Tattoos can be a beautiful expression of art, creativity and emotion. According to recent studies, more people are getting tattoos than ever before and they are even more widely accepted in the workplace than they were in previous years. However, many people who decide to get tattoos earlier in life end up changing their minds later on and wish to have them removed or replaced with body art that better represents who they are now. Fortunately, Dr. Melley offers tattoo removal options for individuals who desire to have their ink removed with no downtime.
PicoSure is a safe and effective option for laser tattoo removal and typically requires fewer treatment sessions than more traditional removal methods. During the procedure, Dr. Melley uses PicoSure’s PressureWave technology to deliver short pulses of laser energy to the dermis, shattering the ink particles that make up the tattoo pigment while leaving the skin undamaged. Afterward, your body is then able to naturally process and remove the pigment.
You may be wondering how many treatments are necessary to completely remove a tattoo vs. fade a tattoo sufficiently enough to be covered up with a new tattoo. It is important to understand the many factors that play a role in determining how many treatment sessions are necessary to fully remove a tattoo. Factors such as overall skin health, the age of the tattoo and how faded it may be, even the color of pigments used play a role.
It used to go without saying that tattoos are a lifelong commitment. With the advances in laser tattoo removal, that statement has become less true over time. While many people simply regret their decision to get a tattoo, some may want to get rid of an old tattoo to make room for a new tattoo that will better represent their current ideals and aesthetic.
Fading a Tattoo vs Removing a Tattoo
ReasonsCompletely Remove a Tattoo
- Regret decision to get a tattoo
- Shift in interests or feelings
- Dislike the overall art quality
- Tattoo has faded and looks unsightly
Reasons to Fade a Tattoo Before Cover Up:
- Fading allows for more color and style options
- Brighter colors, less pigment required
- Remove part of existing tattoo (such as a name)
- Fewer sessions required
Schedule a consultation with Dr. Melley to determine how many treatment sessions will be necessary for your overall tattoo removal goals. Learn more about laser tattoo removal at pinehurstlaser.com/Tattoo-Removal or call 910-295-1130 today to schedule your consultation today!
Posted on April 25, 2019
Reclaim your skin with Tempsure
As we get older, the natural collagen in our skin begins to dissipate which can lead to forehead wrinkles, crow’s feet, sagging skin and cellulite. Cellulite can persist through proper diet and exercise and have us thinking twice before choosing to wear more skin revealing clothing once the hot days of summer arrive. Along with sagging skin and cellulite, various signs of aging can also be seen around the eyes. Your eyes show more than just emotion when fine lines and wrinkles effect the delicate skin surrounding them. These factors can make us look and feel older than we actually are. Fortunately, Dr. Melley offers safe, non-surgical options for skin tightening to help you have the confidence you deserve!
Tempsure Envi, which was FDA cleared last year, uses radiofrequency energy to safely heat the skin in order to trigger the body’s natural collagen production process. Growth factors and synthesized collagen can improve overall skin appearance and firmness as well as reduce the appearance of cellulite in as little as one treatment. Tempsure Envi affects the nerves differently than other skin tightening processes so patients will be able to feel a warming sensation on the treatment area during the process without having to worry about discomfort. A protective gel is applied before the procedure and Tempsure Envi’s temperature sensor maintains a comfortable and safe temperature, so patients can rest easy as they rejuvenate their look.
Depending on the area being treated, appointments can take less than an hour and require zero downtime. With Tempsure Envi you can receive a non-surgical facelift or tackle unsightly thigh dimples on your lunch break. Within a few days following the procedure, patients may notice a reduction in wrinkles. Growth factors and collagen continue to be produced and the skin’s overall appearance continues to improve. For some patients, results can be seen in one visit, however, 4-6 treatments spaced a few weeks apart are recommended. Dr. Melley will determine how many treatments are ideal for your overall skin needs.
