Using Pico Pulsed Laser to Remove Tattoo Inks
For many years, tattoo removal has been performed with various treatments with varying degrees of success. While tattoos are still considered permanent, it is now becoming easier to remove them with newer, more advanced lasers.
How does tattoo ink stay in the skin?
In order for the ink to stay permanently in the skin, a tattoo artist punctures the skin with hundreds of needle pricks, depending on the size of the tattoo. Each prick delivers ink into the dermis, the skin layer below the epidermis. Most of the tattoo pigments stay put after the ink is delivered into the skin. It stays in the dermis within the skin cells. Getting a tattoo may seem like a good idea at the spur-of-the-moment, but tattoo regret is very common. In fact, a survey was conducted with 600 people who got tattoo and about 75 percent of the respondents expressed their regret for getting inked. Fortunately, newer and more advanced lasers are able to remove tattoo of all colours more effectively with lesser downtime.
How do Pico Lasers remove tattoos?
The energy emitted by Pico Laser creates an intense photoacoustic impact on the skin in one-trillionth of a second. This spares the skin serious thermal damage that regular lasers may inflict. This is because the dwell-time of Pico Lasers on the skin is much shorter than older lasers, causing the skin to heat up less quickly and reduce the chances of scarring.
At Nueva, we offer the Fotona Starwalker Laser to reduce the appearance of tattoo inks. The Fotona Starwalker technology also targets dark pigments on the skin with more precision and efficacy.
Are all tattoo inks easy to remove?
Unfortunately, no. Different colour pigments respond to different wavelengths of light. In general, black inks are the easiest to remove because black pigments absorb energy from the laser most readily. This is followed by red, and darker shades of blue. Light green and neon colours are the most challenging to remove. Some factors that may contribute to the success/ failure in removal of tattoo inks include:
SKIN COLOUR The colour of your skin plays a very important role in determining how easy or difficult it will be removing tattoo from your skin. Pico Lasers work by breaking down the ink colour instead of pigments in your skin when the contrast between ink and your skin colour is huge. This means to say that black ink on a fair-skinned individual would come off more easily than in a person with tanned skin.
AGE OF TATTOO The older a tattoo, the easier it is for the laser to break down the ink pigments. This is because the ink in older tattoos have had more time to disperse under the skin and move closer to the top layer of the skin.
QUALITY OF TATTOO Good quality tattoos are more difficult to remove as compared to a tattoo done by an amateur. If the tattoo is done by an experienced tattoo artist, the ink is usually placed deeper into the skin. This means that removing it becomes more tedious and may take more sessions, but not impossible.
TYPE OF LASER In the past. there was no laser that can remove all ink colours. Most traditional Q-switched lasers can only effectively remove the darker hues, while leaving residual lighter colours in the skin. With newer lasers and a wider variety of wavelengths and handpieces, it is now possible to remove some hues that were previously not possible.
Frequently Asked Questions about Tattoo Removal in Singapore
What can I expect after the treatment?
Your skin may appear “frosted” immediately after the treatment. This is perfectly normal. After a day, you may notice that the treated area becomes slightly inflamed and painful. This is also normal and it should resolve in a few days. About 5 days after the treatment, you will notice the tattoo begin to lighten and become less visible.
What are the side effects of laser tattoo removal?
Laser tattoo removal is an aggressive treatment that uses a powerful laser to break down ink pigments in the dermis layer of the skin. You can expect some redness and inflammation in the few days after treatment. During the recovery process, you need to stay out of the sun and regularly moisturize your skin to encourage healing.
Is laser tattoo removal painful?
Some patients have described the laser procedure for tattoo removal to be painful. Here at Nueva Clinic, our doctors use a combination of topical anaesthetic creams and other pain relief measures during treatment to keep pain levels tolerable.
Does tattoo removal cause scars?
If done properly, the risk of scarring from tattoo removal treatment is minimal. In rare cases, tattoo removal can cause discolouration of the skin i.e. hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation. This typically happens when there are complications from the tattoo removal treatment. It is therefore important that you seek treatment from an experienced doctor so that the risk of such complications can be minimized.
What should I do after tattoo removal treatment?
Proper post-treatment care is important to ensure the best outcome and minimize complications. Here are some tattoo removal aftercare tips we recommend:
- Apply an antibiotic ointment over the treated area to minimize the risk of infection
- Avoid long, hot showers with high water pressure
- Avoid touching or bursting any blisters that may form and leave them to heal on their own
- Avoid participating in activities such as swimming, sauna and tanning
Is there downtime from laser tattoo removal?
You can expect the skin over the treated area to remain inflamed and swollen for 3 to 5 days. During this period, it is imperative that you constantly moisturize your skin and protect your skin from sun exposure.
How many sessions do I need to remove a tattoo?
The number of sessions you need will depend on several factors. These include:
- Your skin colour
- Size of the tattoo
- Age of the tattoo
- Placement of the tattoo
- Colour of the tattoo
- Metabolic rate of your body
How long should I wait between each tattoo removal session?
In general, most cases of tattoo removal will require about 5 to 6 sessions about 6 weeks apart to allow your skin to heal and remove the fragmented ink pigments naturally.
What is the cost of laser tattoo removal in Singapore?
It is difficult to provide an estimated price for tattoo removal because it depends on several factors and the number of sessions you need. In general, a small area will set you back by about $300 a session. Tattoo removal for larger areas can cost up to $2,000 per session in Singapore.
Benefits
Best For
- Remove all colours of tattoo easily
- Convenient treatment with minimal downtime
People who wish to remove their tattoo.
