Tattoos have become a mainstream practice which has greatly increased the percentage of the population who have issues with those tattoos and, as a result, the need for safe and effective tattoo removal continues to grow.

The Laser

The most advanced technology available in the world to remove tattoos of all colors faster and in fewer treatments is now at SKinTEGRITY. The PICO Second laser has not 2 but 3 wavelengths to treat those stubborn colors that could not be removed with the the 1064 or 532 . The 755 wavelength allows all inks to be treated faster and more effectively.

What is the Pico

 – The first and leading choice for comfortable and convenient tattoo removal and skin revitalization treatments for wrinkles, acne scars and pigment like freckles, sunspots and discoloration.

- is the first of a new generation of aesthetic lasers that don’t rely solely on heat to burn or melt away unwanted tattoo ink or melanin, the pigment that causes dark spots in your skin.

-Engineers used cutting edge physics and medical science to help practitioners treat patients in a new way. Instead of building up heat, a Pico delivers energy so rapidly (in trillionths of a second) that tiny particles that make up pigment and tattoo ink vibrate and shatter, without burning surrounding tissue. Less heat means less tissue damage and discomfort.

Even more impressively, it's revolutionary technology is designed to harness the body’s natural healing processes to restore youthful skin in ways never before possible. Using proprietary Focus lens technology, it effectively converts the laser energy into gentle pressure waves that activate Cell Signaling, the body’s natural communication processes and one of the most exciting medical discoveries in recent history

The Process

When the laser pulse is targeted into the tattoo, the ink ball is shattered. Some particles of the ink will travel upwards and be carried away by the body’s natural eliminations systems, the lymph and the blood supply as well as the body's natural sloughing. Some of the ink will travel down into the skin where it will be less visible or unseen completely. The ink that travels sideways is the subject of the subsequent treatments that are required to diminish or clear the tattoo. When the laser pulse hits the ink the reaction will be a frost bump which appears over the pulse. The laser will be set at the lowest point possible to produce this reaction and will need to be increased over time as the tattoo clears. There may be pinpoint bleeding and tenderness at the site. The new PICO laser enters the skin in Pico seconds instead of Nano seconds. This ultra fast pulse technology turns the ink to dust instead of the larger particles like other lasers, allowing the body to eliminate the debris faster.

Treatment Expectations

The number of treatments required depends on many factors. The size of the tattoo, where it is located, the color, your skin type, if there is scarring and if it is a layered tattoo (one tattoo over another). The Kirby Desai Scale, which assigns a number to each of these parameters, gives the patient an approximate number of treatments that will be required to remove the tattoo. Your laser specialist will go over this scale in your consultation prior to treatment so that you will now approximately how many treatments you can expect to require and the cost per treatment. Treatments are usually spaced within 4-6 weeks apart depending on the tattoo and your overall general health. There is some discomfort associated with tattoo removal as was the case when the tattoo was applied. A topical anesthetic can be applied 30-40 minutes prior to the treatment and will be removed immediately before the removal begins.

“Frosting”

The term “frosting” as it relates to laser treatments for tattoos and other types of pigmented lesions is not a medical term. However, it is a term that is frequently used among practitioners to refer to a more aggressive treatment of pigment using Q-Switched lasers.

When using specific settings with this type of q-switched laser has the ability to cause a temporary gas reaction on the surface of the skin when the melanocytes (cells that hold color) rise to the surface in response to the thermal energy. This very temporary appearance looks like a light coating of powdered sugar which is what we refer to as “frosting” of a lesion. This is the clinical end point of the treatment and in tattoo removal, once that frosting is no longer possible, it means the ink has reached the point where it can no longer be removed.

Post Treatment Care

Post treatment the area will be covered with a dressing which can be removed that evening. Bathing and showering can be done as usual but avoid exfoliation of the area until completely healed and comfortable. If there is any bleeding post treatment, an antibiotic cream can be applied to the area prior to the dressing. Keeping the area clean and following post treatment instructions will help to prevent the risk of infection.