Laser Tattoo Removal

 

Removal of Tattoos - Overview

Tattoos are of two main types, the Indian ink amateur type tattoo or the multicoloured, professional tattoo.

The single colour, Indian ink amateur tattoo usually responds most satisfactorily to laser treatment. The tattoo removal is managed when the laser energy of the beam breaks up the Indian ink particles into very tiny fragments. These fragments are taken up by the scavenger cells in the skin (the macrophages), and carried away from the tattoo site, resulting in less tattoo pigment at the original site, and therefore, in a gradual disappearance of the tattoo.

Indian ink tattoo may respond to as few as two treatments, but usually require between six to ten treatments for them to resolve. Occasionally, however, the tattoo will not resolve completely, even with the best laser technology, and a little `ghosting` of pigment remains. The reason for this resistance to laser treatment is not known, but it may be that the ink is lying too deeply for the laser light to reach, or that the skin has been stained by the ink.

Multi-coloured, professional tattoos are much more difficult to remove completely. Blue-black, black, and red colours in the tattoos are not unduly difficult to remove, but green, yellow, white, blue and purple pigment in the tattoo is particularly difficult. Whilst the Indian ink tattoo and red areas in the tattoo may disappear after six to ten treatments, the other colours may need considerably more treatments. Indeed, sometimes these pigments will not disappear at all, despite the use of advance laser technology .The scientific reason for this failure to respond is that the colours do not have a corresponding laser light. However, these tattoos may need treating up to twenty times, even with the latest and most modern systems.

Most patients find laser treatment of tattoos not too uncomfortable and experience a pricking sensation of the skin. If this becomes too severe, either a local anaesthetic cream (EMLA cream), or local anaesthetic injected into the area can be used and the doctor treating the you would be pleased to advise about this if you do use EMLA cream, it needs applying liberally under an occlusive dressing two hours before your treatment to produce maximum results. This may increase the number of sessions you require by at least 50%.