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Since 2004, we’ve met many patients from Long Beach, CA, and from surrounding areas, who come to us to discuss laser tattoo removal because they’ve been swindled with other tattoo removal gimmicks. There are two in particular that we hear all the time, so we thought we’d set the record straight on these for you here.
First, let us say that as tattoos have become more popular, more and more removal gimmicks have come out targeting those who just don’t want their tattoo anymore. And trust us, we get it. When you’re over a tattoo, you want it gone and you don’t want to spend a lot to get rid of it. If this sounds familiar, then this page is for you. Understanding what’s effective and what isn’t in terms of tattoo removal will ultimately save you two of your most precious resources: your time and money.
The first of these two gimmicks is called “Wrecking Balm”. It is a two-step, mail order system that claims to be a safe and effective alternative to laser tattoo removal. It is based on hydroquinone, a “bleaching” agent for the skin combined with a microdermabrasion-like mechanism. You need to understand that hydroquinone is a medication that slows down the production of melanin, the skin’s natural pigment, which gives it color. Hydroquinone cannot “remove” tattoo ink. It has no ability to “break-up” ink particles and cannot even penetrate the skin to the level where the tattoo ink is. The same is true for the “microdermabrasion”. While this may exfoliate the top few cell layers, there is no capability of this product reaching the deeper epidermis and dermis where tattoo ink is deposited. In short, “Wrecking Balm” is at best misrepresenting it’s capability to remove tattoos, and at worst, flat-out fraudulent claiming it can permanently remove tattoos.
Another treatment that you may have heard of is TCA peeling for tattoo removal. TCA stands for trichloroacetic acid, a powerful chemical skin-peeling agent. While TCA peeling can be very useful for numerous skin conditions, unwanted tattoos are not one of them. Because TCA exfoliates only the outermost layers of skin, it is simply incapable of reaching the levels of the epidermis and dermis where the tattoo ink is.
Also, aggressive TCA peels can produce unwanted side effects such as darkening or lightening of the skin (hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation) and scarring if not used properly or by inexperienced hands.
Again, we understand that you want your tattoo gone and you don’t want to spend a fortune. But by taking your time, educating yourself and doing your homework, we think you’ll find that laser tattoo removal is the safest, most cost effective option to get rid of your tattoo once and for all. We urge you to learn more about this option and don’t get caught up in the hype of hydroquinone and/or TCA-based tattoo “removal” gimmicks—because they really are just that!
If you’re “over” your tattoo and want it gone yesterday, lasers can help. With that said, laser tattoo removal takes some time. There are several factors that can influence the time it takes for your tattoo removal and we review them below.
While you might not think this makes a big difference, it really does affect the number of treatments! Typically, amateur tattoos take less time to successfully remove. Some amateur tattoos can be completely removed in just 1 to 3 laser treatments!
However, this is not always be the case. Amateur tattoos can have ink particles placed in varying layers of skin (professional ones tend to be close together). Deeper ink can be harder for the laser to get to. This may mean more overall treatments. Also, some amateur tattoo artists use ink that’s more difficult to remove with a laser than the ink used by professionals.
Professional tattoos usually take more treatment sessions because of the quality and density of ink as well as the depth of the skin where it’s placed. Generally speaking, good professional tattoos can often take twice as many treatments as a poorly placed amateur tattoo.
Certain ink colors require certain wavelengths of light to remove. There is no one laser that works for all ink colors. In general, the lighter the tattoo ink color, the longer it will take to fade. These colors can be extremely difficult to clear because they may take one or more lasers and more treatment sessions to break the ink particles down. Green, light blue, orange and white are included in this group.
Your skin type (color) will also affect how many treatment sessions you will need to successfully get rid of your tattoo. We have lasers that are safe to use on every color of skin, but there are some wavelengths of light that are not safe for darker skin types (colors). Because of this, we may need to use a different laser that requires more treatment sessions to make sure that we safely and effectively remove your tattoo if you have darker skin.
