Intense Pulsed Light Therapy

Only a couple of years ago, Intense Pulsed Light Therapy (IPL) was one of the newest and most advanced method of tattoo removal.

Everybody has issues with their skin, but what do you do if the issues you have with your skin are ones that you created for yourself—and intended to be permanent? This is an issue that millions of Americans with tattoos face every single day, and one that dermatologists and other medical professionals are working hard to provide relief for.

The main purpose of this website is to provide information about all the available tattoo removal methods and options that are available to you, our reader.

To help in your efforts to get to know a little bit more about alternatives for tattoo removal we have uncovered more information on intense pulsed light therapy and how it may be able to help you move into the future ink-free.

Are IPL and Laser Therapy the Same Thing?

The short answer is-NO, IPL and Laser therapy are NOT the same thing.

One of the common misconceptions when it comes to intense pulse light therapy is that it is the very same procedure as traditional laser therapy for tattoo removal. Although they do share some similarities, the procedure in itself is fairly different—enough to make them two separate entities.

Intense Pulsed Light Therapy has to do with sending short bursts of intense light at the skin. These bursts of light are not lasers or anything close to them; except for the fact that they both contain light particles.

With intense pulsed light, light is sent through a prism that is placed upon the skin. The light sent through this prism, into the skin is what causes this effect and helps in the elimination of the unwanted ink.

The After Effects and Side Effects of Intense Pulsed Light Therapy

Of course, just as it is with any of the tattoo removal methods, one of the main things that people are concerned about are the side effects and after effects. As you now know, IPL is a technique that is designed to remove something that should have been permanent.

Needless to say, just like any other tattoo removal option, there are some side effects worth considering before you decide whether or not this is the technique for you.

One important side effect to consider is the discomfort of the actual procedure itself. It is rather uncomfortable; many say a bit more so than the actual tattoo procedure itself. It can be cooled with a gel, and some machines are built with technology to cool the area as the procedure moves along.

What is also worth considering is that it doesn’t stop there. Most patients report a significant amount of pain and discomfort to the upper layers of their skin as a result of the procedure. The length of time that the pain lasts varies from patient to patient and can be soothed with certain gels and anesthetics designed for such a use.

The IPL procedure is designed to remove the colored, abnormal cells from the body through a specific process. As a result of this process, there may be some scarring involved. In many cases white or darker cells are left behind and create blotches in the skin. However, in many instances, these blotches also fade with time.

A fewer number of patients have been known to experience blistering or bleeding. This is not one of the more common side effects, but it is a risk involved with this method of tattoo removal. Sometimes it takes a series of treatments, so it may be up to a year before normal skin appearance and pigmentation is brought back to the affected area of skin. Sometimes, hair loss in that area for any length of time is known to occur as well.

Caring for Your Skin After IPL Tattoo Removal Treatment

Of course, just as you cared for your skin after you got your tattoo (hopefully), the removal process also requires an extra level of care to the skin. In the case of intense pulsed light therapy, protection of the affected area from UV light and direct contact is the best idea. This makes for an easier healing process and a shorter one in many cases as well.

Treatments are performed anywhere from two to four weeks apart which makes the process of caring for the affected skin extremely important. Scarring may result with skin that is not properly cared for, and so it is always in ones best interest to follow after procedure care instructions to the tee.

Is This Tattoo Removal Option Suited For You? (Some Cautions)

If you are darkly tanned, or do not react well to burns, the Intense Pulsed Light Therapy method may not be suited to you..

Another caution is that if your nationality is Afro-American, Greek or Italian, you may be prone to hypo-pigmentation (loss of proper skin color) when using this tattoo removal option.

However, these nationalities should not concern themselves as there are other tattoo removal methods such as the Glycolic Acid Tattoo Removal Method, which is effective for all skin types. The Glycolic acid method does take more time, but will safely remove tattoos from this skin type.

Although many types of skin are eligible for the Intense Pulsed Light Therapy only a qualified Doctor or Dermatologist is eligible to positively determine your suitability for this tattoo removal option.

Your Tattoo Removal Options

So, Is Intense Pulsed Light Therapy the right tattoo procedure for you? Only a little research and perhaps a consultation will help you to know. By doing this, you can predetermine whether or not this procedure is for you by considering your skin type, skin color, threshold for pain, type and location of your tattoo, and patience level.

IPL isn’t for everyone, but there is a procedure out there that is for you. It is just a matter of doing your homework and figuring out which particular method is best for you.

Actually, thousands of people get a tattoo every year and after a few years, almost 40% of them choose to have them removed. We consider this to be a very important decision in your life, so this is why we always ask that our visitors not make any rapid decisions. Investigate and study all the tattoo removal methods available to you.

