How Does Laser Tattoo Removal Work

Removing that unwanted tattoo may be the main focus on your mind right now. However, as you consider your tattoo removal options, you may be wondering exactly how laser tattoo removal works and whether it will work for you.

Laser beams can be targeted towards specific areas of the skin. As the heat penetrates, it can break down pigments in the skin cells. Thus, the tattoo pigments that have been applied to your skin can be broken down and the ink absorbed by your body, restoring your body to the unblemished canvas it once was.

Generally, three lasers are used in laser tattoo removal. These lasers are the Q-switched Ruby, the Q-switched Alexandrite and the Q-switched Nd: YAG. The lasers have short high-energy pulses of light which do not damage the outer epidermis, and which are able to penetrate the skin to break down the unwanted ink.

We spoke to Dr. Alex Kaplan of Tattoo MD in Los Angeles who uses a combination of lasers- a Ruby laser from Asclepion and a YAG laser from Hoya ConBio. He says each laser is effective but some colors respond better to one laser over the other. He says, "For the black inks, the YAG is just as good as the Ruby, but is faster and safer. On the other hand, the Ruby is more effective on blue and green pigments. Red ink responds much better to the 532 nm setting on the YAG." He says that having the two lasers offers a great benefit as he can switch back and forth to get optimal removal.

Does it Work

The lasers can most effectively break down older tattoos, since ink technology was not as advanced. Black and blue absorb the most wavelengths of light, so can be removed much more easily then yellow or green. If the tattoo is on a fattier area of the body, you are also more likely to experience success at removal.



How Many Sessions Are Required

The number of sessions required to remove a tattoo varies depending on your circumstances. Multiple sessions spaced several weeks apart are usually required so the body has time to break down all of the ink pigments. Each treatment usually takes a few minutes, and you may experience some mild discomfort. Ice is usually applied for about 30 minutes after the procedure, and then a bandage and topical antibiotic may be applied.

What Happens After

You may experience mild scarring or skin discoloration in the area where the tattoo was removed. If complete removal is not possible, you may also notice remnants from the tattoo. However, laser tattoo removal is generally thought to have less scarring then other treatment methods designed to remove tattoos.