How Does Tattoo Removal Work?
Ever gotten a tattoo that lost its appeal over time or didn’t even look great to begin with? You are not alone. Thousands of Americans have invested in tattoo removal, and the number is increasing. Spending on laser tattoo removal is expected to pass $83 million by 2018.
The secret to tattoos’ permanence is a process of injecting pigment into holes into the skin that is small but deep, created by a tattooing needle. Tattooing can be done by anyone from a well-trained professional to an amateur using Internet guides, but the results are permanent either way. This can lead to tattoos that are poorly drawn or executed but extremely difficult to remove. Whether you want to remove a tattoo because it is ugly, the artist made mistakes, or you just don’t like it anymore, getting rid of a tattoo with a laser is widely regarded as the most effective method.
Laser tattoo removal here in Los Angeles is a complex process that depends on the colors used in the tattoo. Our Harmony XL Pro laser system uses the most popular kind of laser used by professionals nationwide called the Q-switched Nd:YAG. The most prominent colors used in most tattoos are dark hues like black and dark blue, which the system is designed to target. For warm colors like yellow, orange, and red, we use the 532nm KTP laser. The majority of tattoos these days use a spectrum of color, so our equipment is designed with multiple wavelengths.
What’s even more exciting? Here at Pacific Palisades Plastic Surgery the most recent development in tattoo removal technology is the use of picosecond lasers, which use very short pulses to break apart tattoo ink lodged deep in the skin. That makes it easier and quicker to remove the ink, which means fewer treatments, quicker results, and a more comfortable removal process.