Semi permanent Make-up removal with Lasers

• Semi permanent tattoos are often used to alleviate tedious daily make-up but they also, like other tattoos can become cosmetically unacceptable.

• Treatment:
  • Available classical treatments include, surgery, dermabrasion but both induce scarring which is not acceptable for patients who are looking for a cosmetic procedure to correct another one.
  • Q-Switched lasers have been tried and include: ruby, alexandrite and Nd:YAG

• The authors sought to study the best timing and results of using QS Nd-YAG lasers:
  • In this study 36 tattoos were done on rat skin with black color (semi-permanent make-up ink (MEI-CHA) and a tattooing machine).
  • Then a laser treatment with the 1064nm laser (Medlite) was done with a 2mm size and an fluence (energy) of 6 J/m2:
    • on the same day of the tattooing
    • after 3 days
    • after 5days
    • after 1, 2 and 3 weeks
  • Pigmentation was measured by colorimetry (chromometer: Mexameter) and biopsies were done on one side compared with a symmetrical contralateral untreated tattoo lesion
  • results were evaluated with a mexameter (3 times) with calculation of the relative melanin index (RMI)

•  Results:
  • RMI:
    • same day:64 for the non laser treatment side vs 16 for the laser treated side
    • 3d: 58 vs 14
    • 1w: 56 vs 17
    • 2w: 52 vs 18
    • 3w: 49 vs 17
  • Histology:
    • it shows that it is effective on the same day of  treatment as the location of the pigment is fully epidermal
    • after 1w the pigment moves to superficial and mid dermis and the treatment remains effective
    • However, after 3w most pigment has moved to the mid-to-deep dermis

Conclusion

• Treatment is most effective, on the day of tattooing to remove pigment but the treatment is safer to do when the crusts have peeled off and wound repair complete.
• Thereafter treatment is less reliable as pigmentatopm progressively migrates to the dermis.

Contributors

Dr Christophe Hsu – dermatologist. Geneva, Switzerland

Source of information: p13-25 Euy HC et al. Comparison of the degree of semi-permanent makeup removal and histological changes using 1064nm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. JSID Annual Meeting (Japanese Society of Investigative Dermatology, 日本研究皮膚科学会) 2014 – Osaka, Japan