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How Effective Is Laser Tattoo Removal?

Ildikó Juhasz • Feb 02, 2020

Are you suffering from tattoo regret? Don’t worry! The science of laser tattoo removal has come a long way! PicoSure Laser Treatment is a new form of tattoo removal that offers better results in fewer appointments than previous methods. Finally, you can get rid of your unwanted tattoo and reveal your own beautiful, natural skin. So, how effective is laser tattoo removal? In the case of PicoSure, this method works well, even in challenging situations.

What Is PicoSure Laser Tattoo Removal?

PicoSure laser tattoo removal is a service we proudly offer at Your Derm Laser & Esthetics in Calgary, AB. It is at the forefront of tattoo removal technology and offers more complete, risk-free removal of tattoos than Q-switched lasers, which were once considered the best option. The advantage of PicoSure is that it can target ink deep beyond the first layer of your skin, shattering it into small particles that your body can absorb via its own natural healing process.

Who Can Benefit From PicoSure?

Tattoo Regret Is Normal

Did you know that 1 in 5 people who get a tattoo eventually wish to have it removed? Given these numbers, we can say that tattoo regret is a common problem affecting many lives.

Being comfortable in your own skin is extremely important. If you are someone who wishes to have a tattoo removed, choosing PicoSure can help you attain the look you want to show the world. Having the ability to remove unwanted tattoos can improve the quality of your life by eliminating images that no longer reflect how you feel on the inside.

Reasons to Remove a Tattoo

There are many good reasons why you may wish to remove a tattoo. Many people say they were too young when they got their tattoo done and that their tastes have since changed. This is especially true in situations where people get tattoos in their late teens or early 20s. Employment challenges are another common concern among people who have tattoos. Some people just want to remove their tattoos because their sense of what is beautiful has changed.

When asked why they want to remove a tattoo, people usually say things like “I was very young when I got it”, or, commonly, “I just don’t like it”. Perhaps your tattoo reflects a time in your life that has passed or a situation that has changed. Good news! You can now put that tattoo in the past, as well!

Tattoo Removal Is a Common Treatment

As the popularity of tattoos rises, so does the number of tattoo removal treatments being done every year. You can rest assured that, with the latest technology, PicoSure laser tattoo removal is a treatment that many have sought out with satisfying results. Even celebrities like Angelina Jolie, Eva Longoria, Marc Anthony, and Denise Richards have said goodbye to unwanted tattoos.

Before PicoSure…

Other Laser Methods

While tattoo removal techniques have been used since people started getting tattoos, they were not always safe or effective. Before the 1990s, continuous-wave lasers were used to deliver high energy beams into the skin. While these waves lessened the appearance of the targeted tattoo, they also caused damage and scarring to the surrounding tissue.

In the 1990s, Q-switched lasers became available. These rely on thermal energy to heat up and break apart the ink particles retained in the skin. While more effective than continuous-wave lasers, this method still requires many treatments and is not effective on all types of ink and colors.

Before Lasers

Before laser technology, tattoo removal was even more difficult. Dermabrasion, the use of trichloroacetic acid to remove layers of the skin, salabrasion (scrubbing the skin with salt), cryosurgery, excision, and skin grafts have all been tried. People have even attempted to remove their tattoos by injecting tannic acid, garlic, and lemon juice into their skin! As you can imagine, these methods are questionable and yield results that are less than ideal.

Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about any of these questionable methods. Finally, a safe and effective treatment for tattoo removal exists: PicoSure.

How Does PicoSure Work?

PicoSure is a form of tattoo removal that works with your body to eliminate the ink from your skin. Its effectiveness exceeds that of all other methods, even Q-switched lasers. Rather than relying solely on heat to break down the tattoo, it blasts the ink into tiny particles so small that your skin can clear them naturally. Rather than compromising the tissue surrounding the tattoo, PicoSure works with your body’s powerful mechanism for cleansing the skin.

The Role of Dermal Machrophages

So, what are dermal machrophages? Within your immune system, machrophages are tasked with eliminating cellular debris and foreign elements that your body does not need. Essentially, they keep your skin clean and healthy. When you get a tattoo, the dermal machrophages can grab on to the ink, but they have trouble letting go. This is why your tattoo stays.

The Challenge of Previous Tattoo Removal Methods

When a machrophage that contains ink is opened, other machrophages collect the ink that is released, and the process by which the ink stays in your skin repeats. The new machrophages store it rather than clearing it out. This is why tattoos were once so difficult to remove, even with lasers.