We understand that no one likes to wait! Unfortunately, patience is a requirement for laser tattoo removal! Here at Celibre, we can assure you that we can get the job done and get it done right for you. Our patients frequently comment on and ask why their personal experience is different from that of a friend or family member when it comes to laser tattoo removal. We review the information above with them, and explain that just like their tattoo, no two treatment plans are exactly the same. There are unique factors with each person that will dictate an individualized approach. And while we can estimate how many treatments you will need overall to see optimal results, we make sure that you understand this is just an estimate—nothing is written in stone.
Like picking out your tattoo and finding a tattoo artist that you trust to do good work, you need to go through the same process when finding a laser practitioner to remove your tattoo. Ask questions, make sure the practice has the right technology for your tattoo’s ink color(s) and your skin type (color). Also make sure that you have a clear and honest discussion up front about a realistic timeline for your treatment and what you can reasonably expect in terms of results. It may take a bit more work on the front end, but it’s what’s necessary to see the very best results in the end!
Have your legs officially gone into hiding? Are you embarrassed or worried about the appearance of spider veins? If so, you’re not alone. This is a common problem for about half of all people over the age of 50.
The medical term for small veins is “telangectasias”. Spider veins is a descriptive term because these blood vessels often look like a tangled mass of fine threads, much like a spider’s web. Unlike larger varicose veins that bulge out above the skin’s surface, spider veins are flat and even with your skin.
So, what exactly causes spider veins? There are many factors that increase your risk for spider veins, and pregnancy, obesity, or being on your feet all the time are just a few. The biggest influence is genetics. If they run in your family, then you’re likely to develop them.
Leg veins are designed to function like a one-way road: blood is supplied to the legs via the arteries and is supposed to flow back up through your leg veins to your heart and lungs. The blood return to the heart occurs against the pull of gravity. To counteract gravity,, your leg veins have a series of one-way valves that keep the blood from settling downward. Genetics can make these valves “leaky.” When this happens, blood flows in the opposite direction that it’s supposed to, pressure increases, and the veins become larger and more visible.
Spider veins can also show up on your face (cheeks and nose are common).In the face, these changes are often triggered by sun damage which causes the capillaries to enlarge and your skin to thin. Spider veins on the face are not related to the valve problems we discussed above.
Spider veins are rarely a medical problem, but more often a cosmetic concern. Luckily, good treatments exist! Class IV medical lasers offer you great results with little discomfort or downtime. These lasers can be used anywhere on the body and are safe for any skin type (color). While you might need a series of treatments to get rid of all your unwanted spider veins, laser treatment is very effective and gives most people amazing results.
We understand how hard it can be to have embarrassing spider veins on your legs or cheeks. Sometimes, it can feel like they limit you in almost everything from what you wear to your activities. Here at Celibre Medical, we have a very effective laser treatment program for spider veins, and we’ve helped many people just like you feel good about showing their legs again in public! However, we have a very long talk with each of our spider vein patients about what exactly lasers can and can’t do for them before we ever do their first treatment.
Class IV medical lasers and sclerotherapy can safely and effectively eliminate or diminish the appearance of unwanted leg veins, but they don’t do anything to address the underlying cause. So, while they can help your legs look better, they can’t prevent you from ever getting spider veins again. Spider veins tend to run in families—it’s not a coincidence! There is an underlying genetic component that triggers the one-way valves in your leg veins to fail. These leaky valves allow blood to go in the wrong direction to the small (usually hidden) veins closer to the skin’s surface. As these fill up with blood, they enlarge and become visible.
Laser energy and sclerotherapy can close these enlarged, visible veins, but they can’t do anything to fix the valves. Most people need repeated laser treatments over their lifetime to help keep their legs looking good. Lasers are an important tool in controlling spider veins, but they are not a cure for them.
At Celibre Medical, we always make sure you completely understand this before we start laser treatments. We’ve found that many practices don’t take the time to help their patients understand this critical fact! We want you to be beyond satisfied with your results; an important part of your satisfaction is a complete understanding of the basic nature of your problem and how and why our treatments can help along with their limitations.
