Q-switched lasers are the gold standard for treatment of tattoos.
What types of tattoos are removed?
All types of tattoos can be removed using this process. This will include tattoos done by professionals and accidental tattoos that are caused by bruising and injury of the skin. Colored tattoos are also removed, although yellow or green tattoos pose a greater challenge when it comes to removal and subsequent treatments may be necessary.
How do Q switched lasers work?
A specific wavelength of light passes into the skin and gets absorbed by the ink. As a result, the tattoo ink breaks into small particles which can then be eliminated by body’s natural filtering systems. The surrounding skin is never harmed. Different colors of ink have different spectra and so the laser machine has to be calibrated according to the ink to be removed. Any kind of tattoos – amateur, professional, surgical and tattoos formed after any injury, can be removed.
What is the laser procedure?
Treatments may require local anaesthesia and there may be associated pain and reaction at the site of laser delivery, which resolves in a few days. Professional tattoos require 6-10 sessions, whereas amateur ones need 4-5 sessions, all spaced at an interval of 6-8 weeks. The type and amount of ink used, and the depth of the ink in the skin – all these factors decide how many sessions of treatments would be required for you.
Generally, dark (black and blue) and red inks resolve the best. Purple and orange also fade usually. Yellow and green inks are the most difficult to remove and hence further treatments may be required to produce significant fading or they may need a Q switched alexandrite laser for removal.
Will the results be permanent?
Yes,the the results will be permanent.
How many treatments are required?
Professional tattoos require 6-10 sessions, whereas amateur ones need 4-5 sessions, all spaced at an interval of 6-8 weeks The factors that come to play in determining the number of treatments required to successfully complete these procedure depend on the size and depth of the tattoo and also the type of tattoo itself.
Are there any side effects?
There may be a change in the pigmentation of the skin with hyper-pigmentation, hypo-pigmentation witnessed as rare complications of the procedure.
Allergic reactions/eczema may be rarely triggered by the treatment and Scarring and other changes in the skin texture may be reported, keloids formation can occur in predisposed individuals, particularly with deep tattoos that are harder to remove.