Laser tattoo removal: Benefits and caveats

Medical Laser Application

Volumn 19, Issue 4, 2004, Pages 175-185

  Adatto, Maurice A ^a,b  

^a GENEVA UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS   (Switzerland)

^b SKINPULSE Dermatology and Laser Centres   (Switzerland)

Author keywords

Darkening; Laser; Photoacoustic shock; Pigment; Q switched laser; Tattoo

Indexed keywords

LASER BEAM EFFECTS; PIGMENTS; THERMAL EFFECTS;

HYPERPIGMENTATION; LASER TATTOO REMOVAL; SCARS; THERMAL DAMAGE;

LASER BEAMS;

PIGMENT;

HYPERPIGMENTATION; HYPOPIGMENTATION; LASER; NEODYMIUM LASER; REVIEW; SCAR FORMATION; TATTOO; THERMAL INJURY;

EID: 11844275305     PISSN: 16151615     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1078/1615-1615-00141     Document Type: Article

References (63)

1. ADATTO MA: in: Living Skin - Decorative Tattooing and Dermatology, Editiones Roche Basel, 19 (1993)
2. VARMA S, LANIGAN SW: Reasons for requesting laser removal of unwanted tattoos. Br J Dermatol 140(3): 483-485 (1999)
3. VAN DER VELDEN EM, VAN DER WALLE HB, GROOTE AD: Tattoo removal: tannic acid method of Variot. Int J Dermatol 32(5): 376-380 (1993)
4. PIGGOT TA, NORRIS RW: The treatment of tattoos with trichloracetic acid: experience with 670 patients. Br J Plast Surg 41: 112-117 (1988)
5. BOO-CHAI K: The decorative tattoo: its removal by superficial dermabrasion. Plast Reconstr Surg 32: 559-563 (1963)
6. MILLER TH, HAY-ROE V: Conventional surgery in techniques of removal tattoos. Plast Reconstr Surg 20: 910-914 (1979)
7. COLVER GB, CHERRY GW, DAWBER RP, RYAN TJ: Tattoo removal using infra-red coagulation. Br J Dermatol 112(4): 481-485 (1985)
8. MAIMAN TH: Stimulated optical radiation in ruby. Nature 187: 493-494 (1960)
9. GOLDMAN L, BLANEY DJ, KINDEL DJ, FRANKE EK: Effect of the laser beam on the skin. J Invest Dermatol 40: 121-122 (1963)
10. GOLDMAN L, WILSON RG, HORNBY P, MEYER RG: Radiation from a Q-switched ruby laser. Effect of repeated impacts of power output of 10 megawatt on a tattoo of man. J Invest Dermatol 44: 69-71 (1965)
11. MCBURNEY EI, ROSEN DA: Carbon dioxide laser treatment of verrucae vulgares. J Dermatol Surg Oncol 10(1): 45-48 (1984)
12. APFELBERG DB, MASER MR, LASH H: Extended clinical use of the argon laser for cutaneous lesions. Arch Dermatol 115: 719-721 (1979)
13. ARELLANO CR, LEOPOLD DA, SHAFIROFF BB: Tattoo removal: comparative study of six methods in the pig. Plast Reconstr Surg 70(6): 609-703 (1982)
14. APFELBERG DB, MASER MR, LASH H, RIVERS JL: Progress report on extended clinical use of the argon laser for cutaneous lesions. Lasers Surg Med 1: 71-83 (1980)
15. APFELBERG DB, LAUB D, MASER MR, LASH H: Pathophysiology and treatment of decorative tattoos with reference to argon laser treatment. Clin Plast Surg 7: 369-377 (1980)
16. ANDERSON RR, PARRISH JA: Selective photothermolysis: Precise microsurgery by selective absorbtion of pulsed radiation. Science 220: 524-527 (1983)
17. FUJITA H, YAMASHITA K, KAWAMATA S, YOSHIKAWA K: The uptake and long-term storage of India ink particles and latex beads by fibroblasts in the dermis and subcutis of mice, with special regard to the non-inflammatory defense reaction fibroblasts. Arch Histol Cytol 51(3): 285-294 (1988)
18. POLLA LL, MARGOLIS RJ, DOVER WHITAKER D, MURPHY GF, JACQUES SL, ANDERSON RR: Melanosomes are the primary target target of Q-switched ruby laser irradiation in guinea pig skin. J Invest Dermatol 89: 281-286 (1987)
19. TAYLOR CR, ANDERSON RR, GANGE RW, MICHAUD NA, FLOTTE TJ: Light and electron microspcopic analysis of tattoos treated by Q-switched ruby laser. J Invest Dermatol 97: 131-136 (1991)
