Tattoos are no longer forever
Decorative tattooing in humans can be traced back thousands of years. So can the desire to remove them. Today, while nearly 10% of adults in the United States have tattoos, more than half regret them, and would like to have them eliminated. What looks good at 18 may seem undesirable 20 years later. Viewed by teenagers as self-expression and identity, tattoos may create barriers to employment and social acceptance at a more mature age. In additions, as their colors fade and skin looses its youthful elasticity, tattoos may become defacements rather than decorations.

Q-Switched lasers now provide a safe and effective way of removing tattoos.  Eliminating tattoos, this laser treatment leaves natural-looking skin.

How does the Q-Switched laser work?
The Q-Switched Nd:YAG laser delivers light quickly – in billionths of a second – and at very high energy. These pulses are absorbed by the tattoo, breaking it into pigment particles small enough for removal by the body.

Is it safe?
Q-switched laser technology offers high efficiency at very low risk. It enables effective tattoo removal with little chance of side effects.

What kind of tattoos can be treated?
Q-Switched laser systems can now remove all types of tattoos with little or no scarring. Professional and amateur tattoos, as well as traumatic tattoos, resulting from accidents, are treated successfully. The Q-Switched laser can also remove cosmetic tattoos, such as eye or lip liner.

Can the Q-Switched laser remove all color tattoos?
The Q-Switched Nd:YAG laser is the work horse of tattoo removal. The Q-Switched Nd:YAG laser is especially suited to the removal of dark blue and black inks. The frequency doubled Q-Switched Nd:YAG laser is used to remove red and orange tattoos.

Treatment – what to expect?
While pain tolerance is an individual matter, most people tolerate Q-Switched tattoo treatment well, and describe the sensation as a rubber band snap to the skin. The majority of patients require no anesthesia, though topical anesthetic is an option for sensitive areas.

In determining the number of treatments necessary, the physician will consider such factors such as tattoo location, and patient’s age and the skin type.

The Q-Switched Laser Advantage
Tattoo removal methods have existed just as long as the process itself. However, the scarring and pain associated with these procedures is often more offensive than the tattoo itself. Salabrasion and dermabrasion – the “sanding” of the pigmented skin – cause trauma, bleeding and significant scarring. Invasive incisions – the actual cutting out of tattoos – leave scars and is suitable for small areas. For larger tattoos, skin grafting, which leave scars at sites of both graft and tattoo, is necessary.

Q-Switched Nd:YAG lasers offer significant advantages over previous methods for tattoo removal, and are presently the treatment of choice for tattoo removal.