Lasers and Tattoo Removal
‘Laser’ is an acronym: Light Amplification by the Stimulated
Emission of Radiation.
Tattoo ink is created from a variety of compounds, some easier to break down than others. This is why tattoo removal is difficult. Since there is no regulation of ink manufacturers, it's almost impossible to know which substances have been used in a particular tattoo. This makes it difficult to judge how many treatments will be necessary for tattoo removal, how much it will cost, and just how successful tattoo removal will ultimately be.
The Interaction Of Ink And Light
Light breaks down pigment, but different colors absorb different wavelengths of light, and this determines how quickly the laser is effective on each color. The more light a particular color is able to absorb, the faster it will fade. Since NuvidermTCA doesn't depend on light waves to work it fades and removes all tattoo colors equally well. Tattoos are most often treated with Q-switched lasers. In most cases, 6 to 16 treatments are required, at 6 to 8-week intervals. Complete clearance is not always possible but pre-fading with NuvidermTCA will raise the chances of success.
▪ Black ink is actually the easiest color to remove because it absorbs the full spectrum of light. This means the laser light is able to work at full capacity to break down the pigment.
▪ Green and blue ink are a bit more resistant to break down because they only absorb red light, prolonging the fading process.
▪ Purple, red, and orange ink also present more of a challenge to laser tattoo removal since they only absorb green light.
▪ Shades of turquoise can react differently to laser removal, depending on just what substances were used to achieve the color, but still require red light for removal.
▪ Yellow ink is perhaps the most difficult color of all to remove, since it actually tends to reflect the laser light, rather than absorb it. This color usually requires a number of treatments to cause any fading.
Complications of Yellow (and white) Laser Removal May Include:
▪ Scarring
▪ Unwanted color changes including darkening of tattoo e.g. brown to black (ferric oxide becomes ferrous oxide)
▪ Spreading of allergic reaction as tattoo granules disperse
The Four Types of Q-switched Lasers Used For Tattoo Removal:
▪ Ruby lasers remove black, blue and green inks.
▪ Alexandrite lasers are used to remove black, blue and green pigments that are resistant to the ruby laser.
▪ Nd:YAG-Invisible emits infrared light to remove black and navy colors that are resistant to ruby and alexandrite lasers.
▪ Nd:YAG-Green light breaks up red pigments, and is also useful in treating black, navy, and purple inks.
Removal Hurts
Getting a tattoo hurts, so why would anyone expect removing one to be painless? Many people describe the pain of laser tattoo removal to be the equivalent of hot bacon grease splattering on the skin or getting snapped with a rubber band - over and over and over... The easiest tattoo to remove is the one you never got.
Adverse Effects Of Lasers
Laser treatments are basically burns, so it is not surprising that sometimes the following effects may occur.
▪ Temporary pain, redness, bruising, blistering and/or crusting
▪ Infection including reactivation of herpes simplex.
▪ Pigment changes (brown and white marks), which may be permanent
▪ Scarring, which is luckily rare
Tattoo Ink
The ink is injected beneath the outer layer of skin where the color remains. Although tattoo inks are meant to be permanent, the color is prone to a bit of fading over time as your immune system tries to break down the foreign substance and carry it out of your system. Most of the coloring will remain unless you choose to have it removed at a later date. The term ink is used a bit loosely, since most of these products aren't actually inks at all. They are actually pigments and carriers.
Pigments
Pigments are pretty much anything that can be finely ground down to provide color. Minerals, vegetable dyes, plastics, and metallic salts are all substances that have been used to create tattoo inks. Many substances can be used to make the same color, but here is a list of colors and the pigment used to make them:
▪ Blue - Calcium Copper Silicate, Titanium, Carbon, Copper, Cobalt Aluminate
▪ Red - Iron Oxide, Titanium, Carbon, Magnesium, Cinnabar, Sienna, Sandalwood, Brazilwood
▪ Green - Chromium Oxide, Titanium, Carbon, Copper, Lead Chromate, Pthalocyanine Dyes
▪ Yellow - Curcuma, Cadmium Sulfide
▪ Black - Carbon, Iron
▪ White - Zinc Oxide, Titanium
▪ Brown-Ferric Oxide
▪ Purple-Manganese, Aluminum
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