Tattoo Removal

Laser technology was invented on the principles of quantum mechanics. In tattoo removal, the laser is targeted at the ink of your tattoo which shatters it into tiny fragments, much like a hammer would if you cracked it against a pane of glass. Your immune system recognises these fragments as foreign and stimulates their removal via the natural detoxification processes.

There are fundamentally two different technologies, the older Q-Switched lasers, which used nanosecond technology, and the new PicoSure and PicoWay lasers which use picosecond technology.

Simply, the difference between the two is speed of energy delivery, with Q-Switched lasers running at 1000 millionths of a second, and PicoSure & PicoWay in trillionths of a second; so the difference is pretty substantial.

The faster the energy delivery, the greater the impact on the ink, so it breaks up much more dramatically. Additionally, Q-Switched Lasers rely on heat or thermal energy, that reach further out into the surrounding skin unnecessarily, whereas PicoSure & PicoWay deliver a more localised, more powerful, mechanical effect without affecting the surrounding tissue.

PicoSure & PicoWay are the safest, most effective tattoo removal lasers available; they successfully remove complex/multi-coloured/stubborn tattoos, and results are achieved in much less time.

On average, it takes between 4-8 treatments to remove a tattoo using PicoSure or PicoWay, treatment requires gaps of 4-8 weeks between sessions, this is 2-4 times faster than any previous laser technology.

No two tattoos are the same (colour and density of ink for example) and no two people are the same (your immune response and detoxification capacity play a significant role in the process), so this does vary from person to person. Your practitioner should be able to give you an estimate at your initial consultation.

The recommended time between treatments for PicoSure & PicoWay is 4-8 weeks. During this interim period your immune and detoxification processes can perform their role in the procedure.

The duration of treatment depends on the size of your tattoo. It may be a few minutes for a small tattoo, or over an hour for a very large tattoo. The practitioner will help you prepare for the treatment and once you are ready the treatment begins.

The practitioner will direct the head of the machine at the tattoo, from which the laser is fired directly at the ink. The head of the machine is carefully moved over the tattoo to ensure it is all targeted.

As this happens, the ink of the tattoo commonly turns white, with a frosted appearance. Laser tattoo removal does involve some discomfort, but it is often described as less discomfort than actually having the tattoo in the first place.

Following this, there is usually some redness and a slight swelling of the treated area that lasts a few hours. Methods of cooling the skin are advised post-treatment, and numbing creams can be used before treatment if necessary, so be sure to discuss this with your practitioner.

• For the first 24 hours after treatment the area should be covered with ointment and a bandage to protect the area from any abrasion.
• When showering/bathing, avoid the use of personal care products on the treated area, just rinse it with warm (not hot) water.
• Keep the area covered for one week post-treatment to prevent abrasion, and promote healing.
• For at least two days post-treatment, avoid any sports that may result in injury to the treated area.
• For a minimum of one week post treatment, avoid saunas/hot tubs etc.
• Avoid shaving the area, especially if a scab has formed.
• Protect the area from sunlight/tanning-bed exposure as the skin will burn more easily, and it can increase the risk for developing hyper-pigmentation (darkened patches of skin). If the sun cannot be avoided, use SPF 30 or above over the entire treated area. Follow this protocol until your tattoo is fully removed.
• Avoid the use of perfumed products or those containing alcohol on the treated area.
• Follow the aftercare instructions provided by your practitioner.

With Q-Switched lasers that use thermal energy, there is a risk for heat damage and scarring, but this risk is very minimal with the PicoSure & PicoWay lasers because the energy used is mechanical rather than thermal.

There may be some blistering, itching, redness/flaring, bleeding, crusting of the treated area, but following the aftercare recommendations will help keep these to a minimum and assist in a swift recovery.

Hyperpigmentation or Hypopigmentation (darkening or lightening of the skin) may occur as a temporary reaction that commonly returns to normal after 2-6 months.

In the majority of cases the potential side effects do not occur, but a small percentage of people experience one or more of the above.

Some discomfort is to be expected, but it is generally described as less painful than actually getting a tattoo in the first place. The individual experience will vary from person to person, but it is usually described as similar to ‘being pinged with an elastic band’. Your practitioner can advise you on how to minimize any discomfort that you feel.

These lasers are very similar, using the same picosecond technology, but made by different companies. The PicoSure laser is produced by CynoSure and the PicoWay is produced by Syneron Candela.

There are some technical differences, but without getting unnecessarily complicated the only real difference, is that the PicoWay is suitable for darker skin and the PicoSure is not. RevLite takes slightly longer to remove the tattoo which varies between clients and is suitable for all skin types.

If you would like more information on which laser is more suitable to you, just ask your technician at your free consultation.