The Top Five Tattoo Removal Myths

You finally got that tattoo you dreamed about for years! But you hate it. Now what?

First, cheer up. You’ve got a lot of company. About 29% of American men and women have at least one tattoo … and almost 1/4 of them have two or more.

But unlike your great-great uncle who had to sport that misspelled tattoo he got in the Navy until the day he died, you can find an expert dermatologist to safely remove your inked spider, heart, or ex’s name. However, it’s important to note that there’s a lot of misinformation about undoing your tatts. Following the wrong advice can lead to permanent skin damage in addition to leaving you with an even weirder-looking version of your unwanted tattoo.

Five Tattoo Undo Myths

1.  I Can Scrub or Lotion Away My Tattoo

The internet abounds with claims that rubbing your tattoo with salt or special creams can remove the ink. Not only could rubbing salt into a tattoo hurt your skin, if you do it too soon after you got your tattoo, you could make the tatt look worse. Tattoos are not superficial drawings that can be scrubbed or lotioned away. The ink penetrates deep into your dermis and consists of many layers.

That’s why laser tattoo removal takes time. The PicoWay laser, for instance, shatters the tattoo pigment one layer at a time. In between removal sessions, your body flushes away the pigment. The average tattoo needs at least five to eight sessions before it’s completely erased by a laser.

2.  I Should Remove an Unwanted Tattoo Before It Settles In

Regretting a tattoo as soon as you get it is a common situation. However, you have to live with that tattoo for at least two months before you start the removal process. Your skin must be healed and healthy any time you get a laser treatment. That’s why you need to wait about two months between your laser removal sessions, too.

3. Light Tattoo Inks Can’t Be Removed

While it used to be true that light inks were difficult to remove, that’s not the case anymore. A state-of-the-art laser, like PicoWay, can be adjusted to treat a variety of colors — including beige, pink, gray, and white. One caveat is that the light colors first undergo an oxidation process and turn a brownish hue. After they darken, they must be treated again. So, although you can remove light colors, they do take longer to treat than dark colors.

4.  Laser Tattoo Removal Causes Scars

As long as you’ve let your skin heal for two months after getting a new tattoo and work with a board-certified dermatologist, the chances of scarring are minimal to none. The PicoWay laser has variable settings that allow your dermatologist to direct high bursts of energy directly to the tattoo pigment. The laser doesn’t affect your skin at all.

5. You Can Just Tattoo Straight Over an Old Tattoo to Cover It

If your tattoo is light and small, it may be possible to simply do a cover-up tatt to mask the one you don’t want. But if your tattoo is large or dark, fading the tattoo before attempting a cover-up will give you the best chances of a good result. You can talk to your dermatologist about how many PicoWay sessions you need before your tattoo is faded sufficiently to facilitate a successful cover-up. Learn more about the PicoWay laser here. 

Schedule a Laser Tattoo Removal Session Today

You don’t have to live with tattoo regret. Contact Dr. Kitagawa at Kitagawa Dermatology for a PicoWay laser consultation. We’re located at the Kuakini Medical Plaza, 321 N. Kuakini St, #610, in Honolulu. You can call our friendly office staff or use our email form.

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Living Hair-Free and Carefree in Hawaii

You have long, lush, luxurious hair … on your back. Or in your pits. Or covering your legs. Maybe, worst of all, you’re a beautiful woman who doesn’t even worry about a kid defacing her photo with a crayoned mustache: You’ve already got one.

If you live in Hawaii, unwanted hair is even more of a problem than it is in chillier climes. While New Yorkers can hide their unshaven hairy shoulders with black cashmere sweaters for almost three seasons, here in Hawaii, we sport short sleeves, shorts, bikinis, minis, and swimsuits all year-round. For us, “not shaving” is not an option. Or is it?

 

So Long, Unwanted Hair

Yes, you can be free from the distraction of unwanted hair without buying an ugly black sweater or hiding in the closet. Dr. Kory Kitagawa, a board-certified dermatologist, can remove all of your unwanted hair using a laser at Kitagawa Dermatology in Honolulu.

The laser targets the pigment in your hair shaft and follicle, vaporizing the hair and damaging the follicle with high-powered, focused energy. Once the follicle’s been destroyed or damaged, it can’t grow a new hair.

How Many Sessions Does it Take?

Right after your first treatment, you’ll notice a difference. Some of your hair will already have fallen out, leaving your skin smooth, silky, and hair free.

However, the laser works best when a hair is in the earliest stage of its growth cycle. Therefore, you’ll need multiple session (usually about six) to knock out all of the hairs you want gone. To maintain your results, a touch-up session every 6 to 12 months is also recommended.