Schedule a consultation with Dr. Melley to see if you are a good candidate for Tempsure Envi. The experts at The Laser Institute of Pinehurst can tailor a skin rejuvenation program that suits your schedule as well as your aesthetic goals. Learn more about how laser treatments can benefit you and help you achieve younger looking skin at pinehurstlaser.com/Lasers or call 910-295-1130 today to schedule your consultation!
Posted on March 22, 2019
Spring into Summer
Spring is right around the corner and summer will be here in a flash. In addition to setting your clocks forward an hour, it’s important to think about all of the things that you can be doing to look and feel your best before the warmer months arrive. Winter has a way of making us all want to hibernate. Activity levels and motivation can drop, especially when the days are short and the temperatures are bitter.
Now is the perfect time to think about how you can achieve the weight you have always wanted with help from the caring staff at The Laser Institute of Pinehurst. Dr. Melley and her staff offer customized weight loss programs that are tailored to your personalized needs. Along the way, they will make the necessary adjustments to help you stay on track to success.
It is no secret that abs are made in the kitchen. Nutrition and fitness go hand in hand with weight loss and feeling healthy. Proper nutrition can help you maintain your ideal weight, fuel your body for work outs as well as reduce the risk of diseases such as certain cancers, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and osteoporosis. Introducing colorful fruits and vegetables into your diet can provide you with the nutrients needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Practicing good nutrition promotes healthy habits that will last a lifetime.
Vitamins and supplements will help assure that you are getting all of the essential nutrients that you may not be getting from your balanced diet. Additionally, certain medical conditions or genetic disorders can prevent the proper absorption of the nutrients from food and taking supplements can help bridge the gap.
Your health may not be the only thing on your mind as the warmer days approach. With warmer weather comes shorts and other more skin revealing clothing, it’s time to also think about that unwanted hair. Shaving can be a hassle. Razors dull quickly, leave behind razor burn and ingrown hairs and is only a temporary fix. Laser hair removal is a safe and effective way to permanently remove hair by destroying the hair follicle while leaving the surrounding skin unharmed. Treatments can be completed in under 30 minutes depending on the size of the area being treated.
Spring and summer fashion is a great way to show off your fitness progress, smooth legs and even the artwork on your skin. Tattoos can be a beautiful way to express yourself, however, over time they can fade and look less than appealing. Many people regret the tattoos they received when they were younger and are self-conscious about showing tattooed skin. Depending on the size and age of the tattoo, laser tattoo removal can safely reduce or fade old tattoos while keeping the unaffected skin safe.
These are just a few things that you can do to get ready for summer. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Melley to determine if there are additional treatments such as skin rejuvenation and body sculpting that you can combine with your existing efforts. The experts at The Laser Institute of Pinehurst can tailor a skin rejuvenation program that suits your needs and goals. Learn more about how which laser treatments can benefit you and help you achieve younger looking skin at pinehurstlaser.com/Lasers or call 910-295-1130 today to schedule your consultation!
Posted on January 28, 2019
5 Ways to Freshen Up Your 2019 Look
With a new year comes the sense of a new you and a clean slate. Resolutions can help you stay on track with fitness, skin care, and wellness as well as give you goals to strive towards in 2019. Here are five great ways to refresh yourself this year:
- Proper skin care
- Skin revitalization with PicoSure
- Our 30 day wellness challenge
- Tattoo removal or tattoo fading
- Laser hair removal to avoid the hassle of shaving
1. Proper Skin Care
Proper skin care is one of the most important parts of maintaining great looking skin. At the Laser Institute of Pinehurst, Dr. Melley suggests these “must-haves” for maintaining healthy skin:
- A gentle cleanser for your skin type
- Topical Vitamin A
- Alpha-Hydroxy acids
- Antioxidants
- Sunscreen (one that protects against UVA and UVB waves)
Depending on your skin type, you may want to rinse your face with warm water or use a gentle cleanser to remove any dirt and bacteria. Topical vitamin A, or retinoids, can help combat the damaging effects of the sun’s harmful rays and photoaging. Alpha-Hydroxy Acids, or AHAs as they are more commonly referred to, can firm and brighten skin and improve overall tone by working to reconstruct collagen and elastin. In addition, they help exfoliate dead skin cells. Antioxidants, which you can get from fruits, vegetables and some grains, can protect against sunburns as well as help fight the signs of aging. Antioxidants help fight free radicals, which may contribute to certain diseases if the body cannot mitigate them.
