The prevalence of cosmetic tattoos has grown significantly in recent years, and the demand for tattoo removal has also increased deramatically. A variety of methods have been used to removal tattoos. Q-switched lasers emitting short, high-intensity pulses are widely used for treatment of unwanted tattoos and based on the principles of selective photothermolysis. The overall treatment course is often prolonged, costly and sometimes impractical which can lead to patient dissatisfaction and abandonment of the treatment. For these reasons we hypothesized that the addition of co2 laser to Q-switched N:d YAG treatment of tattoos would enhance the rate of pigment clearance and decrease the degree of treatment-induced hypo and hyperpigmentation. The use of co2 laser, aiming to remove epidermis, followed by Q-switched laser may allow Q-switched laser to reach a deeper lesion in the dermis without serious side effect.
Our study is a single blined randomized controlled trial.
Inclusion criteria:female with eyebrow tattoo; brown and black tattoo and amature tattoo.
Exclusion criteria: pregnancy; coagulation abnormality and viral and bactial infection.
20 patients with eyebrow tattoo that come to Dr. Radmanesh clinic in ahvaz, Iran are randomized and treated with combined co2 laser and Q-switched N:d YAG laser on one side of eyebrow and Q-switched N;d YAG alone on the other side.The outcome is evalutated after 2 months.
The time of this study is 2012.3.20 until 2013.3.21
Subjects are examined and standardized digital color photographs are taken befor and 2 months after treatment. Two doctors separately evaluate tattoo lightening and adverse effects.the grading system for tattoo lightening is:1=0-%25(slight),2=%26-%50(moderate),3=%51-75(good),4=more than %75 (excellent).
Efficacy of tattoo age, tattoo color and skin type on tattoo lightening also is evalutated. Advers effects are include presence of blister, scar, hyperpigmentation. Hypopigmentation and inflammation.