Please do not jump on the first method of tattoo removal that you come across. There are other tattoo removal methods available, and with the right research and attention to your individual preferences, it shouldn’t be too difficult to find the right method, whether it be Salabrasion, Laser Removal, TCA, Glycolic Acid, Chemical Extraction or any of the other various methods that we cover for you.

Click below to get more information to help you make that important decision that is “right for you”.

http://www.tattoos-away.com/intense-pulsed-light-therapy.html

 

Pulsed Light Therapy Tattoo Removal Works Better Than Laser

Intense Pulsed Light Therapy (IPL) was pioneered by Dr. Patrick Bitter Jr. and less painful and a less risky a newest method used in tattoo removal these days. . A gel is applied to the skin and then a wand is used to emit pulses of light onto the skin area being treated.

Instead of laser light, it uses high intensity light in a way very similar to the laser but there are many tattoo removal experts who do not recommend IPL. Even if it does work a little better, the bad news is that it also carries a heftier price tag – one clinic offering a price of $10 per pulse.

Depending on how many pulses per session your tattoo requires, IPL is definitely not the way to go unless of course your money grows on trees.

There are actually two different types of this procedure. You have the Intense Pulsed Light Therapy which we just discussed and then you have what is called Q-switched laser. The difference between the IPL and the Q-switched laser is the type of light that they use.

IPL uses a broad spectrum light which covers a larger area of skin. People that have larger tattoos that they want removed would be candidates for this type of treatment. Q-switched laser uses a narrower beam of light which makes it the ideal treatment for people with smaller tattoos.

IPL was originally used for hair removal and different types of vein conditions. If you know anyone that has ever had laser hair removal they probably have compared the feeling to someone popping you with a rubber band multiple times in the same spot. So it’s not as painful as dermabrasion (I don’t think anything is) but it still has some amount of discomfort or pain associated with- including the major hit to your bank account. And the larger your tattoo is the more expensive this procedure will be.

The risks for this procedure are minor but nevertheless they are still there. Intense Pulse Light Therapy also runs the risk of burning your skin, permanent discoloration and scarring. So if you don’t mind feeling like someone is popping you with a rubber band on your bare skin over and over again, you bank account taking a huge hit, and the risk of your skin being permanently disfigured for life then go for it. It will remove the tattoo.

http://tattooremovalpictures.blogspot.com/p/pulsed-light-therapy.html

Tattoos That Respond Best To Neo Mag Light

We would like to illustrate some examples of tattoos that the Neo Mag Light works best on. The device is designed to work on tattoos that are around the size of business cards and is not intended for  the removal of large “sleeve” tattoos. Below you will we see some examples of the different types of tattoos that the Neo Mag Light works best on.

Small Dark Ink Tattoos Work Best.

Medium Tattoos can be faded with more treatments and longer total time of treatments.

Large multi color tattoos are not recommended for our product.  They can be faded  but the device is not designed for tattoos of this size and detail.  $500,000 medical lasers would have a hard time removing a tattoo of this size and detail.  For the money Neo Mag Light does an amazing job.

Please Read:
I have owned a tattoo shop, have several large tattoos and I also have some piercings. I have witnessed many people in person get tattoos / piercings and I have watched many videos on these topics. I realized very quickly as a tattoo shop owner, affordable tattoo removal was needed.   Most people that need tattoo removal to get a better job, join the service etc. Could not afford $200 or more per treatment.

I did a lot of research before developing the Neo Mag Light.  I spent months researching the newest and least traumatic procedures.  Full spectrum light is the cleanest and least traumatic tattoo removal method.  I came to to this conclusion after  I trying laser removal, tattoo removal creams and acids to remove parts of my tattoos. I then tested the Neo Mag Light on my own tattoos/skin countless times.

I feel in my expert opinion. The Neo Mag Light’s non-ablated process is much less traumatic to the skin than any other tattoo removal methods.  ( non-ablated means the surface of the skin is not broken during the treatments )

The following procedures are much more traumatic and have higher risks than treating your tattoos with Neo Mag Light.

( Tattoo ) Getting an unknown ink substance injected repeatedly into the deep layers of your skin.

Grinding off the top layers of skin with tattoo removal corrosive creams.

Putting tattoo removal acids on the skin.

Lasering off the top layers of skin to get to alter the tattoo ink.

(Flesh tunnels ) Getting pieces of your flesh hole punched out.

Total excision of the tattoo.

Injecting / tattooing salt solutions into the tattoo’d area. This process creates inflammation.

Please remember. There are risks involved with all types of body modification. To include weightlifting, dieting hair coloring etc.

My point is that all of the above have risks. Neo Mag Light is a non ablated process. The treatment does not break the surface of the skin.  It does hurt, but so did getting the tattoo. lol

Take great care in what ever body modification procedure you are considering.

Educate yourself on all of the risks involved. Google is a wonderful tool.