We have many patients like you seeking help for their acne scars. They want to see scars gone and gone fast. We understand. Living with the emotional pain of acne scarring is difficult and we are truly passionate about providing treatments for our patients that are highly effective and tailored for their lifestyles and budgets. Having said all that, it’s difficult for us to give hard and fast numbers on laser treatment of acne scarring, because each case is different. If you’re reading this article, it should be used as a ballpark reference for the number of treatments, not the definitive rule.
The first factor to consider is what type of acne scarring you have. Acne scars typically fall into one of two categories: pigmented or textured. Some people have only one or the other and some have both.
Pigmented acne scars are different shades of brown, red or both. Brown and red scars can both be treated with lasers, but they each require a different type of laser since they stem from different sources. Both brown and red acne scarring is dramatically better after four to six laser treatments (respectively).
Textured acne scars affect the smoothness of your skin. This type can be a bit tricky to treat depending on your skin type (color or your skin) and the severity of your scarring. The type of laser procedure that is used to treat textured acne scars is laser resurfacing. Laser resurfacing can be one of two different types: ablative or non-ablative resurfacing.
Non-ablative laser resurfacing can be done on any color of skin, so it is safe for anyone. This procedure works by delivering heat energy beneath the skin’s surface without damaging or removing any skin. There is no downtime (recovery) associated with non-ablative resurfacing, and it works best for someone with mild to moderate textured acne scarring. Most patients will need a minimum of six non-ablative laser resurfacing procedures to see improvement of their textured acne scarring.
Ablative fractional laser resurfacing is a more aggressive treatment that works better for severe scarring. Patients who have ablative laser resurfacing will need to recover at home for a few days after their treatment. Most patients requiring this type of treatment will need an average of two – three procedures see dramatic improvement. If you have severe textured acne scarring, you many need more than three treatments.
If you’re asking when is the best time to address your acne scarring, we will tell you that there is no time like the present. We have found (and research has shown) that the earlier you deal with acne scarring, the better it tends to respond to treatment and the happier you are with your results.
Because there are many types of <strong”>acne scars there is no single laser that can help with all of them. Three types of lasers used to improve or eliminate acne scars include the CO2/Erbium (for textured acne scars), pulse dye (for red acne scars) and q-switched (for pigmented acne scars).
Erbium/CO2 laser resurfacing is a commonly used treatment for textured <strong”>acne scars. The Erbium and CO2 lasers are designed to resurface the skin by removing the outermost layers or in the case of fractional resurfacing by making small perforations in the skin that remove scar tissue. When the skin regenerates, it develops new collagen that replaces hard, fibrous scar tissue and in the process smooths the texture of the skin. The skin appears smoother and more pliable with a reduced depth and softer edges. Although it is difficult to get rid of textured acne scars altogether, they can be greatly improved with CO2 and Erbium lasers. With several laser resurfacing treatments, textured acne scars can be improved between 25% and 75% on average. Improvement depends on depth of scars, age of scars, age of the patient and the number of treatments.
Pigmented acne scars are treated with different lasers based on their color. In lighter skinned individuals, pigmented acne scars are usually red. They are created by a healing response that brings small blood vessels to the site of the injury. In darker skinned individuals, this same healing response leads to darker acne marks by bringing melanin (the body’s natural pigment) to the site of the injury. Using heat generated by pulsed dye and q-switched lasers, we are able to eliminate the redness or darkness associated with the two types of colored acne scars. The pulse dye laser is attracted to hemoglobin in blood. When used to treat red acne scars, it closes the small blood vessels developed during the healing response, thereby decreasing the redness. In the case of dark skinned individuals, the q-switched laser heats up the melanin (temporary post inflammatory hyper-pigmentation or PIH) that was brought to the site during the healing process. The heat energy of the laser breaks down this excess pigment and allows it to be carried away from the site of the acne lesion, which reduces the appearance of the mark.
Besides laser treatments, there are several other options for acne scar treatments, including subcision with dermal filler injections, punch excision and dermabrasion (not microdermabrasion).
