Laser Tattoo Removal

Although traditional procedures are still used today, lasers have become the standard treatment for tattoo removal because they offer an effective alternative that is low-risk, bloodless and has minimal side effects. Today, the Q-switched Nd:Yag laser is among the most frequently used lasers for the removal of unwanted tattoos.

Is the treatment painful? People who have had tattoo removal by laser say that the laser feels like a rubber band snapping the skin. While a local anaesthetic is not necessary some practitioners will apply a local anesthetic cream to the area to be treated beforehand to numb this sensation. Each procedure only takes a few minutes but often more than one treatment is necessary to completely remove the tattoo. Three-week intervals between sessions are required to allow pigment residue to be absorbed by the body. Following treatment, the doctor will apply an antibacterial ointment and dressing to the area, which should be kept clean with continued application of ointment as directed by your doctor. Your skin might feel slightly sunburned for a couple of days and the treated area may remain red for a few weeks.

Lasers work by producing short pulses of intense light that pass harmlessly through the top layers of the skin to be selectively absorbed by the tattoo pigment. This laser energy causes the tattoo pigment to break into smaller particles that are then removed by the body's own immune system (scavenger cells).

Because black pigment absorbs all laser wavelengths, it's the easiest to remove. Other colors, such as green, selectively absorb laser light and can only be treated by selected lasers based on the pigment color.

The Fotona QX combines a powerful Q-switched Nd: YAG laser with a frequency doubled KTP Nd:YAG laser. This combination makes the QX the ideal tool to effectively remove multi-colored and complex tattoos.