Summer is here, you’re ready to head to the beach, don your swimsuit and walk around in your shorts in t-shirt. You also don’t want to be constantly shaving, so laser hair removal is just the thing for you. To make it safe, there are some precautions that are particularly important for summer laser hair removal.

The mechanism for laser hair removal works based on the hair shaft being darker than the surrounding skin and absorbing relatively much more light. This causes the hair follicle to be damaged while leaving the surrounding skin unharmed. If the skin is tanned, it may absorb too much light, making the laser hair removal either unsafe or much less effective in that circumstance.

You must avoid sun exposure and tanning, including spray-on tans prior to the procedure, so that you go in completely untanned. After the procedure, it is important to strictly avoid the sun and use sunblock on sun-exposed areas for several weeks.

At Tattoo MD Medi-Spa, the laser hair removal procedure is tailored to your specific skin and hair colors. We exercise the utmost caution to maximize safety.

Laser hair removal has become the second most popular cosmetic procedure in the United States.  It can be said that the popularity of a procedure is a testament to the value of that procedure.  With hundreds of thousands of such procedures a year, it is clear that this type of treatment has become mainstream. 

In Los Angeles, there are many types of facilities that offer laser hair removal.  There are doctors’ offices, medi-spas, and day spas or beauty salons that might offer these services.  One must be cautious when selecting a clinic for laser hair removal.  This is still a medical procedure, not a simple spa treatment.  Having a supervising doctor available ensures that treatments are done according to guidelines and that help is available in case of an unexpected outcome.  Also, laser manufacturers do not sell lasers to non-physicians.

Laser hair removal is technically laser hair “reduction.”  This is because one can never achieve “perfect” hair removal.  Small, fine hairs or the occasional straggler may be left.  Instead, the goal of laser hair reduction is 80-90% long term clearance in good candidates.  The laser works by the principle that light of a certain wavelength is selectively taken up by the hair shaft which is darker than the surrounding skin.  The light travels down the shaft and damages the hair follicle from which the hair grew.  Since only a fraction of hair follicles are actively growing hair at any one time, several treatments are needed to go through all the follicles once.  In the best candidates, 6-8 treatments will usually achieve 80-90% clearance. 

There are various laser technologies that have been used for hair removal.  The oldest is the ruby, which is not used much anymore.  In common use today are Alexandrite, YAG, and diode lasers, and Intense Pulsed Light devices.  All of these machines are know to be effective.  There are some minor differences, and studies have shown that diode and alexandrite lasers are the most effective.  Additional technologies may be rolled into the device, such as radiofrequency (RF) with the Syneron diode lasers. 

For the right candidate with realistic expectations for the procedure, laser hair removal can be both safe and rewarding.

Hyperpigmentation is a the darkening of the skin in or around a treatment site, (in this case a laser-treated site).  Increased melanin production by the melanocytes of the skin in response to thermal changes and inflammation.   Any kind of laser treatment, whether it is the kind that causes deep injury to the skin, such as a carbon dioxide laser, or a q-switched laser that sends much less energy into the skin, can cause hyperpigmentation.  By minimizing thermal damage to the normal skin, one can minimize the risk of hyperpigmenation.   It is generally temporary but recovery time can vary widely, lasting a few weeks to months.  Hyperpigmentation is not the same as scarring, although both scarring and hyperpigmentation can occur in the same location.

In a review of 3143 laser hair removal procedures on 480 patients, Lanigan showed that darker patients were more likely to be affected by hyperpigmentation.  There was a risk of 1% in the lightest skin types vs. 9.9% in the darkest.  The type of laser used affects the risk of hyperpigmentation.  In another study of 800 laser hair removal procedures, the risk of hyperpigmentation with a long-pulsed diode laser was only .25%.  Ruby lasers, on the other hand, are now no longer widely used for laser hair removal due to the higher risks of hyperpigmentation in darker-skinned patients.

Hydroquinone has been a mainstay of treatment for hyperpigmentation.   It comes in different topical concentrations (most commonly a 4% prescription-strength).  Hydroquinone is a blocker of an enzyme used in chemical reactions to create melanin from the amino acid tyrosine.  Hydroquinone is FDA-approved but does carry some precautions.  It should not be used chronically (more than 6 months) because it can lead to a different kind of skin darkening, called ochronosis.  This is not the same as hyperpigmentation.  Following prescribed instructions would keep this from being a problem.

On Wednesday, May 7, 4-8 pm, Tattoo MD Laser Clinic and Medi-Spa will be open for appointments and walk-ins.  All of our services including tattoo removal and hair removal will be available and on display.  There will be price specials on Botox, Juvederm, and Radiesse.  Jennifer, our esthetician, will be performing introductory mini-facials.  Food and refreshments will be served, courtesy of Allergan, the makers of Botox.  Stay tuned for more news as we get closer. 

Los Angeles, CA – (11/13/06) - Forget about boob jobs and tummy tucks. The latest trend in health and beauty seems to be something completely different - laser tattoo removal. With improved technology and specialized clinics popping up, the number of people “erasing” their tattoos seems to be growing by the day.

It is estimated that up to 50% of people who get tattoos eventually want them removed; and with thousands of people getting tattooed every year, that means there are a lot of potential tattoo removal patients. Tattoo MD Laser Clinic in Los Angeles is one of those clinics that specialize in laser tattoo removal. Founded by Dr. Alex Kaplan, in April 2005, this clinic has a mission to meet the needs of people who want their ink gone for good.

Dr. Alex Kaplan and his laser tattoo removal clinic have garnered a lot of press lately. With articles about Tattoo MD Laser Clinic in the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Southern California Physician, and the Press Enterprise, among others, as well as Dr. Kaplan’s most recent mention in STAR magazine, there is no escaping that Dr. Kaplan and his Tattoo MD Laser Clinic are really going places.

Unlike most other places that do tattoo removal, Tattoo MD Laser Clinic uses 2 different lasers and the specially trained clinicians tailor treatment for each individual patient so that they receive the best results possible. Most tattoos take multiple treatments in order to be removed, and numbing cream is applied so that the process is virtually painless. In addition, patients are pleasantly surprised to discover that the cost is very reasonable.

In addition to providing laser tattoo removal, Tattoo MD Laser Clinic provides other cosmetic skin procedures, such as laser hair removal, Leg Vein Sclerotherapy, BOTOX and dermal fillers, such as Juvederm and Radiesse. Dr. Kaplan has also developed his own line of skin care products, “DK SkinSolutions,” which includes healing and aftercare products, anti-aging products and an anti-acne line. Products are available at his 2 clinics or on the web, www.dkskinsolutions.com.

Tattoo MD Laser Clinic is located in West Los Angeles, California. For more information about Tattoo MD Laser Clinic or Dr. Alex Kaplan, call (310) 312-1231 or visit tattoomdla.com.

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