health & wellness

What Was I Thinking? from page 64

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November 28 • 2013

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"The number of treatments may
vary depending on the size and color
of the tattoo:' he says. "Treatment also
varies with each patient depending
on their age, skin color and the depth
of the tattoo pigment. Each tattoo is
unique, and removal techniques must
be tailored for each case. As a physi-
cian, I'm able to make any needed
adjustments during the procedure and
handle any complications:'
Wendy Sadoff, M.D., board-
certified dermatologist, Farmington
Hills, is a strong proponent of a physi-
cian being present during laser tattoo
removal.
"When I refer a patient to an office
for tattoo removal I want my patients
served in a medical setting, not in a
center with a non-medical technician:'
Sadoff says. "In fact, I recommend a
medical setting for any laser proce-
dure:'
Kristina Berger, CEO of Erase the
Ink M.D., says, "If you're thinking of
removing a tattoo, ask your doctor
a few questions before committing
yourself. Ask what type of lasers he
uses for removals because the more
types he mentions, the more likely you
will have your tattoo fully erased. Be
sure to ask if the doctor lets a nurse or
technician operate the laser. You need
to have the physician on hand, ready
for any adjustments and complica-
tions:'

Michigan Now Requires
Babies Have Heart Test
Parents of newborns can exhale
a sigh of relief because on Oct.
2, the Michigan Department of
Community Health (MDCH)
announced that Critical Congenital
Heart Disease (CCHD) pulse oxim-
etry screening will be added to the
Michigan newborn screening panel.
The law will require every hospital
in Michigan to perform a pulse
oximetry test on all newborn babies
before they are sent home and will
take effect on April 1, 2014.
This simple, non-invasive test
could help identify up to 90 percent
of congenital heart defects in new-
borns and protect them from going
home susceptible to sudden cardiac
arrest or other dangerous condi-
tions.
Congenital heart defects are the
No. 1 birth defect and a leading
cause of infant death in Michigan.
One out of every 100 babies is born
with a congenital heart defect. Of
those babies with sick hearts, about
60 percent are found in utero during
a routine ultrasound at around 20
weeks. The other 40 percent will not

Jewish Viewpoint
"Judaism clearly prohibits tattoos:' said
Rabbi Aaron Starr of Congregation
Shaarey Zedek in Southfield. "It is
one of the 613 mitzvot, Leviticus, for-
bidding the intentional defacement
of the human body. There is also a
negative emotional reaction among
Jews because the Nazis marked con-
centration camp inmates with a serial
number on their forearms. However,
the persistent myth that a Jew with a
tattoo can't be buried in a Jewish cem-
etery is completely false:'
In spite of Jewish law, tattoos have
become popular and more acceptable
in the American Jewish population
as attitudes change in the broader
culture. There is even a trend toward
Jewish-themed tattoos.
"When someone asks me about tat-
toos, I try to discourage them from
acquiring one, especially if they are
young," says Rabbi Paul Yedwab of
Temple Israel in West Bloomfield. "So
many people regret what they've done,
and tattoo removal is expensive and
can be painful. The quickest change of
heart I know was from a young man in
his 20s. It took him less than two years
to want to get rid of his tattoo:'
Today, tattoos are popular in our
society, often celebrated by entertain-
ment and sports figures. Even so, it's
still common to hear someone ask:
"What was I thinking?"

❑

be detected until after birth, either
because of a physical manifestation
of the disease or now, pulse oxim-
etry screening.

Smokers Offered $99
Lung Cancer Screening
Former and current smokers who
may be at risk of lung cancer may
be eligible for a $99 low-dose CT
screening of their lungs at Henry
Ford Hospital.
Henry Ford was part of a national
study, which found in 2010 that
CT screening showed a 20 percent
reduction in deaths from lung can-
cer than those screened by chest
X-ray.
The criteria are 55-74 years of
age, current smoker who smoked at
least one pack a day for 30 years or a
former smoker who quit less than 15
years ago, after a significant smok-
ing history.
Screenings are offered at Henry
Ford locations including its West
Bloomfield Hospital at 6777 West
Maple.
To determine eligibility and make
an appointment, call (313) 916-
1381.