Don’t Forget Sunscreen!
The sun’s damaging UVA and UVB rays are linked to wrinkles, premature aging and skin cancers. Therefore, it’s important to make sure you apply sunscreen before spending time outside and reapply throughout the day if you plan to be out in the sun for an extended period of time. In addition, you can help protect the delicate skin of your eyes with sunglasses and hats, which help block the sun.
2. Skin Revitalization with PicoSure
In addition to proper skin care, maintaining a healthy glow and smooth skin can boost your confidence in 2019. PicoSure is a state of the art laser skin rejuvenation treatment that can remove unwanted age spots, acne scars and reduce wrinkles with minimal downtime. PicoSure is a safe, non-invasive procedure.
3. Take Our 30 Day Wellness Challenge!
Proper hydration promotes healthy skin and aides in digestion. For 30 days, challenge yourself to drink an adequate amount of water daily. To find out how many ounces of water you should be intaking weigh yourself in pounds and divide that number by 2. This will give you the number of ounces of water you should be drinking a day. Remember that exercise and other factors will impact your water intake needs. For 30 days, take a multi-vitamin and monitor how the combination of water and supplements has positively impacted your wellness and skin.
4. Tattoo Removal
Over time, tattoos can settle and fade, making the pigments appear dull and blurry. Many people regret tattoos they had done many years ago and may choose to have them removed. Fortunately, PicoSure is the leading choice for unwanted tattoo removal. This device uses energy delivered in trillionths of a second to break up tattoo pigments which keeps the skin safe from damage and the patient more comfortable.
5. Laser Hair Removal
Shaving can be a hassle. Unsightly razor bumps and ingrown hairs are always a risk if you shave often. Laser hair removal can thin, reduce and even completely remove unwanted body hair. The expert staff at The Laser Institute of Pinehurst are trained to use a variety of machines for laser hair removal.
Posted on December 21, 2018
Skin rejuvenation with Lasers, Skin Care and Proper Nutrition
When cold temperatures settle in and the daylight hours are at their shortest, personal care can inadvertently take a backseat to holiday shopping, parties and the abundance of tasty treats to indulge on. It’s important not to let your diet and skin care suffer during the busiest months of the year. Don’t let your health and skin rejuvenation be just another New Year’s Resolution! Dr. Melley offers a variety of ways to supplement your diet and skin care regimen to help your skin look and feel its best this winter.
A proper diet and nutrition may positively impact your skin health when paired with a skin care regimen and laser skin rejuvenation. There is a wealth of information regarding the effect diet has on skin health so it is important to ask your doctor before altering your diet or daily skin care routine. Dr. Melley will be able to recommend supplements that may boost your diet and skin care efforts and determine which laser skin rejuvenation treatments will best benefit your skin based on overall condition and desired goals.
PicoSure by Cynosure is one of the many lasers used by the expert staff at The Laser Institute of Pinehurst to combat signs of aging, pigmentation, and wrinkles. PicoSure is minimally invasive so it is safer than more traditional methods. It uses targeted energy in order to gently improve your skin’s overall texture, reduce acne scarring, fine lines and sun damage with no downtime. After treatment you can immediately go back to your daily routine.
In combination with diet, supplements and a healthy skincare routine, laser skin rejuvenation can boost your skin’s appearance so you can feel ready to tackle the New Year. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Melley to determine your options based on your desired needs. The experts at The Laser Institute of Pinehurst can tailor a skin rejuvenation program that suits your needs and goals. Learn more about how which laser treatments can benefit you and help you achieve younger looking skin at pinehurstlaser.com/Lasers or call 910-295-1130 today to schedule your consultation!