Good Luck and God Bless

Nick Gonzales

Kris invites you to read about tattoos and removal at www.neomaglight.com/articles. Here you can find out about tattoos, what they are made of, the cost of removal procedures and how to remove your tattoo at home. Visit the website at www.NeoMagLight.com, ask us a question or leave a comment.

Healing Value Of Magnets Demonstrated In Biomedical Engineering Study

ScienceDaily (Jan. 3, 2008) — A recent study demonstrates that the use of an acute, localized static magnetic field of moderate strength can result in significant reduction of swelling when applied immediately after an inflammatory injury. Magnets have been touted for their healing properties since ancient Greece.  Magnetic therapy is still widely used today as an alternative method for treating a number of conditions, from arthritis to depression, but there hasn’t been scientific proof that magnets can heal.

Lack of regulation and widespread public acceptance have turned magnetic therapy into a $5 billion world market.  Hopeful consumers buy bracelets, knee braces, shoe inserts, mattresses, and other products that are embedded with magnets based on anecdotal evidence, hoping for a non-invasive and drug-free cure to what ails them.

“The FDA regulates specific claims of medical efficacy, but in general static magnetic fields are viewed as safe,” notes Thomas Skalak, professor and chair of biomedical engineering at U.Va.

Skalak has been carefully studying magnets for a number of years in order to develop real scientific evidence about the effectiveness of magnetic therapy.

Skalak’s lab leads the field in the area of microcirculation research—the study of blood flow through the body’s tiniest blood vessels.  With a five-year, $875,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Skalak and Cassandra Morris, former Ph.D. student in biomedical engineering, set out to investigate the effect of magnetic therapy on microcirculation.  Initially, they sought to examine a major claim made by companies that sell magnets: that magnets increase blood flow.

The researchers first found evidence to support this claim through research with laboratory rats.  In their initial study, magnets of 70 milliTesla (mT) field strength—about 10 times the strength of the common refrigerator variety—were placed near the rat’s blood vessels.  Quantitative measurements of blood vessel diameter were taken both before and after exposure to the static magnetic fields—the force created by the magnets.  Morris and Skalak found that the force had a significant effect: the vessels that had been dilated constricted, and the constricted vessels dilated, implying that the magnetic field could induce vessel relaxation in tissues with constrained blood supply, ultimately increasing blood flow.

Dilation of blood vessels is often a major cause of swelling at sites of trauma to soft tissues such as muscles or ligaments.  The prior results on vessel constriction led Morris and Skalak to look closer at whether magnets, by limiting blood flow in such cases, would also reduce swelling.  Their most recent research, published in the November 2007 issue of the American Journal of Physiology, yielded affirmative results.

In this study, the hind paws of anesthetized rats were treated with inflammatory agents in order to simulate tissue injury.  Magnetic therapy was then applied to the paws.  The research results indicate that magnets can significantly reduce swelling if applied immediately after tissue trauma.

Since muscle bruising and joint sprains are the most common injuries worldwide, this discovery has significant implications.  “If an injury doesn’t swell, it will heal faster—and the person will experience less pain and better mobility,” says Skalak.  This means that magnets could be used much the way ice packs and compression are now used for everyday sprains, bumps, and bruises, but with more beneficial results.  The ready availability and low cost of this treatment could produce huge gains in worker productivity and quality of life.

Skalak envisions the magnets being particularly useful to high school, college, and professional sports teams, as well as school nurses and retirement communities. He has plans to continue testing the effectiveness of magnets through clinical trials and testing in elite athletes.  A key to the success of magnetic therapy for tissue swelling is careful engineering of the proper field strength at the tissue location, a challenge in which most currently available commercial magnet systems fall short.  The new research should allow Skalak’s biomedical engineering group to design field strengths that provide real benefit for specific injuries and parts of the body.

“We now hope to implement a series of steps, including private investment partners and eventually a major corporate partner, to realize these very widespread applications that will make a positive difference for human health,” says Skalak.

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How do lasers remove Tattoos?

Lasers work by directing energy toward ink in the skin with highly concentrated colored light beams. These laser beams break up ink particles into tiny fragments which are later cleared up by the body’s scavenging cells. This process of fragmenting the ink particles requires numerous sessions depending on the depth of the ink level. The procedure is bloodless and no incisions are made. The laser selectively targets the pigment of the tattoo without damaging the surrounding skin. With deeper penetration of the skin and multiple sessions however, the heat generated by the lasers may cause pain and blister formation. Even though laser technology is refined, the chance of scarring is always present with multiple treatments.

Does Tattoo Removal hurt?

Unfortunately tattoos are painful when they are placed on the skin and they are just as painful when they are removed. The lasers generate rapid pulses which may feel different to each patient, but are generally uncomfortable. To minimize the pain, we recommend taking Tylenol a few hours before the procedure. Pain medications that thin blood and promote bruising are not recommended. To further decrease the pain, you may apply a local anesthetic ointment on the tattoo a few hours before the procedure.

