The removal of tattoos is now possible utilizing laser technology, however, the ease of the removal of a tattoo depends on its color, depth, the chemical composition of inks, etc. Black, red, dark-orange and dark-blue tattoos will respond quickly to treatment with lasers, however certain colors such as green, purple, brown, light-orange and light-blue colors may respond more slowly. Most tattoos require numerous treatments at 6-8 week intervals for clearing. The average tattoo may take 5-7 treatments to clear. Laser technology for treating tattoos has evolved substantially over the last 10 years to the most advanced tattoo laser in the world, the Palomar Q-YAG5. This laser, known as a Q-switched laser, fires a very rapid pulse of laser light, in the range of a billionth of a second, achieving a very high spike of power, or so-called peak power, to shatter the tattoo granules into fine dust that is carried away by your body's lymphatic system.
All tattoos are evaluated in terms of type of tattoo, i.e. home tattoo, permanent, makeup or professional tattoo, length of time the tattoo has been present and any obvious skin reaction or preexistence textural changes. Your initial consult will also help us to determine whether you are a good candidate for laser tattoo removal and whether you can expect any treatment-resistant areas, etc. Your tattoo will be photographed and measured and the operative protocol will be reviewed with you.
For additional information on tattoo removal, visit the
American Society of Plastic Surgeons for this procedure.
