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Blemish / Tattoo Removal
Pigmented Lesion Removal with PhotoDerm Just about everyone has a few obvious brown spots on their skin. Freckles, "age spots", "liver spots", and various birth marks are just a few of the commonly known marks, generally referred to as pigmented lesions. Although most brown spots are easily ignored, many are quite conspicuous and can detract from your skin's natural beauty. Melanin is what gives your skin its color. Dark or light complexioned, we all have varying amounts of melanin. Pigmented lesions are dark in color simply because melanin is abnormally concentrated in one area of the skin. High concentrations of melanin can be due to various factors. Some types are present at birth, but most occur with age or as a result of overexposure to the sun's damaging rays. Pigmented lesions can be successfully lightened or removed with modern laser technology. A laser removes pigmented lesions with the energy of light. A laser is designed to produce one or more specific light wavelengths which are absorbed by the pigment. Pigmented lesions are either lightened or removed when laser light passes through the skin but is absorbed by abnormal concentrations of melanin. The rapid absorption of light energy causes the melanin to destruct to a point where the melanin concentration is reduced, leaving the treated skin looking uniform in color and texture. The PhotoDerm laser is one of the most advanced lasers available today for the removal of pigmented lesions. The laser provides the appropriate wavelength of light for absorption by abnormal melanin concentrations. The laser also delivers the light in very short, high intensity pulses for maximum melanin destruction. The use of this specific combination of wavelength and rapidly pulsed light results in minimal damage to normal skin while providing maximum abnormal melanin removal. Questions you may have about the laser pigmented lesion removal process: What types of brown spots or pigmented lesions will the laser remove? The laser is most commonly used for removing brown age spots, "liver spots", freckles, many brown birthmarks and tattoos. Your physician will identify your specific type of lesion and discuss the removal success rate associated with it. Iportant: The laser cannot be used for the removal of lesions that are canserous or suspected of being cancerous. If there is any doubt, your physician will discuss the appropriate treatment methods with you. Why doesn't the laser remove my normal skin pigmentation also? The laser light of the laser was designed for its properties that selectively target dark concentrations of melanin was removed, and treatment continued on normal skin, some whitening could occur. However, your body's natural regenerative system would replace the normal melanin after a period of time, returning the skin to its natural state. Is the process painful? The laser laser emits light in very short flashes of light called pulses. The impact of the energy from the powerful pulse of light is similar to the snap of a thin rubberband. After the treatment, the area will feel similar to a slight sunburn. Typically, within a day or so, any discomfort disappears. The area may remain reddened for two to four weeks. After the redness clears, the skin is returned to its natural smooth coloring and texture. How many treatment sessions will it take to remove the pigmented lesion? At least 80% of all common pigmented lesions are removed with one treatment. If a lesion covers a large area, your physician may want to treat the area in several stages, to avoid unnecessary discomfort. What type of post-treatment care is necessary? An antibacterial ointment will be initially applied to the area. A shower can be taken the next day, but avoid scrubbing the treated area. Since most common pigmented lesions are caused by exposure to ultraviolet sun rays, it is imperative that you always wear sunscreen. Failure to wear a protective sunscreen will allow further sun damage to occur and result in new pigmented lesions. Your physician will recommend the appropriate level of sunscreen protection for your specific skin type. Tatoo Removal
Decorative tattoos have a history dating back at least 5000 years. The desire to remove them has probably existed just as long. Early attempts to remove tattoos have had less than desirable results. The use of dermabrasion, salabrasion and Argon or CO2 lasers have left behind scars in place of the tattoo. The advent of Q-Switched lasers has permitted the removal of most tattoo inks with a very low risk of scarring. The Q-Switched Nd:YAG laser is the newest system in this class of lasers. The laser can significantly lighten or remove many tattoo inks and is particularly advanced in the removal of blue, black and red inks. The Q-Switched Nd:YAG laser removes tattoo ink with the energy of light. Just as natural sunlight is made up of light wavelengths of many colors, a laser is a device which is designed to produce one or more specific wavelengths of light. These wavelengths are either absorbed, reflected or simply passed through objects. Tattoo ink is removed by using a specific wavelength which passes through the skin but is absorbed by the ink. The rapid absorption of light energy causes the tattoo ink to destruct, where it is then removed by the body's natural filtering systems.
Medical research has taught us which wavelengths of light to use and specifically how to deliver the laser's output to best remove tattoo ink. The Q-Switched Nd:YAG laser uses a light wavelength which passes through the skin, but is absorbed by most inks. The laser also delivers the light in very short, high intensity pulses for maximum ink destruction. The use of this specific combination of wavelength and rapidly pulsed light results in minimal damage to the skin while providing maximum tattoo ink removal. The Photoderm PL removes tattoos of all colors and types. The specific foundation underlying this is the principle of selective photothermolysis in which the light absorbed specifically by a target lesion which does little nonspecific damage as possible to the surrounding tissue (i.e., normal skin tissue). The ink particles and tattoo absorb the light emitted by the Photoderm PL which has been converted into heat energy, raising the tattoo temperature. When this temperature reaches the high enough level, the ink particles are shattered into smaller fragments and are eventually cleared from the body by the lymphatic system.
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John D. Seifert,
M.D., F.A.C.S., F.I.C.S.
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