Tattoo Removal Treatment
Whatever the motivation, we can help with that tattoo you no longer want on your body.
Tattoos are no longer forever!
Changing your mind about your ink is surprisingly common. People may regret the tattoo they got when they were younger, others no longer identify with the tattoo they once loved, the tattoo may not fit their present lifestyle, or they simply want to make room for new artwork. Whatever the motivation, there tends to be two solutions: get a cover-up or get the tattoo removed.
In order to completely conceal an existing tattoo, cover-ups usually require the use of darker, heavily pigmented inks. This especially applies to tattoos that contain a lot of black ink, which the majority of tattoos do. No matter how talented a cover-up tattoo artist is, they still need to use twice or triple the amount of ink to ensure no traces of the original tattoo come through. This can pose as a problem for clients who are interested in replacing their old artwork with a more colorful tattoo or a piece with lighter colors. Most successful cover-ups also need to cover more space on the skin in efforts to completely hide an existing tattoo, meaning the client would have to be comfortable with a larger tattoo.
Laser tattoo removal offers another solution. Our skillful laser technicians can fade or lighten a tattoo instead of completely removing the entire piece. Lightening a tattoo can prepare a cleaner canvas for a tattoo artist to apply a cover-up by removing certain design aspects.
When it comes to deciding between getting a cover-up or getting laser tattoo removal, it’s safe to say that laser tattoo removal will deliver the best results. Not only does laser tattoo removal make things easier on your tattoo artist, but it will open up the aesthetic possibilities for new body art.
Our newest acquisition for Tattoo Removal here at New Light Laser & Aesthetics, is the PicoSure Laser. It is a minimally invasive procedure with little downtime. While the removal site needs time to heal, people can resume normal activities immediately.
PicoSure can be two to three times more effective than other laser tattoo removal systems. This means that our patients need fewer treatments, approximately 6 to 9, to achieve the desired results, as opposed to 16+ treatments from non-picosecond pulse duration laser technology to achieve only a 50-75% tattoo reduction.
How Does Traditional Tattoo Removal Work?
The ink used in tattoos is made from minerals. To understand how tattoo removal works think of the ink as tiny rocks.
Traditional lasers used for tattoo removal, called Q-Switch, use nanosecond lasers that rely on photothermal action and deliver heat into the pigment and surrounding tissue. With multiple treatments, the “rocks” are broken down into smaller and smaller “pebbles.” This requires many treatments with Q-Switches and total clearance is rarely possible.
PicoSure is the NEW GOLD standard technology proved to remove tattoos faster and better compared to "Q-Switch" which is an older technology available in the market.
What Makes PicoSure Different?
PicoSure operates at speeds measured in trillionths of a second. It uses pressure-wave technology that creates an intense mechanical impact that shatters the ink into tiny particles. The “rocks” are not reduced to “pebbles,” but instead become “sand.” These tiny ink particles are easily eliminated from the body.
PicoSure clears tattoos in fewer treatments, with less discomfort and without injuring the surrounding skin. The Picosure laser is effective on previously treated tattoos that failed to clear and even stubborn inks can be removed with fewer treatments.
Once the tattoo is removed, it does not come back. The results are permanent. People can get a new tattoo or enjoy tattoo-free skin after the procedure without fear of the old tattoo reappearing.
Pre-treatment Instructions - PicoSure
Precautions to take before your light-based treatment:
- No sun exposure, tanning beds and sunless tanning cream for 4 weeks prior to treatment. Sun exposure decreases the effectiveness of the laser treatment and can increase the chance of Post treatment complications.
- Use a broad spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. Apply to the treated area every 2 hours when exposed to the sun and it is recommended to make this a part of your skin care routine.
- Remove all makeup, creams or oils prior to treatment.
- Be sure to inform your care provider if you have ever had cosmetic tattoos or cosmetic pigmentation or permanent makeup applied near the area of treatment.
Instructions following your laser tattoo removal treatment:
After cleansing and while skin is still moist, apply a thin layer of Aquaphor®️ ointment to the treated tattoo.
Apply a non-stick pad over the tattoo until it is healed.
Avoid sun exposure to the treated area. Use a broad spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. Apply to the treated area every 2 hours when exposed to the sun and it is recommended to make this part of your skin care routine.
Clean the area daily with mild soap and water and pat dry.
Do not shave the treated area if crusting is evident.
Avoid sun exposure between treatments. If sun exposure is unavoidable, apply SPF 30+ to protect exposed, treated areas.
Apply moisturizers for sensitive skin as needed.
For patients who are prone to breakouts or have sebaceous skin, consider waiting 24 hours before applying any topical products.
Do not rub or scratch the area.
Discomfort may be relieved by using cool gel packs or acetaminophen.
If blistering occurs, keep the area moist by applying Aquaphor®️ 3 times per day or antibiotic ointment per recommendation of the physician. Do not enter swimming pools or hot tubs until treated areas are healed.
No swimming or using hot tubs for 48 hours post treatment.
After your first laser tattoo removal treatment, we will also send you home with a bottle of CytoDerma™ to help the body’s natural healing process.
CytoDerma™ is semi-occlusive which improves hydration to the injured skin area. Moist wound environments are known to be conducive to faster epithelialization and fewer scar-related symptoms of pain and pruritus.
CytoDerma™ forms a thin layer over the injured skin area. It is gas-permeable and semi-occlusive, allowing excess heat to escape. It is also bacteriostatic and inert and therefore will not react with newly forming fibrous tissues. This leads to a reduction in the inflammatory response.
The body's natural skin healing process results in an immature stratum corneum and allows abnormally high levels of trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL). This signals keratinocytes to produce cytokines that activate dermal fibroblasts to produce collagen. Excessive collagen production leads to abnormal scarring such as hypertrophic scars and keloid scars. CytoDerma™ applied over the scar restores the barrier function of the stratum corneum, reducing TEWL and turning off the stimulation of keratinocytes. Keratinocytes stop producing cytokines that activate dermal fibroblasts.
