What better way to say “I do” than by getting a band permanently tattooed on your finger, right?  Unfortunately, we have seen far too many regrets when it comes to ring tattoos.  The good thing about ring tattoos that have fallen into disfavor is that they are small and easy to cover with jewelry.  Laser tattoo removal for ring tattoos, however, is more challenging than one would think.  Since the tattoo is small and is made to stand out, the artist is usually generous with the amount and depth of ink that is placed.  In tattoo removal, what affects the number of needed treatments more is not the size of the tattoo, it’s the depth and density of the ink.  This is the same reason that a cover-up tattoos is relatively difficult to remove.  The size of the tattoo, on the other hand, directly affects how long each treatment takes but not how many treatments are needed to remove it.  Since, it is speculated, laser tattoo removal works with the body’s lymphatic drainage, tattoos in distant extremities, such as hands and feet, take longer to remove.  There is no published data that proves this, and this is only theoretical.

At Tattoo MD, we treat ring tattoos similarly to other tattoos.  The treatment is thankfully very fast for such a small tattoo and the cost falls under our minimum price.  Please call for a free consultation if you are interested in laser tattoo removal at Tattoo MD.

Topical anesthetic, or numbing cream, is an integral part of how we remove tattoos at Tattoo MD.  Anesthetic cream takes most of the sting out of the laser tattoo removal session.  Starting at least 30 minutes prior to your treatment, anesthetic is applied and then covered with an occlusive dressing.  If the tattoo is not very large (less than a half-sleeve) then you can put on the anesthetic even prior to your appointment and come in ready for treatment.  Otherwise, or if it is your first session, you will have it put on for you while you are waiting for your treatment.  Topical anesthetics have to be used with caution and we do not allow patients to have large areas covered with numbing cream outside of our observation.   If you have had any previous adverse reactions or allergies to anesthetics, please mention that during your consultation.  Numbing creams are highly effective and make laser tattoo removal a tolerable and not unpleasant experience.  See our other blog entry about painless laser tattoo removal.

When you begin the laser tattoo removal process, you of course want to see dramatic results immediately.  Who wouldn’t?  However how quickly you see noticeable fading depends on so many variables!  You are most likely to see fading soonest in areas of the tattoo with the lightest, most superficial tattooing and in colors that most readily respond to laser treatment (e.g. black more than yellow).  You will find that the parts of the tattoo with shading will seem to be gone sooner while the heavy outlines may persist quite a bit longer.  In a word or name tattoo, parts of letters may clear before other parts.  Tattoo removal depends on so many variables that, of necessity, every tattoo responds differently to treatment.

Q-switched lasers have become the standard for laser tattoo removal.  Q-switching is a shutter-like mechanism that allows only super short (nanoseconds) bursts of laser light to be emitted.  These super-rapid bursts of energy cause fracturing within tattoo particles yet generally do not transmit enough heat to the skin to cause damage to surrounding normal tissue.  Lasers used for most other cosmetic purposes, such as laser hair removal, laser resurfacing and skin tightening all generally have much longer durations of light transmission.  Although this is fine for their usual indications, such lasers cause too much collateral damage in tattooed skin.  The effect with a non-Q-switched laser treatment of a tattoo is similar to burning off the tattoo and may even be successful after one treatment but has the unfortunate side-effect of a deep scar.  The end result therefore, is usually worse that the original tattoo.  This is the reason you can’t get laser hair removal over tattooed skin.

Tattoo MD uses only Q-switched lasers in our tattoo removal procedures.  We use the Medlite C6 and the Asclepion Rubystar which are both nano-second lasers.  If you are considering a tattoo removal procedure elsewhere, make sure that q-switched lasers will be used.

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This is a question we often get.  Someone may have just gotten a tattoo put on and are already regretting it.  They want to know if they can get laser tattoo removal immediately.   They even consider other methods of removal to get the process started quickly and before the tattoo heals.

There are a lot of underground techniques out there on the internet to try to get a tattoo off before it has healed and set in.  They range from scrubbing with abrasives, to chemicals and various other techniques.  Unfortunately, none of these techniques are medically proven or generally accepted.  They are not performed in doctors’ offices or clinics.  If you try them yourself, it’s possible that you will achieve some fading but it’s also possible that you will cause a scar or infection.  Having discussed this issue with various dermatologists, Dr. Kaplan cannot recommend any of these methods at this time.

A new tattoo generally heals within 1-2 weeks.  By the time the skin is no longer broken, it is ok to start laser tattoo removal.  Although we have no scientific data on this, starting early is better than waiting a few months or more.  Once you start treatment, you can continue getting more treatments as frequently as every 4-6 weeks.

Laser tattoo removal can be performed year-round.  Maybe you have that tattoo that is only visible when you’re dressed down during summer weather.  You may no longer want that tattoo on your arm visible when you wear short sleeves.   There’s no reason you can’t start on getting it removed even during the summer.  Sun avoidance or protection is recommended during the laser tattoo removal process but is easily achieved with sunblocks and clothing.  Why put off doing something you’ve been thinking about all this time?  Call Tattoo MD today for a free consultation at 310-312-1231.

As part of our quest to provide the best-possible laser tattoo removal anywhere, we are upgrading our q-switched ruby laser, the Rubystar, to the Tattoostar.  Both lasers are made by Asclepion, but the Tattoostar is the next generation q-switched ruby laser that has a larger spot size with a more uniform distribution of energy.  This allows for more reliable and safer laser tattoo removal at higher energies.  As before, the Tattoostar ruby laser will be of extra benefit for green and blue tattoos, as well as tattoos that have become resistant to further fading with other lasers, such as the q-switched YAG. We expect to receive the laser directly from Germany at the end of July.

Sky blue and green tattoos have gained in popularity as tattoo artists have broadened their palettes past blacks and reds.  Creative tattoo artists frequently employ these colors to enrich the appearance their tattoos.  When it comes time to remove tattoos with these colors, however, they present an extra challenge.

The industry standard q-switched laser used for tattoo removal is the Nd:YAG.  It’s wavelengths include 1064 and 532 nm.  These are great for blacks and reds but not as optimal for blues and greens since those colors don’t absorb light as well at those laser wavelengths.  The Medlite C6 comes with attachments that adjust the laser light to wavelengths absorbed by blue and green pigments, however, we found these attachments to be cumbersome, and we were less satisfied with them than we expected.
For that reason we decided to acquire another kind of tattoo removal laser just so we could do a better job of removing blue and green tattoos.   The Q-switched Ruby laser made by Asclepion that we purchased does a great job of removing blue and green tattoos.  It’s wavelength of 694 nm is better absorbed by blue and green pigments, and it is relatively fast and powerful.

Removal of blue and green tattoos with a ruby laser is not for everyone.  The 694 nm wavelength is more absorbed by melanin than the 1064 and has a tendency to lighten the skin in those areas.  This is mostly temporary but may not be a good solution in dark-skinned individuals.
Since we obtained this laser, our ability to treat blue and green tattoos has grown remarkably.  After our most recent upgrade of the laser, it is more effective than ever.

This blog has been following the progress of Dr. Kaplan’s laser tattoo removal of his own tattoo. He got the tattoo last fall and has been getting laser tattoo removal at least every 6 weeks or so at Tattoo MD. Below is the photo just before the 5th treatment. With each treatment, the tattoo fades, though some parts fade faster than others, as you can see in the photo.

The New Tattoo

After 4 Treatments

Some sites of interest:

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Ohio Cosmetic Surgery