Our biggest event to date will be our holiday party from 3-7 pm on December 10th.  We will have additional discounts on our services, from laser tattoo removal and laser hair removal to Botox and dermal fillers.  These savings are a surprise and will only be announced on the day of the party.  We will also have catered refreshments of course!

Laser tattoo removal has dramatically grown in popularity over the last decade.  This is partly due to the unprecedented increase in the prevalence of tattoos.  It is also due to the advent and wider availability of reliable technology for laser tattoo removal.

Prior to the 90’s there were methods of tattoo removal, such as non-q-switched lasers, surgical excision and abrasion and chemical burning.  Although they were all reliable, they also had such severe side-effects of burning and scarring that the end result was often more distressing than the original tattoo.

Q-switched lasers  were different from previous lasers in their extremely short, high-energy firing of laser light.  This is driven by a fast shutter, similar to rapid-fire photography.   Rather than burning off the tattoo, the q-switched laser fractures and breaks up the tattoo pigments particles into smaller and smaller pieces.  These are eventually small enough to be removed by the body’s own immune system.  The process takes multiple treatments and results are gradual.  In most cases, people are patient with the time in exchange for a better long-term outcome.

Dr. Kaplan just got his 3rd laser tattoo removal of his tattoo.  Below is a photo of the tattoo just before it got lasered.  The bottom photo is how the tattoo looked originally.  As the tattoo gets lighter, there is less and less ink to absorb the laser heat, so the power of the laser can be gradually turned up (to a limit).  As you can see, there is fading that occurs with each treatment, not all of which is obvious right away.  The M & D were especially dark since they had extra passes done on them but are also fading.  Notice that there are no changes on the skin or evidence of any scarring.  The fading occurs without the need for blistering simply through the action of the q-switched laser.

At Tattoo MD, we ask our clients whether their tattoos are professionally-made or the amateur variety.  We ask this because there are certain common differences between the two types that affect the ease of laser tattoo removal with the q-switched laser.

Professional tattoo artists are expert tattooists.  That means that they know how to make a tattoo last.  An artist does not want a tattoo to fade away after placing it just months earlier.  That means that he or she will place enough ink, deep enough and of the right composition to make it last for years and decades.  That means that the tattoo ink tends to be dense and adequately deep in the skin.  Also, tattoo artists have access to certain inks, such as metal oxides, that an amateur probably wouldn’t.  The more ink that is in the skin the more laser treatments are required.  Also, certain inks, such as those containing iron oxide, are harder to clear with laser tattoo removal.

Amateur tattoos can be made in all sorts of ways.  Someone may make a tattoo gun using a guitar string and a battery.  Or they may simply use a needle by hand.  The ink could be pen ink, charcoal, or soot.  It is unusual to see colors other than black in amateur tattoos.  Since these tattoos are usually light and made of organic ink, they tend to be quite easy to remove.  A caveat to this is that if the ink was placed extremely deeply in the skin, such as with a deeply penetrating needle, it may be below the range of the laser.  However, as long as the tattoo is visible to the eye, it should also be visible and affected by the q-switched laser.

This is a trying time of the year for Southern Californians.  The annual fire season is challenging and we owe much to our brave firefighters.  This past weekend saw multiple fires in the greater LA area.  In appreciation of our fighters, Tattoo MD is offering a free treatment this week for any Los Angeles area firefighter who has a tattoo that violates policy and wants to have it removed.  We normally have a 15% off discount for firefighters, but we are increasing it to 30% off if you start this week (call for details).  Take that with the first laser treatment being free, and you’ve got an amazing deal!

Tattoo MD will be having our best-ever holiday party on December 10 from 3-7 pm, so save the date!  There will be food and refreshments, but also special contests.  There will be special discounts on services, such as Botox, and products as well for guests that come to the party.  Stay tuned for more details in our email blast and on the website as we draw nearer.

Happy Holidays!

