title: Comparison of two Q-switched lasers and a short-pulse erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser for treatment of cosmetic tattoos containing titanium and iron in an animal model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cosmetic tattoos contain titanium and ferric oxide and darken through reduction after Q-switched laser irradiation. The optimal treatment for removing these pigments remains unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effects of two Q-switched lasers and a short-pulse erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (SP Er:YAG) laser to remove cosmetic tattoos in an animal model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats were tattooed using white, flesh-colored, and brown inks (4 bands of each color) on their backs. For each color, one band was left untreated, and one each was treated with a Q-switched neodymium-doped YAG laser, a Q-switched alexandrite laser, and a SP Er:YAG laser every 3 weeks until the pigments were clear.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The two Q-switched lasers were equally effective; all three pigments darkened initially and then resolved gradually. Up to 20, 18, and 10 sessions were required to remove white, flesh-colored, and brown tattoos, respectively. Only six sessions were required with the SP Er:YAG laser. Minimal scarring was observed with all lasers. Skin biopsies confirmed pigment granule fragmentation after Q-switched laser treatment and a decrease in the amount of pigment after SP Er:YAG laser treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The SP Er:YAG laser was superior to the Q-switched lasers for removing cosmetic tattoos.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Cardinal Tien Hospital, Hsin Tien, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Chen
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chuen-Lin
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: An-Hang
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Chih-Kang
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shao-Chen
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Fur-Jiang
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Leu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003357:Cosmetic Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007834:Lasers; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State; D023421:Models, Animal; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012867:Skin / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013653:Tattooing; D014025:Titanium
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D005290:Ferric Compounds; C000499:ferric oxide; D014025:Titanium