To remove a tattoo is a long drawn out process.
The laser remains the best method to remove a tattoo.
Several years ago doctors looked at the existing technologies and decided that the Q-Switched Nd-YAg lasers should be considered the gold-standard laser for tattoo removal.
The pigment that absorbs the laser energy is called the chromophore. There are 3 processes that happen when the laser beam hits the skin.
- Photothermal effect - the chromophore is heated and effectively burns up.
- Photoacoustic effect - light behaves like a sound wave which shatters the chromophore into much smaller fragments
- Lymphatic clearance - the location of the tattoo determines how easy it is to clear the tattoo. It is much harder to remove tattoos over areas where the skin is thin eg- wrist, ankle. Fleshy areas like the upper arm would be easier.
The pico-second lasers did not yet exist at that time. I personally prefer to use my pico-second laser because the clearance of the tattoo is faster, requiring fewer sessions. Recovery time is also shortened. The chances of scarring is also lower.