Accidents happen. We see several patients weekly who come to us asking for help reducing the appearance of traumatic scars from caused by injuries or accidents. Surprisingly, there is little expertise out there for treatment of these types of scars. Until 2010, we had limited options to help people improve their scars!
We started performing fractional laser resurfacing in 2013 for cosmetic resurfacing, and we quickly became intrigued by the concept of using this laser for the improvement of traumatic scarring. Since then, we’ve treated hundreds of patients each year with this device and our results have been amazing! The patient in the pictures below had a car accident in which she suffered forehead lacerations. She received proper medical attention and had stitches for her wounds, but she developed several scars as a result. We treated her with a series of three separate treatments and she was thrilled with her results—and so were we!
You might be wondering how treating a scar with a laser helps it look better. The answer is that the laser creates a controlled injury and when your body heals, new collagen is created, but this collagen is deposited in a more organized fashion because of the control we have with lasers. The “abnormal” scar tissue is replaced with skin that is more “normal” looking. This helps it look and feel better.
Not all fractional lasers can be used on everyone though. The Sciton Profractional is an exception. It is safe for all skin types (colors) because it is an Erbium rather than CO2 laser. This gives us the ability to help all patients who want fractional laser resurfacing treatment of scars including Hispanics, African Americans and Asians.
The practice of medicine is sometimes just exactly that—a practice. While some problems have a very straightforward solution, many don’t. The practice of laser medicine is no different. At Celibre Medical, we have the laser knowledge and expertise to create an individualized laser treatment plan for you if you have an unusual problem or a routine one that hasn’t responded to conventional treatments.
One example is our use of Profractional laser resurfacing to permanently remove some types of pigmented or brown birthmarks. If you have one of these, then you may have read about treatment with q-switched lasers. Even though q-switched lasers are the gold standard for birthmark removal, we’ve had a few cases now that just didn’t respond to this approach. We’ve noted that many of these birthmarks were slightly textured. This texture keeps the light energy of the q-switched laser from penetrating the birthmark to the level of skin where it is the most effective.
Knowing what we do about the capability of the Profractional laser, we used it as treatment option with these patients. Because their only other option was a surgical excision (and surgical scar), many of them decided to give it a try. We’re happy to show you the before and after photos of one of those patients here on this page. The Sciton Profractional laser gave her a fantastic result and she was grateful to have found an option that left her without scarring.
It can be a fine line to walk—finding effective laser solutions for unwanted skin problems that don’t respond to conventional treatments. We have a team of dedicated practitioners here at Celibre who do that each and every day. We love what we do and we love to help our patients get the results they’re looking for especially when they’ve been told that they have few treatment options.
Do you have a wart that keeps coming back no matter what you do? If you’re losing the battle using wart treatments like liquid nitrogen freezing, burning and acid treatments. We want to tell you about a secret weapon—Laser Treatment for Warts Removal!
Warts are caused by a virus. Normally, your immune system is able to control viruses. But for some reason, many people like you struggle to get rid of warts. They just seem to fly under the radar, getting bigger, spreading to other areas and causing pain and embarrassment.
Lasers assist your body’s immune system in keeping warts at bay. It’s believed that laser work by using light and heat to kill the wart virus, but no one is exactly sure how. We do know that laser treatments are a safe and effective alternative to traditional treatments. But for reasons related to cost. We encourage patients that have not tried traditional treatments to attempt to get rid of warts using those first before trying lasers. Take a look at the photos below to see how effectively laser treatment worked to get rid of a very large and painful plantar wart. These results were obtained after several laser treatments.
At Celibre, we use a variety of Class IV dermatology lasers to treat multiple skin conditions, whereas many of our competitors rely on one laser or IPL to treat many different skin conditions. Because we treat all different skin types for approximately 15 different cosmetic skin conditions, there isn’t ONE specific laser that will work for all these situations. We’ve found that there is a “gold standard” laser for virtually every skin condition and that laser varies depending on the skin type. What we have done is to purchase the lasers that we feel are required to safely and effectively treat all skin types for all the conditions we treat. It is a decidedly customized skin care approach vs. the “one-size-fits-all” approach of our competitors.
