ABSTRACT
An article titled "Current issues in dermatologic office-based surgery" was published in the JAAD in October 1999 (volume 41, issue 4, pp. 624-634). The article was developed by the Joint American Academy of Dermatology/American Society for Dermatologic Surgery Liaison Committee. A number of subjects were addressed in the article including surgical training program requirements for dermatology residents and selected advances in dermatologic surgery that had been pioneered by dermatologists. The article concluded with sections on credentialing, privileging, and accreditation of office-based surgical facilities. Much has changed since 1999, including more stringent requirements for surgical training during dermatology residency, and the establishment of 57 accredited Procedural Dermatology Fellowship Training Programs. All of these changes have been overseen and approved by the Residency Review Committee for Dermatology and the Accreditation Committee for Graduate Medical Education. The fertile academic environment of academic training programs with interaction between established dermatologic surgeons and fellows, as well as the inquisitive nature of many of our colleagues, has led to the numerous major advances in dermatologic surgery, which are described herein.
Subject(s)
Dermatologic Surgical Procedures , Ablation Techniques , Acne Vulgaris/complications , Biocompatible Materials , Certification , Cicatrix/etiology , Cicatrix/surgery , Dermabrasion , Dermatologic Surgical Procedures/education , Dermatologic Surgical Procedures/methods , Fellowships and Scholarships , Hair/transplantation , Humans , Laser Therapy , Mohs Surgery , Patient Safety , Pigmentation Disorders/surgery , Plastic Surgery Procedures/methods , Sclerotherapy , Skin Diseases/etiology , Skin Diseases/surgery , Tattooing , Varicose Veins/therapyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Tattoos have played an important role in human culture for thousands of years, and they remain popular today. The development of quality-switched (QS) lasers has revolutionized the removal of unwanted tattoos. OBJECTIVES: To thoroughly review the literature on laser tattoo removal pertaining to its history, its theoretical basis, the various devices used, potential adverse effects, and future developments. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An extensive literature review of publications related to tattoo removal was conducted. RESULTS: Reports exist demonstrating the efficacy of laser removal of different tattoo types, including professional, amateur, traumatic, cosmetic, and medical. The literature supports the use of different QS lasers for removal of tattoos. Some colors have a more-complete response using particular wavelengths. CONCLUSION: QS lasers can effectively and safely remove different types of unwanted tattoos.
