At the Devon Laser Clinic we use two lasers with 3 different wavelengths for tattoo removal. A Polaris Q-switched Ruby laser and a Polaris Q-Switched Nd:YAG. These are class 4, active medical lasers which means they have very high peak powers delivering its energy in a much more effective pulse than many of the cheaper lasers that can be found today.
The Q-Switched Ruby Laser is suitable for very fair skinned persons for the removal of tattoos which contain mostly black, blues and greens.
The Q-Switched Nd:YAG has 2 wavelengths and can treat people with slightly darker skin types for the removal of black ink and shades of red too. Some inks and colours will not respond to any laser.
The laser works by firing a beam of light through the skin in extremely short pulses. The light is absorbed by the tattoo ink creating a reaction which breaks down the ink into very tiny particles. This allows the body’s defence mechanisms to take over and gradually remove the pigment.
Because each pulse is so short and is targeted directly onto the pigment, there is normally no lasting damage to the skin or surrounding tissue. The whole procedure is repeated several times, usually at about 2 – 3 monthly intervals, so allowing time for the body to remove as much pigment as possible.
Simple amateur tattoos may be removed in just a few treatments but professional tattoos may require 10-15 treatments.
Skin needs to be 100% sun tan and fake tan free for all laser treatments at the Devon Laser Clinic.