In addition to purchasing many lasers for the purpose of being able to treat all skin types for many skin conditions, we also believe having a very strong laser portfolio helps us achieve better outcomes by combining different types of lasers into the same skin care plan. In our experience and with the support of research, combining more than one wavelength (or laser) is ideal for achieving optimal results for many different skin conditions. For example, one laser may best address pigmentation related to acne scars while another laser is ideal for targeting the sebaceous glands. Combining a third laser that has a photo-acoustic affect that kills acne bacteria. Together, these lasers are much more effective than without each other.
By having multiple lasers, we are able to tailor the right “recipe” for each patient as it relates to their skin condition, goals, and skin type. In the same manner that one medication cannot treat all people, one laser or skin care plan should not be used for every patient.
Laser Acne Scars Removal: It is a proven fact that our skin and tissue continues to respond and improve even when laser treatments have finished. This is based on a known theory called “the lag effect.”
The lag effect refers to how our bodies continue to make collagen to improve the texture of the skin after the laser treatments have finished. The same improvement over time is true in regard to pigmented acne scars that are red or brown. Research and experience shows that the lag effect in response to laser treatments may be as long as six months after the last laser treatment. Although much hard work occurs during the treatment plan, our bodies continue to hear after the laser treatment program has ended.
While laser technology is certainly compelling and fascinating, so too is the body’s amazing ability to heal. Time and lag effect – a good combination. See below for a visual presentation of the “lag effect” with tattoo removal procedures.
If you’re thinking about getting laser hair removal, we’re excited for you! It’s a great procedure that will literally change your life on a day-to-day basis! Being free from the embarrassment of unwanted hair and the time constraints that go along with constantly getting rid of it is liberating.
Laser hair removal is extremely popular and here at Celibre Medical, we are often asked why we don’t join in the daily barrage of “specials” or “coupons for groups” that so many other med spas and offices promote incessantly. The reason we don’t is that the laser hair removal treatments we provide our patients don’t have any gimmicks and they work. We don’t sell packages force “packages” on patients so when you are new, you can go one treatment at a time. The figure that we charge is based on many factors including three different state-of-the-art lasers, highly skilled, trained and licensed nurses, an excellent safety record, exceptional results (75% – 95% permanent hair removal), and our unparalleled ability to treat any skin type (color). All these figure into how we price our laser hair removal treatments.
We take the time to evaluate and educate our patients up front about the laser hair removal process, in addition to why a certain type of laser technology will work better for them than another and how many total treatments they will need to see full and permanent results. We meticulously maintain our laser equipment and use only devices that have been proven to be effective and are FDA-approved for laser hair removal. We invest in the latest and most up-to-date training for our laser practitioners so that they consistently provide the highest quality treatments that yield impressive results.
For all these reasons, we can’t offer “$29 laser hair removal”. This price is cheaper than waxing so there’s always a catch. We don’t compromise on the quality of patient care or the results we deliver; so, we also don’t compromise on the price of our services. There’s always a trade-off for a lower price, and unfortunately, that is usually poor results. Is that really worth saving a few extra dollars when you’re talking about your skin, your time and your results? You don’t want to have to pay twice for the same service.
* Laser Hair Removal Before and After Pictures
We often hear this question, and our response is that it varies. It depends on the type of hair you have, the type of skin you have, the amount of area to be treated, and the laser to be used. We would rather see the patient in person to determine the price because it helps us set proper expectations regarding the cost, number of treatments, and expected outcome. With that said, it may be possible to compare prices for laser hair removal facilities, but our caution would always be to find a practitioner with lots of experience with the procedures and the right type of laser for your skin type.
