Dennis Dass, M.D., Plastic Surgeon in Los Angeles, California, talks about a new laser technology that removes tattoos in a fraction of the time it used to take.
Interview conducted by Ivanhoe Broadcast News in November 2016.
Tell us about the new laser and how it works.
Dr. Dass: Picosure is a new technology. It uses pico second technology to break up ink much quicker and faster than the older technology. It actually reduces the treatment times essentially in half or a third.
How does it work, how is it different?
Dr. Dass: With picosure the energy is delivered in a pico second. It delivers higher peak energy and does not result in thermal damage to the skin. There’s less damage and it breaks up the ink in to small particles that your body can clear up much faster.
So pico second is a thing.
Dr. Dass: It’s a trillionth of a second.
What about pain with this one I know that’s a complaint with other laser tattoo removal?
Dr. Dass: Unfortunately tattoo removal hurts. I mean getting a tattoo on hurts and getting one off also hurts.
But I guess you get fewer.
Dr. Dass: Because you’re getting fewer treatments, yeah.
What have you noticed, did you remove tattoos before or did you do something different?
Dr. Dass: I have not removed tattoos before, I actually was interested in picosure once I found out how good the technology was and how quickly the tattoos could be removed.
What are your patients telling you?
Dr. Dass: They are extremely happy with the results because the tattoos are coming off much faster.
You talked about less thermal damage; can you expand upon that a little bit more?
Dr. Dass: When a laser enters, you delivered in a trillionth of a second; you’re actually getting a pressure wave that disrupts the ink particles as opposed to heat damage to the ink particles. So you’ve got less damage to the surrounding skin.
What would damage look like?
Dr. Dass: You get more blistering that lasts a lot longer. Whereas with picosure you still get pressure blisters but they resolve much faster.
What about discoloration of the skin, anything like that?
Dr. Dass: The lasers target ink or pigment and the pigment we have in our skin too. So it can also cause hypopigmentation of the skin.
For both kinds, both Picosure and the regular?
Dr. Dass: Both lasers.
What kind of costs, Jasmine had said forty five hundred is that fairly standard?
Dr. Dass: The cost of the treatment depends on the size of the tattoo and how many sessions are going to be required to remove the tattoo. Tattoos with more ink will require more sessions, darker inks may require more as well. A tattoo that’s been present for a long time that’s lighter in color will probably come off faster.
And you were talking about colors as well?
Dr. Dass: Traditionally there are certain colors that are very difficult to remove with older technology. Blues, greens, purples are very difficult. But with picosure those colors come off immediately. Other colors like red, orange and yellow are also extremely difficult but with pico they have a new attachment that actually targets those colors as well. We can treat all colors of tattoos now.
This laser is it available across the country or do you have to come here to Beverly Hills?
Dr. Dass: It is available across the country, it is provided by Cynosure.
And how long has it been around?
Dr. Dass: The laser has been around for about two years.
So probably it’s not widespread?
Dr. Dass: It’s not available widespread.
What haven’t I asked you that you think should be included in the story? Do want to mention that the laser has been around for two years and has a new attachment that does different colors?
Dr. Dass: The laser had been around for about two years but there’s a new attachment that’s been around for about a year that also helps us target the reds, oranges and yellows. There’s a new attachment for the picosure that is also used for facial rejuvenation and it’s the only laser that’s been shown to actually increase elastin in the skin. It improves fine wrinkles and also textures and pigments.
How many treatments or how does it work?
Dr. Dass: With the facial rejuvenation, it is a fractionated laser so there’s no down time but you do need a series of treatments about three or four that can be separated about two to four weeks apart.
It’s different than Botox?
Dr. Dass: Yes this is a laser treatment.
The wrinkles actually go away rather than—
Dr. Dass: This is good for fine wrinkles that are static in nature where the Botox is better for dynamic wrinkles that are caused with facial animation.
Did we talk about twenty treatments?
Dr. Dass: With the older laser technology, it takes anywhere from twelve to twenty treatments to get a tattoo removed. With this newer technology we can remove it within about six or eight treatments.
Which is significant.
Dr. Dass: Which is significant because the amount of time to remove a tattoo has been reduced from about two and a half years down to about eight months.
END OF INTERVIEW
This information is intended for additional research purposes only. It is not to be used as a prescription or advice from Ivanhoe Broadcast News, Inc. or any medical professional interviewed. Ivanhoe Broadcast News, Inc. assumes no responsibility for the depth or accuracy of physician statements. Procedures or medicines apply to different people and medical factors; always consult your physician on medical matters.
If you would like more information, please contact:
Dennis Dass, MD
855-496-4646
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