Posted on November 8, 2017
Chemical Peels Come in all Strengths and Sizes for all Skin Types
Contrary to popular belief, not all chemical peels will leave you hiding away from the rest of the world until the recovery time has taken its course. Chemical peels vary in intensity and strength, and can be applied to all skin types as well as other areas of the body other than just the face.
The Laser Institute of Pinehurst offers multiple options in skin rejuvenation using chemical peels. They are used as a non-surgical way to treat many skin conditions including:
- Acne
- Aging skin
- Blackheads and whiteheads
- Sun damage
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- And so much more!
There are 3 chemical peel strengths: superficial, medium, and deep. Superficial peels are the lightest and treat discoloration, sun damage, very fine lines and soft wrinkles and stimulates collagen production. Superficial peels often take several treatments. Medium peels reach the entire epidermis and are used to treat stretch marks, wrinkles, and scars. As the skin recovers new, tighter, smoother skin replaces it. Both superficial and medium peels require little to no downtime. Deep peels go further by reaching the epidermis, the pappilary dermis and penetrating the reticular dermis. While this peel is the longest lasting and is used for spot treatment, deep scars, and deep wrinkles, it also requires the longest recovery time and can sometimes be painful.
After a consultation with Dr. Melley or one of her certified Aestheticians, a treatment plan will be customized for each patient’s particular needs. Call 910-295-1130 to schedule a skin consultation today!
Posted on September 8, 2017
PicoSure for Facial Rejuvenation
The face is one of the first areas of the body to show signs of aging. While there are many remedies available professing a quick fix for sun damage, age spots, acne, skin aging or all of them put together, in our experience laser treatments for facial rejuvenation yield the best results. PicoSure, one of our most popular laser treatments, is not only used for tattoo removal at the Laser Institute of Pinehurst; it is also used to rejuvenate the skin, giving the patient a more even tone with a youthful glow.
PicoSure works by using highly targeted energy, gently disrupting the particles responsible for pigmented skin such as freckles and age spots. With the Focus lens, PicoSure also targets wrinkles, age lines and acne scars. To improve the skin, PicoSure creates gentle pressure waves to activate the body’s natural immune response. It does not rely on high heat like other lasers. This allows patients to enjoy more comfortable sessions and a shorter recovery time after treatment, with most patients reporting only a few hours of mild redness.
If you are interested in PicoSure treatments to for any of the following:
- Acne scarring
- Sun damage
- Age spots
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Skin discoloration/pigmentation
- Freckles
Please contact the Laser Institute of Pinehurst at 910-295-1130 to schedule a consultation today!
*The Laser Institute of Pinehurst offers multiple choices in laser treatments. We recommend a consultation at our office to determine which laser treatment is the best for you.
Posted on April 7, 2017
Turn Back the Clock with Sun Spot Treatments
Does your skin show the signs of wear that come from years of sun exposure? Are you frustrated by dark spots, age spots, wrinkles and/or fine lines? If so, it may be time to think about the laser and skin care treatments we offer at Pinehurst Laser. For hyperpigmentation, sun damage, freckles and age spots, we provide state-of-the-art, anti-aging laser skin rejuvenation treatment that reduces wrinkles and helps resurface the skin.
What Is Skin Rejuvenation?
Whether you’re after a healthier complexion, smoother skin tones or younger looking skin, skin rejuvenation treatments can make all the difference. At Pinehurst Laser, we use a variety of different lasers and light-based procedures to target skin issues caused by age and sun exposure. These treatments include:
- Intense Pulsed Light
- Photofacials
- Laser Facials
Are you ready to learn more about skin rejuvenation and how it can breathe new life into your skin? Talk to us! Book a free consultation to speak with one of our experts about the benefits of laser skin treatments for you.
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