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Types of Lasers
  • Q switched lasers most effective
  • Multiple wavelengths often required

Laser Technology Used
  • Laser Technology Used
  • Different Colors, Different Wavelengths
  • Common Q-switching Lasers

    • The safest and most effective lasers for tattoo removal use Q-switching technology: extremely short pulses of high intensity laser light. The speed of each pulse (which is measured in nanoseconds, or billionths of a second) enables the laser to more accurately target and dissolve the microscopic granules of tattoo ink.

    Different Colors, Different Wavelengths

    Different Q-switching lasers emit different wavelengths of light. Each wavelength targets a specific range of pigment colors. If a color within the range is not found, the wavelength simply passes through the skin or reflects off of it. But if a target color is found, the light becomes absorbed by the pigment and is quickly converted into heat. The heat fractures the pigment into tiny particles, which are gradually flushed away by the body's lymphatic system. The surrounding skin remains unharmed. Black and other dark pigments are the easiest to target-and thus remove-because they absorb all the wavelengths.

    Common Q-switching Lasers

    The three most commonly used Q-switching lasers are the Q-Switch Nd YAG, the Q-switched Ruby, and the Q-switch Alexandrite. Each has a different wavelength and thus targets a different range of tattoo ink colors.

    Because tattoos often include a wide range of pigments and because those pigments are made from a wide range of materials, matching a laser to a given color can be difficult. That's why multiple treatments are usually needed to remove a tattoo. It's also why you want to make sure your dermatologist has Q-switching lasers with different wavelengths.
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    Dr. Eric Bernstein explains the different types of lasers used in removing tattoos.
    Ask The Doctor
    Q: Is tattoo removal painful?

    It can be unpleasant. The pain of having it removed is... [Read More]

    Q: How effective is laser treatment?
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    Q: How much does it cost to get laser tattoo removal?
    Cost varies greatly based on several factors. See the [Read More]
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    How Did Treatment
    ChangeYOUR
    84% Life?
    of reviews werePositive
       (51 reviews)

     Not Well Informed

    I have been going in for Laser tattoo removal for almost a y...[more]
    Columbus, OH Nov 30, 2009

     I have much more confidence!

    I had a fairly large tattoo on the back of my neck. I got it...[more]
    Los Angeles, CA Nov 15, 2009

     Not Quite Gone

    I had 5 laser tattoo removal sessions to get rid of a tattoo...[more]
    Boulder, CO Nov 02, 2009
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