Kirby–Desai Scale
The Kirby–Desai Scale is a predictive scoring system used in dermatology to estimate the number of laser sessions required to remove a tattoo.
History
William Kirby and Alpesh Desai developed the scale while working at a specialized tattoo removal clinic in Beverly Hills, California, after observing variations in treatment duration among patients. They conducted a retrospective analysis of 100 patient cases treated between 2004 and 2008, discovering a strong statistical correlation between their proposed scoring system and the actual number of sessions needed for clearance. Their findings were published in The Journal of Clinical & Aesthetic Dermatology in March 2009.
Scoring system
The Kirby–Desai Scale aggregates six variables, each scored on an ordinal scale. Fair skin phototypes, proximal body sites, black monochromatic ink, sparse pigment, unscarred skin and single-layer tattoos receive low points, while darker phototypes, distal extremities, multicolored or highly saturated ink, scarring and layered or cover-up work add progressively higher points. In the original algorithm the sum of the six values approximated the number of recommended laser sessions, with an error margin of roughly ±2.5 treatments.