos. 
Q-Plus Series is effective at removing different range of the tattoo’s colors. Q-Plus effectively removes black, blue, purple, yellow, green and red tattoo pigment with the lowest risk of texture changes and scarring.

Cosmetic Tattoos

When used as a form of cosmetics, tattooing includes permanent makeup, and hiding or neutralizing skin discolorations. Permanent makeup are tattoos that enhance eyebrows, lips (liner and/or lipstick), eyes (liner), and even moles, usually with natural colors as the designs are intended to resemble makeup. Q-switched lasers such as the Q-Plus Series is effective at removing different range of the tattoo’s color. Q-Plus effectively removes black, blue, purple, yellow, green and red tattoo pigment.

Traumatic Tattoos

A traumatic tattoo occurs when a substance such as asphalt is rubbed into a wound. There are two types of traumatic tattoos: explosive tattoos, which occur when gunpowder granules are impregnated into the skin, and abrasive tattoos, which most often occur from falls on blacktop surfaces in vehicle accidents. These are particularly difficult to remove as they tend to be spread across several different layers of skin, and scarring or permanent discoloration is almost unavoidable depending on the location. Another common example of such accidental tattoos is the result of a deliberate or accidental stabbing with a pencil or pen, leaving graphite or ink beneath the skin. Q-switched lasers such as the Q-Plus Series are effective at removing different range of the tattoo’s color. Q-Plus effectively removes black, blue, purple, yellow, green and red tattoo pigment.

Multi-color Tattoos

Leif Rogers, MD, FACS effectively removes multi-color tattoos by strategically customizing laser wavelengths, pulse duration, spot size/width of the laser beam, repetition rate, and treatment frequency.  We carefully map out a treatment plan that will ensure ink particles are properly fragmented for different phases of tattoo discoloration.  We also use IPL for the appearance of natural skin color blending.

Highlights

  • Most innovative technology in the range of Q-switched lasers;
  • Lowest risk of side effects;
  • Multi-color tattoo removal;
  • Combination of wavelengths for optimal removal of ink particles;
  • IPL for the appearance of natural skin color blending

The Q-Plus C & T provides superior results because it:

1)    Grants the lowest risk of side effects, and

2)    Combines the following tattoo removal wavelengths:

Nd: YAG: 1064 nm

  • Absorbed by green, blue, and black tattoo pigments; and
  • Suitable for dark skin tones.

Nd: YAG: 532 nm

  • Absorbed by red and orange, and sometimes yellow tattoo pigments;
  • Suitable for tan to medium skin tones;

Ruby: 694 nm

  • Absorbed by green, blue, and black tattoo pigments;
  • Suitable for light skin tones.

Candidates

Individuals with unwanted cosmetic, decorative, or traumatic tattoos.

Treatment

Dr. Rogers or a qualified member of his staff administers local anesthesia to the affected area prior to the procedure to maintain comfort. The treatment is then performed by placing a handpiece from the miraDry system onto the affected area and delivering a customized level of energy to the region where the sweat glands reside. The procedure generally lasts about an hour. miraDry involves no surgical incisions or cuts and no downtime following the procedure, so patients can return to most normal activities immediately after the procedure. A mild over-the-counter pain medication and use of ice packs may be recommended for a few days.

Two procedures spaced three months apart are required to maximize the results and duration.

Results

Multiple factors contribute to the success of laser tattoo removal, including a patient’s own immune system. Healthy patients will get the best results. Adequate hydration, eight hours of sleep a night, maintaining a healthy weight, eating a well balanced diet, exercise, and non-smoking may improve results.  About half of the patients treated with Q-switched lasers for tattoo removal will show some transient changes in the normal skin pigmentation. These changes usually resolve in 6 to 12 months but may rarely be permanent

Although laser treatment is gold standard method to remove a tattoo, unwanted side effects of laser tattoo removal include the possibility of discoloration of the skin such as hypopigmentation (white spots, more common in darker skin) and hyperpigmentation (dark spots) as well as textural changes. Very rarely, burns may result in scarring but this usually only occur when patients don’t care for the treated area properly.  For instances in which dscoloration may occur, Leif Rogers, MD, FACS can provide adequate skin resurfacing treatments, such as IPL or CO2 DOT Therapy, depending on the patient’s skin tone.

The Kirby-Desai Scale parameters qualify the factors that can dictate tattoo removal success.

Technical Specifications

The Quanta System Q-Plus C & T is the only powerful Q-Switched laser on the market that combines Nd: YAG at1064 / 532 nm and a Ruby at 694 nm: three wavelengths (the highest achievable fluencies), which in combination efficiently target all tattoo colors and pigmented lesions over a progressive series of treatments.  Treatment causes a selective photoacoustic fragmentation of the different ink particles within the skin, as well as their absorption by the phagocytosis, with no thermal injury to the surrounded tissue.

Military and Medical Discounts

Leif Rogers, MD, FACS proudly supports our men and women in uniform by offering a 25% discount on tattoo removal for all active duty and Individual Ready Reserve members of the armed forces, law enforcement, and firefighters.  We offer the same discount for all medical professionals.  Official identification is required for all military and medical discounts.

Contact us for a consultation today.

 

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