Thanks to incredible advancements in laser technology, Reveal Aesthetic is able to offer the most comfortable, effective treatment for removal of tattoos using the PicoWay® Laser. Here’s detail on how tattoo removal works and all the benefits of the PicoWay® Laser treatment…
Why Laser Tattoo Removal?
Many people have second thoughts about their tattoos. For some people it is the memory of an ex-boyfriend or girlfriend, whereas others want a clean slate for a new tattoo. Fortunately, you don’t have to live with your decision forever.
Tattoo Removal With PicoWay Laser
The PicoWay® Laser represents a giant leap forward in treating tattoos. This laser emits a beam of light that shatters the ink into tiny pieces that are absorbed harmlessly by the body. All this can be accomplished without damaging the surrounding tissue. The biggest advantages of the PicoWay® Laser is that it can remove tattoos in fewer treatments and with less risk.
Other lasers emit a light beam of only one color of light. This meant that doctors sometimes needed as many as four different lasers to treat multicolored tattoos. With the PicoWay® Laser and our Alexandrite Laser we can treat the full spectrum of tattoo ink, even the most stubborn green ink.
How Laser Tattoo Removal Works
Lasers remove tattoos by breaking up the pigment colors with a high-intensity light beam. Black tattoo pigment absorbs all laser wavelengths, making it the easiest color to treat. Other colors can only be treated by selected lasers based upon the pigment color.
What To Expect During Laser Tattoo Removal?
You’ll be given a pair of protective eye shields, The technician will then test your skin’s reaction to the laser to determine the most effective energy for treatment. The laser pulses intense light through the top layers of your skin that will be absorbed by the tattoo pigment only.
How Many Treatments Will I Need?
The number of treatments is dependent on the complexity of the individual’s tattoo. Age, size, and color(s) of your tattoo, as well as the color of your skin is also an important factor, along with how deep the tattoo pigment goes.
Is Laser Tattoo Removal Painful?
Laser tattoo removal is uncomfortable, but not necessarily painful. We do offer either topical anesthetic or local anesthesia or a combination of both to make our patients feel comfortable.
Laser Tattoo Removal Before And After
Recovery After Treatment
Following the treatment, use an ice pack to soothe the treated area. And apply an antibiotic cream or ointment and bandage to protect it. A good idea is to also cover with sunblock the treated area when you’re outside.
The Doctor will give you specific instructions on how to care for the treated area before leaving the office.
Laser Tattoo Removal Side Effects
Laser tattoo removal is the most effective method of removing tattoos with the most minimal amount of risks, However some common side effects include:
- Risk for infection
- Slight chance that you will have a permanent scar
- Your tattoo might not be completely removed
- You may end up with hypopigmentation, which means the skin that is treated is paler than the skin surrounding it or Hyperpigmentation, which leaves the affected skin darker than the rest of your skin.
What Is the PicoWay® Laser, What Does It Treat, and How Is It Different from Other Lasers?
The PicoWay® Laser is a cutting-edge system that delivers bursts of energy to the skin over an ultra-short duration. Unlike other lasers that heat the skin, the energy produced by the PicoWay® Laser breaks down pigment, natural or unnatural, beneath the skin’s surface. In addition, the PicoWay® Laser has the highest peak power and shortest pulse duration by 40% of any other laser in its class. As a result, you have to undergo fewer laser treatments and obtain faster results.
The PicoWay® procedure is cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for tattoo removal and the treatment of wrinkles, acne scars, and noncancerous dark spots, including freckles and age spots. Furthermore, the PicoWay® Laser is the world’s only system capable of dual wavelengths (532 nm and 1064 nm), which broadens its utility to include a large array of skin types and colors. Whether it’s unwanted wrinkles and age spots or tattoos, the PicoWay® Laser system utilizes several different handpieces to transform your skin.
How Does the PicoWay® Laser Remove Tattoos?
The PicoWay® laser penetrates deep below the surface of the skin to target the pigments in tattoo ink, while leaving the outer layer of skin intact and unharmed. The high-power, ultra-short energy pulses literally shatter tattoo ink, breaking the pigment down into very fine particles not seen by the human eye. The PicoWay® Laser even gets rid of red, yellow, and orange tattoo ink, which historically are the most difficult pigments to remove in tattoos. As a result, the PicoWay® procedure can eliminate most tattoos with a brief series of treatments.
What to Expect with Picoway® Laser Tattoo Removal
Before the tattoo removal procedure, your physician will use a topical numbing cream on the target area. During the procedure, the high-powered PicoWay® Laser delivers extremely short bursts of energy through a handpiece, annihilating the pigments in the tattoo ink. The now miniscule tattoo ink particles are then removed naturally by the body.
Because the PicoWay® Laser produces a lot less heat than traditional lasers, the procedure is safer with fewer side effects. During tattoo removal, you are likely to experience some pain and discomfort, which is why comfort is enhanced with a topical anesthetic. The more common side effects of the PicoWay® procedure are redness, swelling, tingling, and pinpoint bleeding. Less commonly, you may also experience temporary lightening of the skin in the treatment area.
The good news is that these side effects are short lived, and the skin eventually returns to its normal tone. In most, the results of the PicoWay® procedure are visible after the first treatment, but a series of brief 15 to 20 minute treatments are typically required for tattoo removal. Furthermore, the procedure has minimal to no associated downtime. Besides a bandage to keep the treatment area dry for a few days, you can resume normal activities shortly after tattoo removal treatment with the PicoWay® Laser.
