Laser Tattoo Removal

PicoSure® laser tattoo removal technology uses highly focused laser energy to break apart pigments under the skin, turning them into tiny fragments that can be removed by the body over the course of a few weeks. Each laser pulse lasts about a trillionth of a second and can be adjusted to reach different depths of tissue and break apart different colors for faster, safer tattoo removal compared to other options, offering an effective option even for dark tattoos that have not responded well to other types of treatment.

We can’t put an exact number on it, mostly because there are so many factors that go into just how many treatments it takes to remove a tattoo with a laser. Ink quality, ink depth, location of that tattoo, and other factors, all contribute to the amount of treatments needed to remove a tattoo. And we have no way of determining the quality of ink the artist used, nor can we determine how deep into the dermis the artist went. But you can rest assured, with the PicoSure tattoo removal laser the tattoo will probably be removed quicker than if any other tattoo removal laser was used.

Most patients liken the feeling of PicoSure® tattoo removal with the snapping of a rubber band as the laser passes over the tattoo to break apart the pigments located beneath the skin’s surface. We offer a few options to provide a more comfortable experience.  For example, a zimmer blows cold air in order to minimize pain and thermal injury during tattoo removal treatments. Once treatment is complete, the area may be slightly sore and red, similar to the way skin looks and feels following a sunburn. With PicoSure® tattoo removal treatment, there’s no downtime and patients can go back to their normal routines immediately afterward.

PicoSure® laser tattoo removal is safe for all skin types, but it may not be an ideal solution for every person. Before any treatment is performed, a thorough assessment will be performed to evaluate the age, location and color of the tattoo, the patient’s skin type and color, and other factors. Once the assessment is complete, we can help you decide if PicoSure® laser tattoo removal is the best option for you.

PicoSure® laser tattoo removal is noninvasive, meaning there are no incisions and no needles. Some patients report a mild stinging sensation similar to the snap of a rubber band as the laser energy is fired. Each laser pulse lasts only about a trillionth of a second. Most treatments can be completed in 15 minutes or less, depending on the extent of the treatment area.

Previously, tattoo removal lasers used nanosecond, photothermal energy to target tattoo ink and obliterate it so the patient’s white blood cells could flush it away naturally through the body. This basically means the laser energy heated the ink up to a point where it compromised the structural integrity of the ink, thus blasting it into bits that the white blood cells latched onto and carried away. This worked and still works, extremely well for the removal of tattoos. However, traditionally this method required many treatments, sometimes 15-20 or more, to fully remove the tattoo. And because that thermal heat was an essential aspect of the treatment, bruising and/or scarring were possibilities.

The PicoSure tattoo removal laser utilizes patented “PressureWave” technology, which triggers a photomechanical, rather than a photothermal, effect on the tattoo ink. The ultrashort pulses of the Pico tattoo removal laser are the only way to accomplish this photomechanical energy. The photomechanical, short pulses of the PicoSure tattoo removal laser rely on impact and stress, rather than heat, which allows for the ink particles to be obliterated into tiny bits, which are more easily carried out of the body naturally via the white blood cells, with minimal, if any, bruising and/or scarring left behind.