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Cosmetic tattoo refractive to Q-switched alexandrite laser
G A Moreno-Arias1, A Camps-Fresneda
1Department of Dermatology, General Hospital of Catalonia, 08190 Sant Cugat del Vallés, Spain. gmoreno@medicina.ub.es
Background:
Lip tattooing is a common cosmetic technique not exempt from certain risks and which may lead an unsatisfied customer to seek tattoo elimination.
Objective:
To assess the clinical outcome of a patient with a brownish-colored cosmetic lip tattoo after treatment with the Q-switched alexandrite laser (QSAL).
Methods:
Two sites were tested using the pigment lesion dye laser (PLDL) and QSAL. The patient received 10 monthly sessions with QSAL, with an average fluence of 6.925 J/cm2. The double and triple shot technique was applied.
Results:
The brownish pigmentation turned black after the PLDL and QSAL tests. Epidermal splattering and bleeding made a fluence increase with QSAL inadvisable. Treatment was unsuccessful.
Conclusions:
PLDL and QSAL may induce a photochemical alteration in brownish pigment. Factors that may contribute to the poor response of a cosmetic lip tattoo to QSAL treatment are related to pigment characteristics and laser parameters.