What are scars and keratosis?

Revising scars with lasers is very much dependent on the height and the size of the scar. In most instances, it is the carbon dioxide, or erbium laser that is used to smooth scars. But, whenever a scar is revised, whether a laser is used or scalpel surgery, you trade the original scar in for another. Sometimes it's an improvement, sometimes it is not. If the scar that the person is talking about is a small round scar and he/she wants it to be more of a lined scar instead of a circular, round bump, in most instances, that is better revised with scalpel surgery than a laser. It seems 'lower tech' but is often a better choice because it creates a narrower scar.

With regard to the solar keratosis, that is another word for a sun damaged spot or a "precancer." People that have solar keratoses are at somewhat higher risk for skin cancer because they are a reflection of long-term sun exposure in the past. Sun exposure is the main risk factor for getting skin cancer. Now, a single solar keratosis does not increase the person's risk dramatically. However, if there are many solar keratoses, the risk goes up, especially if there has been a prior history of skin cancer in that person. The cost depends on the region of the country, whether inpatient or outpatient setting, a whole host of factors that come into play with regards to the cost. Typically this would be in the hundreds of dollars (not thousands of dollars), lots of different factors are involved (how many sutures, inpatient, outpatient).

Lasers are not typically used to treat melanomas. However, with regard to melanoma, the chance of recurrence is most dependent on the thickness of the cancer at the time of diagnosis. This thickness is typically described in millimeters. Lasers can be used to treat a variety of skin conditions, most commonly they are used to treat broken blood vessels or reddish birth marks/skin lesions, excess hair or unwanted hair, tattoos and some brown or tan birth marks, and wrinkles and other surface signs of photoaging.

Traditional scalpel surgery, or topical therapy, among other forms of therapy, should also be considered when a person seeks care for these conditions. Laser surgery is not always the answer for every skin condition, a person should leave their options open and realize that lasers are one tool used by the doctor to treat these conditions and that a thorough discussion with their health care provider, their dermatologic surgeon, would give them additional information as to whether laser surgery might be helpful for them. The inks used in tattoos and permanent makeup (also known as micropigmentation) and the pigments in these inks are subject to FDA regulation as cosmetics and color additives. However, FDA has not attempted to regulate the use of tattoo inks and the pigments used in them and does not control the actual practice of tattooing. Rather, such matters have been handled through local laws and by local jurisdictions. But with the growth in popularity of tattooing and permanent makeup, FDA has begun taking a closer look at related safety questions.

Among the issues under consideration are tattoo removal, adverse reactions to tattoo colors, and infections that result from tattooing. Another concern is the increasing variety of pigments and diluents being used in tattooing -- more than fifty different pigments and shades, and the list continues to grow. Although a number of color additives are approved for use in cosmetics, none is approved for injection into the skin. Using an unapproved color additive in a tattoo ink makes the ink adulterated. Many pigments used in tattoo inks are not approved for skin contact at all. Some are industrial grade colors that are suitable for printers' ink or automobile paint.

Nevertheless, many individuals choose to undergo tattooing in its various forms. For some, it is an aesthetic choice or an initiation rite. Some choose permanent makeup as a time saver or because they have physical difficulty applying regular, temporary makeup. For others, tattooing is an adjunct to reconstructive surgery, particularly of the face or breast, to simulate natural pigmentation. People who have lost their eyebrows due to alopecia (a form of hair loss) may choose to have "eyebrows" tattooed on, while people with vitiligo (a lack of pigmentation in areas of the skin) may try tattooing to help camouflage the condition. Of course if the skin around this permanent makeup lightens or darkens to changing the sun conditions the results will still be unsatisfactory.
(information resources include ... www.burnsurvivor.com and www.aad.org)