Tattoo Removal

Reviewed by Yael Halaas, MD

“Think before you ink” is sage advice. Maybe you did, and maybe you didn’t. Either way, if you have tattoo regret, tattoo removal can help.

There are more effective choices for tattoo removal today than ever before. Tattoo removal can lessen or completely remove your unwanted ink.

There are several available methods of tattoo removal including excision, laser resurfacing, dermabrasion, intense pulsed light (IPL) or salibrasion (a technique in which a salt solution is used to abrade the skin and remove your tattoo or micropigmentation). These methods can help get rid of tattoo art as well as traumatic tattoos, which are caused when dirt or debris gets embedded beneath your skin. They can also be helpful in the removal of permanent make-up on your face and neck as well as on the rest of your body.
Tattoo Removal: Are You a Candidate?

Not everyone is an appropriate candidate for tattoo removal. However, if the tattooing process was carried out without any complications such as unfavorable scarring, it stands to reason that you can undergo tattoo removal without scarring.

You should not have a tattoo removal treatment on the affected area if you have:

Undiagnosed lesions
Warts
Active acne
Active rosacea (chronic skin condition marked by inflammation and redness on the face)
Unstable diabetes, which can complicate wound healing
Certain autoimmune system disorders
Pigmentation problems
The best way to maximize your results and minimize your risk of complications is to follow these instructions carefully, and ask questions if you don’t understand or are not clear about something.

Tattoo Removal: Your Options

Laser tattoo removal: Lasers break up the pigment colors of the tattoo using a high-intensity light beam. Some colors — such as black — are easier to remove than others. Precisely how many treatments you will need depends on the size and color of your tattoo.

IPL Tattoo Removal Recovery

Your recovery varies based on the type of tattoo removal procedure you choose. You may feel as though your skin has a windburn or sunburn or that your skin feels tight. You may be instructed to cleanse your face after a few days using a gentle cleanser, and to use a special moisturizing cream or lotion. It is important to stay out of the sun while you are healing from tattoo removal. Wear a sunscreen with a sun protection factor of 30 or higher.

Tattoo Removal Risks

Tattoo removal risks vary by treatment, but in general they may include:

Skin discoloration at the treatment site
Infection
Incomplete pigment removal
Scarring
Raised, thickened scars, which may appear three to six months down the road
Tattoo removal regret

Tattoo Removal Cost

Cost varies based on treatment choice, tattoo size, number of treatments needed, the surgeon, region, and type of anesthesia. The cost can be anywhere from $150 for the surgical excision of a small tattoo to $5,000 for laser tattoo removal which requires several treatments.

 

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Green Tea helps after IPL

June 1st, 2009, by David Pascoe |

This just published paper is suggesting that the topical application of polyphenol antioxidants (aka green tea) post IPL treatment resulted in more hydrated skin and reduced oxidative degradation of skin lipids. The authors suggest that this will enhance the effects of the IPL therapy.

This post-treatment therapy is in addition to some other recently published research that patients treated immediately after IPL with a LED device showed that their post-treatment redness subsided faster compared to not also being treated with LED.

We also know that 2% polyphenone in a hydrophilic cream has shown promise as a treatment for the papules and pustules of rosacea.

Topical polyphenolic antioxidants reduce the adverse effects of intense pulsed light therapy, J Cosmet Laser Ther. 2009 May 27:1-4, Freedman BM., Plastic Surgery Associates of Northern Virginia, McLean, Virginia, USA.

Background: Intense pulsed light therapy (IPL) has been associated with erythema and increased lipid peroxidation. Polyphenolic antioxidants have been shown to decrease inflammation and reduce oxidative stress in irradiated skin.

Objective: To determine whether the topical application of polyphenolic antioxidants to IPL-treated skin reduced the adverse effects of IPL exposure.

Methods: In a split-face study, 10 volunteers underwent three full-face IPL treatments (16 J/cm(2), 10ms, 560nm filter) spaced 3 weeks apart. A polyphenolic antioxidant solution was pneumatically applied to the left side of the face, beginning immediately before the first IPL treatment then weekly for six treatments. The lipid peroxide concentration, skin antioxidant level and skin moisture content were obtained before and after the study.

Results: Skin treated with IPL alone contained a significantly higher concentration of lipid peroxides when compared to skin treated with IPL plus polyphenolic antioxidants (p<0.05). Skin treated with IPL alone contained a significantly lower level of polyphenolic antioxidants and had a significantly lower moisture content (p<0.05).

Conclusions: In this study, the concurrent pneumatic topical application of polyphenolic antioxidants reduced lipid peroxidation and skin dehydration in IPL-treated skin. Polyphenolic antioxidants may confer a protective effect on facial skin and enhance the effects of IPL therapy.

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