Clinics in Dermatology
Volume 25, Issue 4 , Pages 388-392 , July 2007

Tattoo removal

  • Katy Burris, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Dermatology, State University New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. New York, NY 10016, USA.
    • ,
  • Karen Kim, MD

      Affiliations

    • Karen H. Kim, Laser and Skin Surgery Center of New York, New York, NY 10016, USA

References 

  1. Sweeney S. Tattoos: a review of tattoo practices and potential treatment options for removal. Curr Opin Pediatr. 2006;19:391–395
  2. Kilmer S, Fitzpatrick R. Tattoo lasers. Retrieved March 12, 2007. Website: http://www.emedicine.com/derm/topic563.htm
  3. Tanzi E, Micheal E. Tattoo reactions. Retrieved March 17, 2007. Website: http://www.emedicine.com/DERM/topic5122007;
  4. Armstrong ML, Stuppy DJ, Gabriel DC, et al. Motivation for tattoo removal. Arch Dermatol. 1996;132:412–416
  5. Koerber WA, Price NM. Salabrasion of tattoos. A correlation of the clinical and histological results. Arch Dermatol. 1978;114:884–888
  6. van der Velden EM, van der Walle HB, Groote AD. Tattoo removal: tannic acid method of Variot. Int J Dermatol. 1993;32:376–380
  7. Johannesson A. A simplified method of focal salabrasion for removal of linear tattoos. J Dermatol Surg Oncol. 1985;11:1004–1005
  8. Boo-chai K. The decorative tattoo: its removal by dermabrasion. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1963;32:559–563
  9. Peris Z. Removal of traumatic and decorative tattoos by dermabrasion. Acta Dermatovenerol Croat. 2002;10:15–19
  10. Sun B, Guan W. Treating traumatic tattoo by micro-incision. Chin Med J. 2000;113:670–671
  11. Kim KH, Geronemus RG. Tattoo removal. Med Lett. 2003;45:95–96
  12. O'Donnell BP, Mulvaney MJ, James WD. Thin tangential excision of tattoos. Dermatol Surg. 1995;21:601–603
  13. Penoff J. The office treatment of tattoos: a simple and effective method. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1987;79:186–191
  14. Apfelberg DB, Maser MR. Argon laser treatment of decorative tattoos. Br J Plast Surg. 1979;32:141–144
  15. Maser MR, Apfelberg DB, Lash H. Clinical applications of the argon and carbon dioxide lasers in dermatology and plastic surgery. World J Surg. 1983;7:684–691
  16. Brady SC, Blockmanis A, Jewett L. Tattoo removal with carbon dioxide laser. Ann Plast Surg. 1978;2:482–490
  17. Bernstein E. Laser treatment of tattoos. Clin Dermatol. 2006;24:43–55
  18. Mafong EA, Kauvar AN, Geronemus RG. Surgical pearl: removal of cosmetic lip-liner tattoo with the pulsed carbon dioxide laser. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2003;48:271–272
  19. Colver G. The infrared coagulator in dermatology. Dermatol Clin. 1989;7:155–167
  20. Venning VA, Colver GB, Millard PR, et al. Tattoo removal using infra-red coagulation: a dose comparison. Br J Dermatol. 1987;117:99–105
  21. Groot DW, Arlette JP, Johnston PA. Comparison of the infrared coagulator and the carbon dioxide laser in the removal of decorative tattoos. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1986;3:518–522
  22. Habif T. Dermatologic surgical procedures. In:  Habif T editors. Clinical dermatology. Mosby; 2004;p. 937–938
  23. Anderson RR, Geronemus R, Kilmer SL. Cosmetic tattoo ink darkening. A complication of Q-switched and pulsed-laser treatment. Arch Dermatol. 1993;129:1010–1014
  24. Kuperman-Beade M, Levine VJ, Ashinoff R. Laser removal of tattoos. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2001;2:21–25
  25. Kilmer SL, Anderson RR. Clinical use of the Q-switched ruby and the Q-switched Nd:YAG (1064 nm and 532 nm) lasers for treatment of tattoos. J Dermatol Surg Oncol. 1993;19:330–338
  26. Taylor CR, Gange RW, Dover JS. Treatment of tattoos by Q-switched ruby laser. A dose-response study. Arch Dermatol. 1990;126:893–899
  27. Scheibner A, Kenny G, White W. A superior method of tattoo removal using the Q-switched ruby laser. J Dermatol Surg Oncol. 1990;16:1091–1098
  28. DeCoste SD, Anderson RR. Comparison of Q-switched ruby and the Q-switched Nd:YAG laser treatment of tattoos. Lasers Surg Med Suppl. 1991;3:64
  29. Levine VJ, Geronemus R. Tattoo removal with the Q-switched ruby laser and the Q-switched Nd:YAG laser: a comparative study. Cutis. 1995;55:291–296
  30. Grevelink JM, Duke D, van Leeuwen RL, et al. Laser treatment of tattoos in darkly pigmented patients: efficacy and side effects. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1996;34:653–656
  31. Kilmer SL, Lee MS, Grevelink JM, et al. The Q-switched Nd:YAG laser effectively treats tattoos. A controlled, dose-response study. Arch Dermatol. 1993;129:971–978
  32. Alster T. Q-switched alexandrite laser treatment (755 nm) of professional and amateur tattoos. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1995;33:69–73
  33. Bukhari I. Removal of amateur blue-black tattoos in Arabic women of skin type (III-IV) with Q-switched alexandrite laser. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2005;4:107–110
  34. Moreno-Arias GA, Casals-Andreu M, Camps-Fresneda A, et al. Use of Q-switched alexandrite laser (755 nm, 100 nsec) for removal of traumatic tattoo of different origins. Lasers Surg Med. 1999;25:445–450
  35. Moreno-Arias GA, Camps-Fresneda A. The use of Q-switched alexandrite laser (755 nm, 100 ns) for eyeliner tattoo removal. J Cutan Laser Ther. 1999;1:113–115
  36. Shah G, Alster TS. Treatment of an amalgam tattoo with a Q-switched alexandrite (755 nm) laser. Dermatol Surg. 2002;28:1180–1181
  37. Mariwalla K, Dover JS. The use of lasers for decorative tattoo removal. Retrieved April 15, 2007. Website: http://www.skintherapyletter.com/2006/11.5/2.html
  38. Handley J. Adverse events associated with nonablative cutaneous visible and infrared laser treatment. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2006;55:482–489
  39. Lanigan S. Incidence of side effects after laser hair removal. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2003;49:882–886
  40. Leuenberger ML, Mulas MW, Hata TR, et al. Comparison of the Q-switched alexandrite, Nd:YAG, and ruby lasers in treating blue-black tattoos. Dermatol Surg. 1999;25:10–14
  41. Willey A, Anderson RR, Azpiazu JL, et al. Complications of laser dermatologic surgery. Lasers Surg Med. 2006;38:1–15
  42. Fitzpatrick RE, Lupton JR. Successful treatment of treatment-resistant laser-induced pigment darkening of a cosmetic tattoo. Lasers Surg Med. 2000;27:359–361
  43. Ramirez M, Magee N, Diven D, et al. Topical imiquimod as an adjuvant to laser removal of mature tattoos in an animal model. Dermatol Surg. 2007;33:319–325

PII: S0738-081X(07)00102-2

doi: 10.1016/j.clindermatol.2007.05.011

Clinics in Dermatology
Volume 25, Issue 4 , Pages 388-392 , July 2007

Article Tools

* Image Usage & Resolution