Laser hair removal before and after pictures
One of the main mistakes consumers make when choosing a practitioner for laser hair removal is that they shop for the cost of a single treatment rather than considering the total cost of laser hair removal. The total price for laser hair removal is the cost per treatment times the number of treatments. Also, it is implied when a potential patient asks us how much laser hair removal costs, that they believe that no matter which facility they go to, that the ultimate results will be the same.
This could not be farther from the truth. When a facility prices their procedures very low, they have to cut costs any way they can. Cutting back on training or expertise by hiring inexperienced nurses is one way. Using inferior and cheaper lasers is another way. And finally, a third is to rush the patient through treatment by not taking as much time or covering as much area. All of these cost cutting strategies can lead to worse outcomes, more treatments required and/or less hair removed.
Our advice to our patients and consults alike is to do lots of research. Find out what others are saying about the facility, which lasers they have and how much experience the nurses or physicians performing the treatments have. Lastly, go to several consultations. We’ve found that our patients value the trusted relationship we develop with them and the results that we deliver. The old saying “you get what you pay for” will go a long way in determining the question – what is the price for laser hair removal?
Lori Ishii Haney, RN, MEP-C
Certified Medical Laser Safety Officer
As experts in laser hair removal, we can tell you that not all laser hair removal programs are equal. At Celibre Medical, we have developed proven, effective laser hair removal treatment programs that allow our patients to enjoy between a 75% and 95% permanent reduction of their unwanted hair. In our experience, this level of hair removal is usually achieved after 6 to 8 treatments.
We’ve developed some common recommendations that we give to each patient to help get the most out of their laser hair removal treatment. We ask that you keep all your regularly scheduled appointments, to stay on the correct time interval between treatments. We also ask that you shave to removal unwanted hair during your treatment. Plucking or waxing removes the hair from the follicle, so that laser becomes much less effective at damaging it.
Permanent Laser Hair Removal Before and After Pictures
While most patients enjoy excellent results in 6 to 8 treatments, some see the same level of improvement after only 4 treatment sessions. The bottom line is that there is some variability, but if you’re not seeing a significant reduction in the amount of hair after 2-3 visits at your practitioner’s office, it may be time to switch. And if you’re pressured to sign up for a 6 or 8 treatment “package”, resist the urge. If you sign up with the wrong practitioner, you may not be able to get a refund.
Finally, we have identified a few different factors that may lead to more than the recommended number of treatment sessions. Hormone imbalances (like PCOD) and fine hair or hair that is light brown (not dark brown or black) will usually require more treatment sessions to get optimal results. We have also found that certain ethnic groups generally require more treatment sessions as do large areas, like the back or the legs.
We believe in being up front with our patients and educating them thoroughly about their procedure prior to beginning treatment. We’ve found that preparing you for the road ahead not only makes for a happier ride, but also gives you greater satisfaction at the end.
Permanent makeup is just like any other tattoo – sometimes your tastes and preferences change, and you decide that you no longer like it. If you fall into this category, it’s okay! We’ve helped thousands of people just like you who want their permanent makeup removed with laser treatment. The process is almost exactly the same as laser tattoo removal, and the delicate facial skin can be safely and effectively treated with lasers to remove permanent makeup.
One question that we are often asked is will the laser change the color of the makeup. We have seen this happen before and unfortunately, we don’t know who it will happen to prior to laser treatment because it all depends on the type of ink that was used. We can tell you (and will before we ever do your first treatment) that if a color change occurs, it happens immediately after laser treatment. The process that triggers the change is called oxidation/reduction. This is a fancy term that means the ink particles undergo a physical change during treatment, very similar to what happens when a car rusts.
Often, ink that is closer to an orange color prior to laser will darken to a grey color (see photo). But this isn’t really a bad thing, because darker colors are typically more responsive to laser treatment, so it’s often a help, not a hindrance. While other color changes are possible, you can rest assured that no matter what the color, we have a laser that can safely and effectively treat your unwanted permanent makeup.
We’ve been removing permanent makeup with laser treatment since 2008. We’re experts in the field and we’ve seen pretty much everything! Most importantly, we’ve helped our patients look and feel better about themselves and we can do the same for you.