20. FERGUSON JE, ANDREW SM, JONES CJ, AUGUST PJ: The Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers and tattoos: A microscopic analysis of laser tattoo interactions. Br J Dermatol. 137: 405-410 (1997)
21. REID WH, MCLEOD PJ, RITCHIE A, FERGUSON-PELL M: Q-switched Ruby laser treatment of black tattoos. Br J Plast Surg: 36: 455-459 (1983)
22. TAYLOR CR, GANGE RW, DOVER JS, FLOTTE TJ, GONZALEZ E, MICHAUD N, ANDERSON RR: Treatment of tattoos by Q-switched ruby laser. A dose-response study. Arch Dermatol 126: 893-899 (1990)
23. KILMER SL, LEE MS, GREVELINK JM, FLOTTE TJ, ANDERSON RR: The Q-switched Nd:YAG laser effectively treats tattoos. A controlled, dose-response study. Arch Dermatol. 129: 971-978 (1993)
24. LEUENBERGER ML, MULAS MW, HATA TR, GOLDMAN MP, FITZPATRICH RE, GREVELINK JP: Comparison of the Q-switched alexandrite, Nd:YAG and ruby lasers in treating blue-black tattoos. Dermatol Surg. 25: 10-14 (1999).
25. FITZPATRICK RE, GOLDMAN MP: Tattoos removal using the alexandrite laser. Arch Dermatol. 130: 1508-1514 (1994)
26. TROILIUS AM: Effective treatment of traumatic tattoos with a Q-switched Nd: YAG laser. Lasers Surg Med. 22: 103-108 (1998)
27. TAYLOR CR: Laser ignition of traumatically embedded firework debris. Lasers Surg Med. 22: 157-158 (1998)
28. FUSADE T, TOUBEL G, GROGNARD C, MAZER JM: Treatment of gunpowder traumatic tattoo by Q-switched Nd:YAG laser: an unusual adverse effect. Dermatol Surg 26: 1057-1059 (2000).
29. KILMER SL, ANDERSON RR: Clinical use of the Q-switched ruby and the Q-switched Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm and 532 nm) for treatment of tattoos. J Dermatol Surg Oncol. 19: 330-338 (1993).
30. KUPERMAN-BEADE M, LEVINE VJ, ASHINOFF R: Laser removal of tattoos. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2: 21-25 (2001)
31. SHAH G, ALSTER TS: Treatment of an amalgam tattoo with a Q-switched alexandrite (755 nm) laser. Dermatol Surg. 28: 1180-1181 (2002)
32. RAULIN C, WERNER S, GREVE B: Circumscripted pigmentations after iron injections-treatment with Q-switched laser systems. Lasers Surg Med. 28: 456-460 (2001)
33. TAFAZZOLI A, ROSTAN EF, GOLDMAN MP: Q-switched ruby laser treatment for postsclerotherapy hyperpigmentation. Dermatol Surg. 26: 653-656 (2000)
34. BECKER-WEGERICH PM, KUHN A, MALEK L, LEHMANN P, MEGAHED M, RUZICKA T: Treatment of nonmelanotic hyperpigmentation with the Q-switched ruby laser. J Am Acad Dermatol. 43: 272-274 (2000)
35. ATKIN DH, FITZPATRICK RE: Laser treatment of imipramine-induced hyperpigmentation. J Am Acad Dermatol. 43: 77-80 (2000)
36. FRIEDMAN IS, SHELTON RM, PHELPS RG: Minocycline-induced hyperpigmentation of the tongue: successful treatment with the Q-switched ruby laser. Dermatol Surg. 28: 205-209 (2002)
37. PAPAMELETIOU D, ZENIE A, SCHWELA D, BÄUMLER W: Risks and health effects from tattoos, body piercing and related practices. Final draft Ispra May 2003 available on the web at http://europa.eu.int/comm/consumers/cons_safe/ news/eis_tat too_risk_052003_en.pdf
38. MCGROUTHER DA, DOWNIE PA: Reactions to red tattoos. Br Plast Surg 30: 84-85 (1977)
39. BENDSOE N, HANSSON C, STERNER O: Inflammatory reactions from organic pigments in red tattoos: Acta Derm Venereol (Stockh). 71: 70-73 (1991)
40. BJORNBERG A: Reaction to light in yellow tattoos from cadmium sulfide. Arch Dermatol. 88: 83-87 (1962)
41. LOEWENTAL LJA: Reactions in green tattoos. Arch Dermatol. 82: 237-243 (1959)
42. ANDERSON RR, GERONEMEUS R, KILMER SL, FARINELLI W FITZPATRICK RE: Cosmetic tattoo ink darkening: a complication of Q-switched and pulsed-laser treatment. Arch Dermatol 129: 1010-1014 (1993)