A study published by Allergan researchers earlier this year in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal demonstrated that Juvederm lasts up to a year. Study participants had nasolabial folds injected with Juvederm on one side and Zyplast (collagen) on the other but were blinded to which side was which.

The fact that the subjects preferred the Juvederm side and that its results lasted longer was no surprise.  What was more interesting was that on follow-up, when it was time to get a complimentary repeat injection, there was still a considerable difference on the Juvederm-treated side.  The proportion of nasolabial folds still showing a significant improvement beyond 1 year was 68% with Juvederm!  This finding resulted in the FDA approving Juvederm as lasting up to 1 year for facial wrinkles.

A sleeve tattoo is one where the forearm, or even the upper arm as well, is tattooed all the way around.  The sleeve tattoo may have been a single project or may evolve over years as the recipient continues to add work to the area.  These tattoos take a substantial investment of time and money to create, so it’s unusual for someone to want an entire sleeve to be removed.   What we more often see is that someone has one of the sleeves that has evolved over time, and now the person wants part of it that they don’t like anymore removed.  Usually they are making room for another tattoo in the cleared area.  In that case, it’s sufficient to lighten the area rather than to completely remove the tattoo.  Sleeve tattoos often contain multiple colors, not all of which are easily removed, so removing an entire multicolor sleeve without a planned cover-up may be a daunting task.  Also, if someone is getting an entire sleeve tattoo lasered off, then the per square inch pricing is too expensive.  We come up with a custom price that is affordable and suitable according to the individual and the complexity of their tattoo removal project.   Contact us to schedule a free consultation for your sleeve tattoo.

We often get patients at TMD that are concerned with abnormal darkening or spots on the face that they want treated.  One of the most common types of darkening or hyperpigmentation is melasma.  We see patients with it frequently and often recommend the Vi Peel and microdermabrasion for it.
Melasma is the abnormal darkening of facial skin that typically occurs in women in association with pregnancy or hormonal therapy, such as with oral contraceptives.  Dark patches may be distributed on the cheeks, cheekbones, upper lips, nose and forehead, but can occur elsewhere on the body.  Certain ethnic groups, such as Native Americans, are more commonly affected, especially in regions of high sun-exposure.  There is definitely a genetic component.

Treatment of melasma has focused on topical agents and ablative agents.  Topicals include hydroquinone 2 and 4%.  Hydroquinone inhibits the enzyme that creates melanin in the skin.  Hydroquinone 4% along with other natural compounds, including kojic acid, azelaic acid, arbutin, and licorice extract are the active ingredients in the Vi Derm Bleaching Cream that we offer at TMD along with our Vi Peels.  This cream is also good for long-term maintenance.

For significant melasma, especially when one wants more immediate results, the Vi Peel is an excellent technique.  The peel works quickly and quite effectively yet is gentle on the skin.  A short series of Vi Peels may be all you need to take away the melasma.  Microdermabrasion is a good adjunctive technique as it helps to remove melanin built up in dead skin.  Call to schedule a free consultation with our licensed esthetician regarding melasma or the Vi Peel.

Since last year, there has been news about Freedom-2 Inc., a company on the East Coast that has been developing tattoo inks that are more easily removable than typical tattoo ink.  Their ink brand is Infinitink.  A product launch is expected late this year.  Initial reports focused on Freedom-2’s micro-encapsulation technology, where biodegradable inks are encapsulated in microspheres that can be disrupted by laser.  The released ink would then be gone in very few treatments.

Dr. Kaplan spoke today with the Freedom-2’s Director of Research, Peter Morello, regarding their upcoming product launch.  Mr. Morello said that the first ink to be released will be black and will probably be released in November or December to a limited initial market.  He also said that that ink will not be micro-encapsulated but will be composed of an ink compound that is more easily removable by laser.  He recommended the Q-switched Nd:YAG laser for the treatment of tattoos made with this ink.  A tattoo made with this is supposed to be able to be removed 2-3 times as quickly as a similar tattoo made with india ink.