New Beauty Covers ASLMS’s New Beginnings Program, Spearheaded by Dr. Friedman
In addition to his role as Director here at Dermatology & Laser Surgery Center in Houston, board-certified Dermatologist Dr. Paul Friedman is also an active member of the American Society for Laser Medicine & Surgery (ASLMS). In his senior positions at ASLMS, most recently as President, he has worked to expand the New Beginnings tattoo removal program, which now helps survivors of sex trafficking receive free tattoo removal. New Beauty magazine recently interviewed Dr. Friedman for a feature on New Beginnings.
The Importance of Tattoo Removal for Sex Trafficking Survivors
People who are exploited by sex traffickers are often forced to get “branding” tattoos that mark them as the property of their enslavers. For survivors who have worked to overcome the physical and psychological trauma of sex trafficking, the tattoos can be a painful reminder and a roadblock to full recovery. Dr. Friedman explains that removal of these dehumanizing tattoos can help survivors to, “reclaim agency over their bodies, and start a path to a new restorative life.”
How the New Beginnings Program Works
The New Beginnings program at ASLMS works in conjunction with the National Trafficking Sheltered Alliance to ensure that patients also take part in a rehabilitation program or recovery support group. Once patients are ready for tattoo removal, ASLMS connects them with a doctor who can perform laser tattoo removal free of charge. Dr. Friedman stresses the importance of well-trained board-certified physicians who can minimize potential complications. He explains that the experienced physicians in the New Beginnings program are trained to treat patients with the dignity they deserve and they are also qualified to offer “proper pre- and post-care guidance to help prevent adverse events such as scarring, hypo or hyperpigmentation, and paradoxical darkening of the tattoo.”