Dr. Oz discussed tattoo removal options on his December 14, 2009 show. He covered multiple ways in which tattoos can be removed - the least effective of which is tattoo removal creams. Here's a summary of what Dr. Oz revealed:

Tattoo Removal Cream - Since it can't get beneath the epidermis, it's usefulness is limited to amateur tattoos at best, as the majority of tattoo ink is placed deeper in the skin where the cream cannot penetrate. In all uses of tattoo removal creams, chances of scarring and infection are very high. Dr. Oz said that due to their inefficacy, tattoo removal creams are generally a waste of money.

Dermabrasion - Typically involves having a dermatologist scrape the skin down to the tattoo ink. Dr. Oz explained that this is very painful, leaves a significant scar, and is expensive.

Cryotherapy - Skin cells in the area of the tattoo are frozen and lysed (killed). Since the chemicals used (typically liquid nitrogen) can't target tattoo ink specifically, the general area is damaged and a scar larger than the tattoo will remain.

Laser Tattoo Removal - The laser targets ink particles without harming the skin, and scarring is very rare. It fractures the ink into smaller particles that the body can then remove.

While this is no news to us at Dr. TATTOFF, we're glad that Dr. Oz is helping educate the public at large as to the merrits of laser tattoo removal versus other tattoo removal methods. It is not uncommon for us to see a patient who wants to start laser tattoo removal after having an unsuccessful experience with tattoo removal creams. Often times we treat these individuals and remove their tattoos entirely, but sometimes the acid and/or scrub brushes that they used as part of a tattoo removal cream system have left their skin so scarred that we cannot treat them with lasers. This is an unfortunate situation for everyone, which is why we always encourage potential patients to visit a Dr. TATTOFF clinic for a free consultation before proceeding with any method of tattoo removal.

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Tattoo removal expert Dr. Will Kirby was featured in the November issue of Healthy Aging magazine in an article about laser tattoo removal using Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers, specifically the MedLite C6 and RevLite - the lasers we use at Dr. TATTOFF clinics. From the article:

Nearly 40 percent of Americans age 18-35 have at least one tattoo, and 17 percent say they regret it. That rate climbs to 50 percent among adults over age 40. As a result, laser tattoo removal is one of the fastest growing segments of the aesthetic laser business, even in in a stagnant economy.

Erasing a tattoo is not a simple matter. Tattoo ink is embedded deep in the dermis, and it's meant to stay there forever. Histology indicates a network of connective tissue surrounds each fibroblast that contains ink particles, effectively entrapping and immobilizing the cell.

In the late 1960s, scientists discovered successful tattoo removal using Nd:YAG and ruby lasers. Selective photothermolysis theory shows a particular wavelength of light targets specific colors of tattoo ink without harming surrounding tissue. Physicians found there's more to it than wavelength.

Q-switched lasers allow greater precision in treating tattoos, resulting in safer procedures and more effective outcomes with minimal epidermal damage. The Q-switch controls light output by concentrating energy into a single intense nanosecond pulse or series of pulses. Hoya ConBio pioneered the use of electro-optic (EO) Q-swithced Nd:YAG systems where the EO switch acts as a high-speed shutter to ensure uniform and accurate nansecond pulses and a flat-top beam profile.

"The combination of high peak power and nanosecond pulse duration, a hallmark of photoacoustic technology, vibrates and shatters tattoo ink," says Will Kirby, DO, FAOCD, board-certified dermatologist practicing in Beverly Hills, California. "Tiny particles of ink are gradually eliminated through the body's natural processes."

Results from a retrospective study suggest MedLite C6's flat top beam profile is uniquely effective in clearing tattoos resistant to previous Nd:YAG therapy. The data suggest the improved clearance rate is attributable to the spot size and high-energy fluence in deeper layers of the dermis where tattoo ink is embedded.

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