43. VARMA S, SWANSON NA, LEE KK: Tattoo ink darkening of a yellow tattoo after Q-switched laser treatment. Clin Exp Dermatol. 27: 461-463 (2002)
44. CHANG SE, KIM KJ, CHOI JH, SUNG KJ, MOON KC, KOH JK: Areolar cosmetic tattoo ink darkening: a complication of Q-switched alexandrite laser treatment. Dermatol Surg 28: 95-96 (2002)
45. FITZPATRICK RE, LUPTON J: Sucessful treatment of treatment-resistant laser-induced pigment darkening of a cosmetic tattoo. Lasers Surg Med. 27: 358-361 (2000)
46. CASPARIAN JM, KRELL J: Using a side effect to therapeutic advantage: the darkening of red eyebrow tattoo pigment following Q-switched laser treatment. Dermatol Surg. 26: 255-258 (2000)
47. ROSS EV, YASHAR S, MICHAUD N, FITZPATRICK R, GERONEMUS R, TOPE WD, ANDERSON RR: Tattoo darkening and nonresponse after laser treatment: a possible role for titanium dioxide. Arch Dermatol. 137: 33-37 (2001)
48. LEHMANN G, PIERCHALLA P: Tattoing dyes. Dermatosen Beruf Umwelt. 36: 152-156 (1988)
49. ALORA MBT, ARNDT KA, TAYLOR CR: Scarring following Q-switched laser treatment of "double tattoos". Arch Dermatol. 136: 269-270 (2000)
50. ADATTO MA: in: Living Skin - Decorative Tattooing and Dermatology, Editiones Roche Basel 1993, 84-86
51. DAVE R, MAHAFFEY PJ: Successful treatment of an allergic reaction in a red tattoo with the Nd-YAG laser. Br J Plast Surg. 55: 456 (2002)
52. ENGLAND RW, VOGEL P, HAGAN L: Immediate cutaneous hypersensitivity after treatment of tattoo with Nd:YAG laser: a case report and review of the literature. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 89: 215-217 (2002)
53. ASHINOFF R, LEVINE VJ, SOTER NA: Allergic reactions to tattoo pigment after laser treatment. Dermatol Surg. 21: 291-294 (1995)
54. TROTTER MJ, TRON VA, HOLLINGDALE J, RIVERS JK: Localized chrysiasis induced by laser therapy. Arch Dermatol. 131: 1411-1414 (1995).
55. YUN PL, ARNDT KA, ANDERSON RR: Q-switched laser-induced chrysiasis treated with long-pulsed laser. Arch Dermatol. 138: 1012-1014 (2002)
56. BÄUMLER W, EIBLER ET, HOHENLEUTNER U, SENS B, SAUER J, LANDTHALER M: Q-switch laser and tattoo pigments: first results of the chemical and photophysical analysis of 41 compounds. Lasers Surg Med. 26: 13-21 (2000)
57. TIMKO AL, MILLER CH, JOHNSON FB, ROSS EV: In vitro quantitative chemical analysis of tattoo pigments. Arch Dermatol. 137: 143-147 (2001)
58. MAFONG EA, KAUVAR AN, GERONEMUS RG: Surgical pearl: Removal of cosmetic lip-liner tattoo with the pulsed carbon dioxide laser. J Am Acad Dermatol. 48: 271-272 (2003)
59. ORT RJ, ANDERSON RR, ARNDT KA, DOVER JS: CO2 laser resurfacing of tattoos prior to Q-switched laser treatment (abstract). Lasers Surg Med. 26 (suppl 12): 23 (2000)
60. HUZARAI M, ANDERSON RR: Magnetite tattoos. Lasers Surg Med. 31: 121-128 (2002)
61. HERD RM, ALORA MB, SMOLLER B, ARNDT KA, DOVER JS: A clinical and histologic persective prospective controlled comparisons study of the picosecond titanium sapphire (795nm) laser versus the Q-switched alexandrite (752 nm) laser for removing tattoo pigment. J Am Acad Dermatol. 40: 603-606 (1999)
62. ROSS V, NASEEF G, LIN G, KELLY M, MICHAUD N, FLOTTE TJ, RAYTHEN J, ANDERSON RR: Comparison of responses of tattoos to picosecond and nanosecond Q-switched neodymium: YAG lasers. Arch Dermatol. 134: 167-171 (1998)
63. HO DDM, LONDON R, ZIMMERMAN GB, YOUNG DA: Laser-tattoo removal - a study of the mechanism and the optimal treatment strategy via computer simulations. Lasers Surg Med. 30: 389-397 (2002)