The Laser Chronicles

People constantly ask about dermabrasion and topical tattoo removal/fading products. Being that tattoo removal is our business, I decided to look into these products and try to give people a bit more info. After doing some Google searching on the product Wrecking Balm, I found little info, mostly reviews and general comments. So, I obtained a sample of the product and have begun doing some research. First, here is the list of ingredients for each of the items:

Suffusion Gel
Ingredients:

• Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil
• Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil
• Eugenica Caryophyllus (Clove) Flower Oil
• Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil
• Silica
• Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil
• Salicylic Acid
• Juglans Regia (Walnut) Shell Powder

Demo-Brasion Spray
Ingredients:

• Propylene Glycol
• SD Alcohol 40-B
• Salicylic Acid
• Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil
• Rosemarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil
• Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil

HydraVescent Cream
Ingredients:

• Water (Aqua)
• Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
• Mineral Oil
• Cetearyl Alcohol
• Glyceryl Stearate SE
• Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter
• Isopropyl Myristate
• Ceteareth-20
• Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)
• Dimethicone
• Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil
• Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract
• Polysorbate 20
• Epilobium Angustifolium Extract
• Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
• Propylene Glycol
• DMDM Hydantoin
• Methylparaben
• Propylparaben

Branding Butter Concealer
Ingredients:

• Water (Aqua)
• Titanium Dioxide
• Iron Oxides
• Talc
• Dihydroxyacetone
• Petrolatum
• Isopropyl Myristate
• Glycerin
• Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
• Cetearyl Alcohol
• Glyceryl Stearate SE
• Ceteareth-20
• Dimethicone
• Mineral Oil
• Propylene Glycol
• Tocopheryl Acetate
• DMDM Hydantoin
• Methylparaben
• Propylparaben

First let me say, I find it strange and ironic that I’m the first person to do unbiased, side by side comparisons, of tattoo removal lasers. You would think that some other person/company would have done this already, but if they did, they didn’t make their results readily available. Either way here is the scoop.

I tested my Palomar QYAG5 against the Candela Q switch Alexandrite. I thought I would be demoing the AlexTriVantage laser, but the hand pieces for the laser are still not ready. I’m glad I got to play with Alexandrite, but it really wasn’t what I expected…oh well.

Here are the results:

There are of course lots of pros and cons

Power – The Candela is a 220V machine, where mine is a 110V. 220 means more power, however it also means more electricity and heat, boy the room got hot quick.

Energy – Theoretically, the Candela can deliver more energy into the skin. However, being that the wavelength is different, the energy output did not not truly correlate between the two lasers.

Ergonomic – The Candela uses a fiber optic cable, where the Palomar lasing unit is a large heavy hand piece. The Candela wins hands down here, but I do like the fact that I can control some features directly on the Palomar hand piece

Wave Blending – The Palomar wins here, it’s the only unit on the market to allow for blending of wavelengths. The Candela only has one wavelenth.

Function – The Candela is designed to do all the work for you. You tell it what color you are targeting (your choices are black, green or blue only) and it does everything else, except adjust power. The Palomar has no “color” setting. The technician adjusts the wavelength and power settings manually.

Speed – The Palomar wins hands down here. It’s twice as fast as the Candela. When it comes right down to it, there are really only two things the customer cares about speed and results.

Results – I worked on two clients and the result are yet to be seen, give me a week or two. I can tell you from first glance, the Palomar seems to have more of an initial reaction. However, results take 7-10 days to see the real difference. Then fading will continue for 6 weeks.

Pain – Seems to be about a draw here. Both clients gave similar reviews to how it felt. Maybe a little difference here and there, but nothing substantial.

In final review, technologically speaking, my machine, the Palomar QYAG5 should be the best for removing darker colors, which is the way to go for people that want to lighten tattoos for coverups. The Candela Alexandrite, might work as a complimentary machine for targeting certain colors, but it’s really not a replacement unit, maybe when the company produces the new machine I might give it another look. The real question here is green ink. Which machine did the better job? Well, I will know in a week or two.

Now, if I can get another company to setup an appointment with me, I will be reviewing another laser very soon.

There is a brand new tattoo removal laser on the market. Actually it’s not even available yet BUT the manufacturer has a rep in town demonstrating the unit. They are coming to Fade Fast this next Tuesday, March 4th, and I’m looking for 1 or 2 people to come in for a session. I realize many people that read this blog don’t live in Dallas so please pass the word. Oh, the session will be free AND all future sessions on the same tattoo will be free as well.

This was just sent to me from my friend Roger aka Circle 23:

Jim Mielke submitted this hypothetical concept to the Greener Gadgets Design Competition:

Her cell phone is ringing, but the display is turned off. She lightly pushes a small dot on the skin on her left forearm to suddenly reveal a two by four inch tattoo with the image of the cell phone’s digital display, directly in the skin of her arm. She answers the call by pushing a tattooed button on her arm. While she’s talking, the tattoo comes to life as a digital video of the caller. When she finishes, the tattoo disappears.

This Bluetooth device is permanently implanted beneath the skin. It is flat, flexible, silicon and silicone. Tightly rolled when it’s inserted through a small incision, and then unfurled beneath the skin, it lies benignly between skin and muscle.

Through the same incision, two small tubes are attached from the implanted device to an artery and a vein. A coin sized blood fuel cell in the implant converts the blood’s glucose and oxygen from the artery to the electricity required to power the device. Used blood returns through to the vein. The digital device’s power source is the same as for all of the biological components in the body.

The surface of the implant that faces the underside of the skin is covered with a matrix of field producing pixels that activate a matching matrix of pixels tattooed onto the surface of the skin above the implant. The field penetrates the skin to drive the tattooed display, while the skin continues to provide its function of sealing the body from the world. The surface of the implant is also a touch screen control, pressed through the skin. Rather than ink, tiny clusters of microscopic spheres are injected, like tattoo ink, into the skin. Each sphere is filled with a field sensitive material that changes from clear to black when a field in the matrix is turned on.

This device communicates wirelessly with the world as well as with other devices implanted in the same body. It is always present, always on, but out of sight and non-obtrusive. It also continually monitors for many blood disorders, alerting the person of a health problem: A human version of the check engine light. Product styling is the latest and coolest downloaded display interface showing on any tattoo on the block. This product is waterproof and it is powered by pizza.

John if you read this, please send a link to you site, blog, email. I would love to here more about this idea.

Fade Fast has officially made a permanent move from part time Hold Fast / part time Suffer City to full time Suffer City.

Why the move? Honestly, Hold Fast just doesn’t have the room any more. AND just to answer everyone’s questions…(yes I have been asked twice now)…do I still recommend that artists at Hold Fast? The answer is a resounding YES! As with my former shop, Obscurities, the artists at Hold Fast are top notch. Plus, the vibe in their is great. On my days off, I still hang out in Hold Fast. What can I say? I love those guys!