What Does a Laser Session Feel Like?

In case you’re wondering if laser hair removal hurts, most men and women equate the feeling of the laser’s energy zapping their hair to the sensation of being snapped with a rubber band. You’ll come through your laser hair removal with just a little bit of discomfort and a whole lot of smooth, hairless skin.

If that still makes you nervous, Dr. Kitagawa’s aesthetic assistant can apply a numbing cream to your skin before your laser hair removal session.

Look and Feel Silky Smooth

Dr. Kitagawa can use a laser to remove hair from any place you don’t want it anymore, including:

• Chin
• Above the lip
• Ears
• Neck
• Shoulders
• Back
• Chest
• Arms
• Underarms
• Legs

Laser Hair Removal Saves Time and Money

If you’re wondering whether laser hair removal is cost-effective, consider this: According to a 2016 survey conducted by Statistic Brain, a woman shaves an average of more than 7,000 times over the course of her lifetime. At 10-minutes plus per shave, that’s a lot of days gone down the drain.

Now, instead of shaving, you can use those 10 minutes to brainstorm a new business idea, balance your checkbook, and research investments. Or meditate.

Schedule Your Laser Treatment at Kitagawa Dermatology

If you’re ready for a life lived large and free of unsightly hairs, contact Dr. Kitagawa at Kitagawa Dermatology LLC. We’re located at the Kuakini Medical Plaza, 321 N. Kuakini St, #610, in Honolulu. You can call the friendly office staff at (808) 533-4434 or use our email form.

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How to Keep Asian Skin Beautiful and Youthful

If you’re one of the 21 million Asian Americans living in the United States, the good news is that the high moisture content of your skin prevents you from suffering some of the most egregious signs of aging, such as wrinkling, sagging and bagging. The bad news? Your skin is prone to brown spots and other hyperpigmentation that can be both aging and disfiguring.

With proper care, however, you can keep your skin clear and beautiful — no matter how fair or dark you are. Listed below are some of Dr. Kitagawa’s top tips for keeping your skin looking refreshed and healthy!

Why Your Asian Skin Rocks

Asian skin has a thicker dermis — that’s the layer where the strengthening and plumping protein collagen resides. This rich layer of collagen keeps your skin looking plump, firm, and wrinkle-free for years longer than Caucasian skin in most cases. Sebaceous glands also produce more oil in Asian skin, which helps you look more moisturized and glowing.

Why Your Asian Skin Needs Special Care

The outermost stratum corneum layer of the skin is thinner in Asians than it is in other ethnic groups. A thin stratum corneum is more prone to scarring from rough treatment, acne, and harsh ingredients. Asian skin also has three layers of the photo-protective pigment melanin and is, therefore, more susceptible to pigmentary disorders.

Here are some tips to make sure your skin stays smooth, toned, and clear throughout your life:

1. Use Plenty of Sunscreen

The UVA and UVB rays of the sun can cause disfiguring brown spots, including freckles and lentigines. In addition to reapplying your sunscreen throughout the day, remember to wear hats and long sleeves when you’re outside and use an umbrella at the beach.

2. Avoid OTC Harsh Ingredients

If you notice brown spots on your skin, you may be tempted to try over-the-counter skin whiteners, but these may cause scarring. It’s better to consult with a dermatologist who’s an expert in Asian skin about how to remove hyperpigmentation in order to avoid permanent damage.

3. Treat Acne Sooner than Later… and Gently!

Popping your pimples or squeezing blackheads may leave you with disfiguring scars. Asian skin with acne is also more likely to develop keloids — scars that look and feel like hard bumps. Dr. Kitagawa may prescribe products with glycolic acid, salicylic acid, and topical retinoids to keep your skin clear.

4. Find an Expert in Asian Skin for Laser Treatments

Lasers are highly effective for resurfacing and rejuvenating Asian skin. However, the wrong settings can destroy pigment cells and create hypopigmented areas (white spots). Always choose a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in Asian skin for your laser treatments.

5. Be Careful of Cupping

Culturally important remedies, such as cupping and moxibustion, can bruise or scar your skin. If you find these remedies helpful, be sure to be on the lookout for potential skin damage and see your dermatologist at the first sign of trouble. Learn more about cupping at WebMD.com.

Get in Touch with Kitagawa Dermatology

Asian skin requires knowledgeable care at every stage of life. To be sure you’re using products that support the health of your skin and to find the best remedies for hyperpigmentation, acne, and signs of aging, contact Dr. Kory Kitagawa in Honolulu. Call Kitagawa Dermatology today to set up an appointment or use our online contact form!

