Some people suffer from ingrown hairs related to shaving.  This may occur on the face, the underarms, or on the legs.  After the hair is cut, it may grow and circle back into the skin, causing pain, redness, and swelling.  It may also get covered over by healing skin and cause a similar problem as it tries to push its way out.  Some men have persistent redness and inflammation of the beard area because of this.

Aside from simply letting the hair grow out, the main solution for the problem of ingrown hairs is laser hair removal.  Not only are the vast majority of hairs permanently destroyed, the few that remain tend to be wispy and less able to become ingrown.  The hyperpigmentation and inflammation that occur in such areas also gradually disappear as the ingrown hair problem is resolved.  Laser hair removal typically takes 6 treatments for satisfactory clearance but probably fewer are necessary to greatly reduce the tendency to get ingrown hairs.

If you are interested in laser hair removal, please call or email us for a free consultation.

Raised or unsightly scars in visible areas can be distressing and in some cases disfiguring.  The role of surgery is limited because it creates additional scars, so it is not always possible to improve on the current scar.  With Fraxel laser resurfacing, scar remodeling and shrinkage is possible.  Fraxel works by penetrating the skin with multitudes of pinpoints laser beams.  Only a fraction of the treated skin is affected, allowing quick healing, low risk of complications, and minimal downtime.

Although scars cannot be completely erased by any procedure, Fraxel does a good job of making them less protuberant, smaller, and less obvious.  If you have a scar that troubles you, come in for a free consultation to see if Fraxel is right for you

The unique character of lasers used for tattoo removal is that they are “Q-switched.”  The Q-switching means that a super-fast shutter opens during the laser pulse, allowing only nanoseconds of light to be let through.  Traditional lasers use slower shutters that allow much longer pulse duration, typically in the millisecond range.  Q-switched lasers remove tattoo ink and pigment through a photo-acoustic effect.  This occurs via a very high-intensity energy that causes the pigment particles to shatter without imparting too much heat that could burn the surrounding tissue.  The pigment particles shatter because of their inability to expand fast enough as the q-switched pulse of energy hits them.  With traditional lasers, targets are not shattered but rather burned away.  That system works great for laser resurfacing or laser hair removal but if it were used on tattoos, it could cause a deep burn.

One alternative that we are currently investigating is the possibility of using fractional laser, i.e. Fraxel, to burn away tattoo pigment without causing scarring.  This is not available for treatment yet, but could possibly be in the future if results are positive.

There is a plethora of creams available online that claim to remove tattoos.  A couple have strong web presence and popularity.  Tattoo removal creams can be divided into two major categories: caustic and non-caustic.  The caustic category contains creams and solutions that are acids and function like heavy-duty chemical peels.   They work by burning the skin down to the level of the tattoo ink.  This can definitely work, but carries significant side-effects of scarring.

The non-caustic category of tattoo removal creams is purported to work by unverified mechanisms.  So-called “fading ingredients” are said to somehow specifically fade the tattoo ink yet leave the rest of the skin unaffected.  From a mechanistic standpoint, it’s not clear or conceivable how such a chemical would work.  Tattoo inks are composed from a wide variety of chemicals  within each individual ink brand and there are multiple brands to choose from for each color.  There cannot be one chemical that could react with all these different tattoo inks.  Furthermore, there are no published scientific studies in the medical literature to support such claims.

To date, the only FDA-approved treatment for tattoo removal is laser.  Other methods, such as glycolic acid or salabrasion may work, but the scarring they cause can far outweigh the original disadvantages of the tattoo.  Less aggressive tattoo fading creams have yet to show clinical effectiveness in peer-reviewed scientific journals.  A search of the Pubmed database for “tattoo removal cream” yields nothing related to what is advertised on the internet.  So until new research shows otherwise, only laser tattoo removal can reliably remove tattoos with minimal scarring.

Tattoo MD will soon be providing esthetician services, such as microdermabrasion, chemical peels, and facials on Monday mornings.  Angela is joining our staff as a second esthetician and will start out on Monday mornings.  She comes with a several years’ experience and is knowledgeable in the menu of services offered at Tattoo MD Medispa.  See more info about Angela soon on the about us page of the CLS website.

One of our philosophies at Tattoo MD has been that there is no single laser that is best to removal all tattoos.  Although Q-switched YAG (such as the Medlite C6) is great for black and red tattoos, it really is not as good for blues and greens.  The 1064 nm wavelength is well-absorbed by black inks and the 532 by brown and red.  The 694 nm wavelength of the Q-switched ruby laser is better absorbed by green and blue inks.  For that reason, Tattoo MD has gone with a combination of two lasers to best target the broadest range of tattoo colors possible.

Recently, new Q-switched lasers are coming to market that contain both a YAG and a ruby module within them.  The Tattoostar FX by Asclepion from Germany is one of these.  It still needs FDA approval, but will offer an exciting new option for providers of laser tattoo removal.  Other laser manufacturers seem to be bringing out similar products.  Since Tattoo MD already has 2 lasers that do this, we have no need to change systems, but we do feel confirmed and vindicated by these developments.

Celebrity Laser Spa  is pleased to announce the Grand Opening of our new medically-supervised weight loss program on May 11, 2010.  CLS (aka Tattoo MD) specializes in cosmetic skin treatments, tattoo removal and laser rejuvenation.  The addition of medically supervised weight-loss is logical for a spa that already focuses on beauty and wellness.
Obesity is an epidemic problem in this country.  At least 1/3 of the population suffers from obesity and its complications, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and others.  Even a 5% long-term weight reduction confers great benefits in health and longevity.  Furthermore, summer is coming, and don’t you want to shed those pounds and look your best?
The components of the CLS weight loss program include medical monitoring, nutrition, meal replacement, optional appetite suppression, and counseling.  The focus is on long-term weight loss and creation of healthy eating and exercise habits through lifestyle change.  Lifestyle change is not easy and the assistance of our dedicated clinical staff will help guide you to success
Celebrity Laser Spa is hosting a Grand Opening Party to kick off our weight loss program on May 11.  There will be group presentations, the opportunity to meet the clinicians, special program discounts, and refreshments.  Please call 310-312-1231 to reserve your spot (space is limited)!

The theft of the $50,000 laser last month from Sunrise Community Outreach in downtown Los Angeles is a real shame.  This program provided a way for gang members to erase tattoos from their past and start a better life.  A thief smashed the windows and wheeled out the laser down the street.  These lasers all have serial numbers and are very limited in number, so it’s unclear what could be financially accomplished by doing this.  Unfortunately, the center did not have burglar alarms nor business insurance against equipment loss.  If anyone has further information that could help in the case, please contact them at www.sunriseoutreach.org/

There are many things to consider before getting a tattoo.  Of course there’s the technique and reputation of the artist.  Then there’s your individual tattoo design and location on the body.  You should also consider what kind of ink you are going to get.  A good artist should know what ingredients are present in the ink, if there are metallic compounds or anything that can lead to toxic metabolites.

These days, there are also options for inks that naturally fade or are easily removed by laser, such as Freedom-2.  Not every tattoo artist believes in them or knows about them and they tend to be more expensive.   However, you should realize that one day you may feel differently about your tattoo than you do at the beginning.  Also, there’s a chance that it won’t come out the way you expect and you’ll have instant regret.  At the very least, you should avoid ink that contains metallic compounds, as that will make the tattoo very difficult for laser tattoo removal.

Boca Raton Radiesse

Ohio Cosmetic Surgery