Can surgery be used to remove tattoos?

Surgery is rarely used to treat tattoos. Surgery is only an option if the tattoo is very small and all other methods of removal have failed. Surgery involves removing the entire tattoo with the skin and this can often lead to a serious cosmetic defect, which may be worse than the tattoo itself. If the tattoo is very big, then you may even need a skin graft to close the defect.

One should seriously think about tattoo removal with surgery as the residual scars may even be more unattractive than the original tattoo. Finally surgery is an expensive method of removing a tattoo.

Can Salabrasion be used to remove tattoos?

Salabrasion is a very old technique where one uses chemical solutions to remove the tattoo pigments. The solutions are usually mild acids and the technique is often combined with dermabrasion. Salabrasion is not a great technique. It can only remove tattoos made by weak ink and the process is time consuming. In most cases, it does diddlysquat. Application of weak acids on the skin can also result in serious burns, allergies and eczema. If you have money, this is not a treatment you should select. If you have no money and hate your tattoo, cover it with a garment or a camouflage cream

My friend has recommended laser removal for unwanted hair. Is this a good idea?

Next to acne, unwanted hair is a major pain in the rear for most women. There are zillions of treatments hyped up to remove unwanted hair and one of them is laser. Today, hair is being removed by a variety of lasers including alexandrite, diode, neodymium, YAG, ruby lasers and intense pulsed light. 

Even though every Tom, Dick and Harry is now offering laser for hair removal, there are no decent studies to determine if it is an effective treatment. The few reports indicate that both alexandrite and diode lasers do reduce hair by 50% in some people and this partial hair-free period lasts anywhere from 3-6 months. The reports also indicate that there is little evidence that IPL, neodymium: YAG or ruby lasers do diddly squat. There is no evidence that any laser treatment can permanently remove hair. 

For those of you still interested in laser, do understand that lasers can cause pain, skin redness, discolor your skin and cause keloids- and some of these changes are permanent. And finally, lasers do not come cheap and there is no guarantee that the treatment will work.

Can lasers be used to treat spider veins on the legs?

Yes, most cosmetic physicians recommend laser as the first line therapy for spider veins. There are numerous types of lasers available and they all work in a similar fashion. Lasers can rapidly destroy spider veins in a short time. Laser does not involve any injections nor does it take a long time to perform. Depending on the number of spider veins, a few sessions may be required. Laser therapy also offers a faster recovery. However, laser does sting and expensive. After laser, spider veins do recur.

Many cosmetic doctors indicate on their websites that IPL is a great treatment for skin rejuvenation. What do you think?

Despite some positive testimonials on cyberspace about IPL, the overall impression is that this treatment is just as bad as all other previous laser treatments. Some of the positive testimonials appear to be "fudged" and written by doctors themselves in order to make the treatment look good- so beware. The cosmetic industry is full of charlatans who will say anything to make a buck.

IPL Fotofacial treatments are generally done by physicians but today many non health care individuals have become involved in cosmetic surgery. So before you get your FotoFacial, ask questions and seek a well qualified healthcare worker who has experience with this device. After forking out $600-$1500, the last thing you want is a ruined face.

How effective is laser for acne scars? I am 27 and have terrible scars from acne

In the last decade, many skin doctors and plastic surgeons have been offering laser treatment for acne scars. Unlike other treatment, laser resurfacing is more precise and can help smoothen out skin. However, the benefits of laser on acne scar are seen in less than 5% of individuals. In the majority of people with acne scars, the laser makes the scars uglier. Moreover laser also has complications some of which are permanent. If you have one or two small acne scars, then laser is fine but if you have lots of acne scars which are deep, laser is not a recommended treatment. There are some reports that the both the carbon dioxide and Erbium YAG laser may help. However, reports from patients indicate that both lasers suck big time and that this procedure is a rip off. And trust me, laser resurfacing for acne scars can cost as much as a down payment on a home. So the choice is simple- either you get your acne scars fixed and hopefully look good, or have a permanent place to stay which you can call home.

Pelleve another Hyped Laser for Skin Rejuvenation

The first thing consumers should note is that almost every week there is a new laser for skin rejuvenation. In addition, each one is said to be the best. Fact-whenever there are many products for the treatment of a single disorder, it usually means that none of them work. Now we have the pelleve light treatment which the manufactures claim can tighten your skin. All over the country, doctors, nurses, plastic surgeons and spa workers are now offering Pelleve treatments. The claims are that Pelleve is a safe treatment, will erase your wrinkles and make you look young and pretty.

Now the facts- pelleve is no different from any other laser. It delivers heat which stings like crap and is very expensive. There is no laser treatment that can make your skin look completely wrinkle free and the same goes for pelleve. Most people need several sessions to erase the fine lines. Moreover, of course each session is expensive. Pelleve is not a permanent cure for wrinkles. There is nothing on this earth that will ever make you look young again. The results of pelleve last a few months at best. The cost of Pelleve runs anywhere from $750-$2,000.

Therefore, for those who have money and want to look young, pelleve is just another laser-like treatment for skin rejuvenation. There are also several reports on the internet indicating that Pelleve is a complete waste of money. For those who do not have money to waste and want to look young, keep away from the sun, do not smoke, eat healthy, exercise and save your hard-earned money for other more important things in life. Finally, if you do decide to seek pelleve treatment, remember every tom, dick and harry is performing lasers treatments. What this means is that for every one wrinkle-free look, many others develop severe and permanent complications – chiefly due to unlicensed and poorly trained technicians.