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How to Get Long-Lasting Acne Scars

What? You say you don’t want long-lasting acne scars? Well, you could have fooled me. In your quest for perfect skin, you may actually be creating so much trauma that you’re turning a minor acne breakout into major scarring that could mar your face for years, if not a lifetime.

If you want skin that’s acne-free, plus acne-scar-free, you’ll need to change up some habits.

Top Five Dos and Don’ts for Clear, Scar-less Skin

DO Use Sunscreen

You may think that goopy sunscreen is going to make you break out, but not wearing sunscreen does your skin infinitely more harm. Acne scars are even more susceptible to the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays than healthy skin. Sun damage can slow the scar’s healing or cause it to darken and become more visible. Some acne medications can even sensitize your skin to UVA and UVB rays, so that you’re more liable to burn.

Always wear a sunscreen when outdoors — even if you currently have acne. You can minimize the chance of the sunscreen causing a breakout by scheduling a consultation with Dr. Kitagawa and his team of skin experts at Kitagawa Dermatology to find a sunscreen with ingredients such as zinc oxide, that don’t irritate your skin or clog your pores.

DON’T Pop or Squeeze

Yes, that pimple’s ugly and you want to get rid of it fast. But squeezing it or popping it with your fingers or a blackhead extractor damages your skin and may scar it, too. The pimple may be less visible at the moment, but manipulating and picking at your skin aggressively can cause inflammation and even introduce bacteria into the acne lesion.

To take care of that zit, dab it with benzoyl peroxide so that it dries up on its own. Your dermatologist can also remove individual lesions in a manner that doesn’t traumatize the surrounding skin. Better yet, get monthly photofacials or chemical peels that not only help your skin stay blemish free, but also improve the quality of your skin overall. For existing acne scars, Dr. Kitagawa also offers laser therapy to help reduce or erase the signs of scarring. For indentations or uneven scarring, Dr. Kitagawa can use facial fillers, such as Juvéderm or Restylane, to help smooth out and conceal the scar tissue.

Learn more about cosmetic procedures for scar tissue at WebMD.com.

DO Be Gentle

You want to be sure that your skin is clean to minimize the chances of oily buildup clogging your pores and possibly contributing to acne. However, over-scrubbing or using abrasive cleansers or dermabrasion can wear down your skin and degrade its quality.

Using a coarse washcloth, cleansing with electronic brushes, and dabbing your skin with harsh astringents can all irritate your skin and make it more susceptible to infection.

Only wash your face when you get up in the morning, after a sweaty workout, and once more before bedtime. Be sure to use a mild, noncomedogenic cleansing product that doesn’t have harsh or drying ingredients. Pat — don’t rub — your face dry with a soft, clean towel.

DO Get An Expert’s Help

Taking excellent care of your skin by changing your habits can decrease the number of acne breakouts and keep scarring to a minimum. If you want to learn more about how to keep your skin acne and scar-free, or need treatment for your acne or acne scars, set up a consultation with Dr. Kory Kitagawa at Kitagawa Dermatology, located at the Kuakini Medical Plaza, 321 N. Kuakini St, #610, in Honolulu. You can call our practice or contact us online to learn more.

 

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Tattoo Removal Options

As we enter the second decade of the 21st Century we can look back at all the technological, social and medical advancements made in the last 10 years. For those who suffer from tattoo regret one area of advancement that they can thank medical science and ingenuity for is new and improved ways to lower the cost of tattoo removal.

Tattoos have been around since man first learned how to control and use fire to improve the human condition on Earth, but it wasn't until the last century that forms of tattoo removal began to make great strides in effectiveness without leaving severe scar tissue. Prior to the late 20th Century, to endure a tattoo removal procedure a person had to endure a process that could be painful and only partially effective. As tattoos became the fashion in the 1990's more time, effort and money was devoted to finding new methods and refining and improving the methods that were already in existence.

Along with an increase in the popularity of tattoos there developed an increase in what is now referred to as tattoo regret. This added pressure to find an easy, effective and affordable method of tattoo removal grew the the size of the tattoo removal industry and with that an increase in research and development spending to find the perfect tattoo removal product. Most of the products were of the home tattoo removal variety. Some, like TCA, worked well to little fanfare, while others promised the moon and delivered little to nothing as a tattoo removal agent, but were, and are still highly promoted as painless, convenient and hassle free cream removal systems.

Read more on... Tattoo Removal Options

Author: Glen Wilson