How is laser tattoo removal better than other tattoo removal methods?
We have worked with laser technology for the last 6 years, so we are pretty in tune with everything there is to know about laser tattoo removal and how this process is the best way to completely remove your regrettable tattoos.
At EDIT Laser Skin clinic Dublin, we use the industry leading PicoSure® Pro laser which is the world’s first picosecond aesthetic laser and is unlike any other tattoo removal/ skin laser system as it doesn’t build up heat and burn the skin, causing less tissue damage and discomfort compared with other removal laser systems. However, there are still some alternative tattoo removal methods on the market:
-Micro dermabrasion
Micro dermabrasion involves using an abrasive device to sand down the layers of the skin. This will be incredibly painful and will result in an open wound that will have to heal. There are obviously going to be many complications with such a treatment which include pain, infection, burning, itching, scabbing, scarring, bleeding and many more.
-Salabrasion
Salabrasion is similar to microdermabrasion, but instead of using an abrasive brush or a diamond wheel, granular salt and water are used. These are blasted onto the skin with force, resulting in the stripping away of the outer layers of the skin. This technique is repeated every few days until the scarred tissue pulls away, supposedly leaving healthy tissue underneath taking the tattoo with it. Yet again there are many negative side effects to this treatment and ultimately the process will result in very bad scarring.
-Tattoo removal creams
Similar again to acid removal, these creams contain corrosive substances that claim to fade your tattoo. As the ink lies in the middle layer of the skin, such creams will never be able to reach the tattoo pigment and will only likely result in irritated and inflamed skin that could actually result in scarring.
-Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy involves having the tattooed skin frozen off. Yet again though, this involves taking away the healthy unaffected outer layer of skin to reach the pigmented dermal layer. Sometimes cryotherapy can be combined with microdermasion, so the results of such treatment not surprisingly result in really bad scarring, severe pain, swelling, blistering and scabbing.
How does the laser tattoo removal process work and why is it the best method on the market?
The PicoSure® Pro is different to many other lasers on the market today as instead of building up heat, the laser 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. The lasers’ innovative technology is designed to harness the body’s natural healing processes to restore your skin and using Focus lens technology, the PicoSure® Pro effectively converts the laser energy into gentle pressure waves that activate Cell Signaling and the body’s natural communication processes.
The pulses used by the PicoSure® are so rapid they cause a change in pressure that breaks the tattoo ink apart into tiny micro particles. These particles are then absorbed by the lymphatic system and secreted through the waste system. Overall, the average tattoo will need 6-8 sessions depending on the colour pigmentation and the age of the tattoo, with each session being spaced around 6 weeks apart in order to give the tattoo pigmentation optimal time to breakdown. In terms of how long each session lasts, it is dependent on the size of the tattoo, with smaller tattoo sessions only take between 3-5 minutes, whereas for a larger, sleeve style tattoo sessions are between 15-30 minutes.
The laser tattoo removal process is the safest and most efficient method on the market today as it doesn’t build up heat and burn the skin, causing less tissue damage and discomfort compared with other removal laser systems.
But what exactly does the laser treat?
The PicoSure® Pro laser provides comfortable and convenient tattoo removal options:
- Multicolored tattoos, including blues and greens
- Hard-to-remove black ink
- Stubborn, previously treated tattoo
If you’re experiencing ‘tattoo regret’, book in for a consultation with our team today!