Tattoo Removal: Improvement with Laser Combinations?

In the early 1990s the Q switched lasers were introduced for the treatment of tattoos. They represented a significant advance over previous treatment methods (dermabrasion, salabrasion, excision etc.) in that they were able to remove pigment with relatively little damage to the surrounding tissue. By using very short, high intensity pulses of light, high levels of energy were delivered to the target (tattoo pigment) causing it to shatter. Since the laser emits a single wavelength of light, a light frequency could be chosen that was absorbed by the pigment but not by the surrounding tissues. The most commonly used frequency has been 1064nm emitted by the NDYag laser. This frequency is well absorbed by dark blue and black pigment, the most frequently used colors in tattoos. When the light frequency is halved to 532nm, a technical trick that is not too difficult, red pigment can also be treated.

Two significant problems remain. First, multiple treatments are necessary. When the laser light interacts with the skin and the pigment, rapid inflammatory changes occur that greatly reduce the transmission of the laser light. Therefore it is necessary to stop the treatment after one or two passes and allow the inflammation to subside before the next treatment.

The second problem is that there has been a proliferation of colors used in tattoos, and these pigments do not react with the 1064 or 532 wavelengths. As a result there are a lot of tattoo colors out there that are difficult or impossible to treat effectively. Green pigment is relatively common, and treatment requires a different wavelength which is delivered by the alexandrite laser. Unfortunately, these lasers cost $60-90,000 and there are very few centers that can afford to buy one for the primary purpose of treating green tattoos. Some colors, such as sky blue, yellows and tans do not respond well to any current laser.

Since the original development of the Q switched lasers, there has been no significant in tattoo removal technology. In the January 2011 issue of Dermatologic Surgery Weiss and Geronemus published preliminary results of their studies on using laser combinations to treat tattoos.

Tattoo Tips

Most people do not think about removal of a tattoo when they are having a tattoo applied. Nevertheless, the statistics show that 80% of people with tattoos eventually regret having them put on. That means it would be smart to at least give a little thought to the possibility that you might not be totally happy with the tattoo sometime in the future.

Laser tattoo removal

Lasers have become the treatment of choice for tattoo removal, primarily because of the decreased risk of scarring. Laser tattoo removal does occasionally produce a scar, especially on the chest or back of a person prone to the development of keloids, or lumpy scars. Nevertheless, overall the risk of scarring with laser treatment is much less than with any other treatment.
The laser works by putting out a very high intensity beam of light that is absorbed by the tattoo pigment and shatters it. Tattoo lasers tend to be Q switched, which means they put out a very powerful pulse of light that is very short in duration. The light must interact with the pigment to be effective, so the wavelength of the laser determines the colors that the laser can treat.

Tattoo Removal: Things you should know

Years ago it was said that no one who was psychologically "normal" got a tattoo. Now getting a tattoo is hot, and many mainstream people have them. As the number of tattoos increases, so does the demand for tattoo removal. One initial word of advice. Don't get a name tattooed on you. 50% of marriages end in divorce, and other relationships, with the exception of parent and child, are even more ephemeral. Tattoos are much easier, and cheaper, to get than to get rid of.
There are many ways to get rid of tattoos: surgery, dermabrasion, acid treatments, sanding, abrading with salt and the use of lasers. With the exception of surgery (cutting it out), all the treatments require repeated assaults on the tattoo.