Over the last couple of months I have attended Macmillan Coffee mornings at Medway Hospital and Kims Hospital in Maidstone. When speaking to ladies about radiotherapy spots, they don’t realise that they are actually tattoos and they can be removed professionally and effectively using a laser machine. The radiotherapy spots are usually found at the side of the breast area and/or directly in the middle of the breasts, some of which can be like a pin point mark, others small dots.
What are radiotherapy spots and why do they appear? Depending on the type of radiotherapy you have had, your radiographer may have made 1-5 pin point tattoo marks on your skin; those markers will then be used to line up the radiotherapy machine, making sure that they treat the exact same area each time.
It has been brought to my attention recently that radiotherapy spots can cause distress and upset as they become a permanent reminder of a previous stage in the person’s lifetime. Although ladies are now in remission and cancer free, they are still reminded daily of a time in their lives that they’d rather not be reminded of. More and more ladies want to remove their radiotherapy spots because they want to move on, they don’t want to be reminded of the procedure and how poorly they were and have that constant reminder every time they look in the mirror.
The process to remove the spots would involve a 30-minute free consultation, followed by a patch test and then your series of treatments. A patch test and consultation is always required in order to test the reaction of the skin and make sure there are no contra-indications. After a consultation and patch test have been completed, the treatments will then be every 8-10 weeks and for the radiotherapy spots to be gone completely you are looking at 4-8 sessions. The treatment time will only take a couple of seconds and in terms of pain, it is tolerable. I do have a CryoCooler which will enable us to get the skin nice and cold beforehand, it doesn’t take away the discomfort completely but it certainly helps.
How does it work?
Q-Switched Lasers generate a high-powered beam of laser light in an extremely short pulse and are the most suitable lasers for tattoo removal treatment. The very short pulse of high powered laser light is absorbed by the tattoo ink particles, breaking them down into smaller pieces, enabling your natural immune system to disperse the ink. A gradual fading of the tattoo occurs over a series of weeks and treatments.
What machine do you have?
The machine I have invested in is a medical graded machine from Lynton Lasers and found within the NHS.
Is there anything to consider before having the treatment done?
You would need to wait until you have been in remission for 3 years and you would need a letter from the doctor / hospital to confirm it is ok to have laser. If you have been in remission for 5 years or more a letter isn’t needed.
Are the consultations free?
Absolutely, I really encourage everyone to come into the clinic and meet me first!
Can I bring a friend?
I appreciate the process can be a little daunting and I want you to feel at ease and as comfortable as possible, so, if bringing a friend or family member does that, then please bring them along.
I thought it might be nice to put a client testimonial at the bottom of this blog, so here it is;
Client Testimonial:
“I am due to get married in August 2020, I have the most beautiful dress and the most beautiful underwear however the bra in the middle dips slightly exposing a spot which I got from radiotherapy. My husband to be isn’t fussed at all, he doesn’t even notice it, but for me, it’s something that bothers me when I see it and I would like to wear my wedding underwear with confidence and not be reminded of the ordeal I went through. I didn’t realise that removing the spots were an option, I have had 1 session already and I can already see such a difference. I am so excited”.
Anonymous breast cancer survivor – 5 years cancer free
I am currently offering a free Radiation Tattoo Removal Program for Cancer Survivors. If you would like to come and meet me after reading this blog, please drop me a message, it would be lovely to meet you x