A method of manufacturing a write pole that prevents P2 pedestal consumption during ion milling removal of coil and pole seed layers. The write head can be constructed by forming a first pole and then forming a magnetic pedestal (P2) over the first pole. A protective layer of, for example, alumina is deposited over a portion of the pedestal in the pole tip region, leaving a portion of the pedestal uncovered in the flare region. A coil seed layer can then be deposited and a coil formed. When the coil seed layer is removed, such as by ion milling, the pole tip region of the pedestal is protected from the ion milling by the protective layer. Similarly, a top pole can be deposited by first depositing an electrically conductive, magnetic seed layer and then plating the top pole. When the top pole seed layer is removed by ion milling, the pole tip region of the pedestal is protected from removal by the protective layer.