Getting Your Dermal Machrophages to Work for You!

PicoSure offers a real solution. It uses an ultra-short pulse duration that goes beyond a thermal treatment. Photomechanical pressure-wave technology shatters ink into particles so tiny, your dermal machrophages are able to finally clear them. In this way, PicoSure harnesses your body’s natural healing process to finally get rid of your tattoo for good.

The Layers of Your Skin

Your skin has multiple layers. The first is the epidermis and the second is the dermis. One of the reasons tattoos last so long is because the ink is injected below the first level of skin, deep in the dermis.

The normal process by which the skin renews itself does not affect the ink, even with exfoliation. This is why claims that creams and other topical treatments can get rid of tattoos are overwhelmingly false. Fortunately, our technology is capable of targeting the ink far below the surface.

What Are the Benefits of PicoSure?

Effective in Challenging Tattoo Removal Situations

In tattoos, some colors are more difficult to remove than others. Usually, different types of lasers are required to remove the different colors. Dark colors like blue and black are easier to get rid of, while greens and lighter colors are more challenging. Unfortunately, these are some of the most popular choices in tattoos now, especially with the introduction of pastel shades.

Using other methods of tattoo removal can require many treatments and yield results that are less than desirable. In some cases, the tattoo can only be partly removed. PicoSure provides a more thorough removal and can target a broader spectrum of color than any method previously developed.

Safe for All Skin Types

Your skin type will also play a factor in the success of your tattoo removal. PicoSure is safe for all skin types and colors.

No Long Recovery Time

Other methods of tattoo removal can involve a recovery period that will vary in length depending on the treatment, how the tattoo was initially done, and the size of the treated area. People who choose PicoSure consistently report that they do not need to undergo a long recovery period, and can resume normal activities immediately after the treatment.

More Complete Removal of Your Tattoo

Imagine being able to wear scoop-back dresses without people seeing a tattoo. Imagine going to work without worrying about your boss or co-workers seeing a tattoo you got years ago. Imagine not having to decide if you should wear long sleeves on a hot day. If you can picture your skin clear and free of that unwanted tattoo, PicoSure can help you make this vision come true.

Less Likely to Result in Scarring

Some methods of tattoo removal, especially ones that involve surgical removal of the tattooed areas, can leave scars. When you get a tattoo removed, you want to see fresh, clear skin, not scarring. Fortunately, using PicoSure laser technology to undo your tattoo is a non-invasive, less intense treatment for your body. The newly developed PicoSure lasers protect your skin and are much less likely to leave scars than any other method.

When Is  PicoSur e  Helpful?

For Partially Removed Tattoos

Maybe you tried a different method of tattoo removal before and are not satisfied with the results. With the advances in laser tattoo removal technology, it is a good time to try again! PicoSure is a more effective, complete means of tattoo removal than the methods which preceded it. This means that you can use PicoSure to remove areas of an old tattoo that Q-switched lasers or other removal methods left behind.

For Tattoos That Will Be Altered

Perhaps you like some aspects of your tattoo but want to change it. Maybe you are considering replacing an old tattoo with a new one that better expresses who you are. A good tattoo artist will be able to modify your existing tattoo to better suit your tastes, but his or her work will be more effective if you use PicoSure first.

Getting the old ink out of your skin will allow for a cleaner application of new ink so that your tattoo can finally look the way you want.

For Tattoos You Just Don’t Want Anymore

Whether you got the tattoo recently or a long time ago, for some reason, it is not making you feel more beautiful now. The good news is that you don’t need to regret it anymore.

When you choose to remove your tattoo, you can feel fresh and ready for the future. You don’t need to regret the tattoo because it was a valid means of self-expression when you got it. Now that the tattoo no longer reflects you, you can remove it and look the way you want.

The Wait for Effective Tattoo Removal Is Finally Over

If you have a tattoo you want to undo but have delayed the treatment, now is a good time to give your appearance a fresh start. Laser tattoo removal technology has finally yielded a method that is effective and safe. PicoSure is an advanced breakthrough that targets ink more effectively than previous methods. It works for all skin types, can target tough colors, and will remove your tattoo while allowing you to resume normal activities the same day. You don’t need to worry about scheduling many appointments, because PicoSure works with just a few treatments.

If you feel more beautiful just imagining yourself without your tattoo, think how satisfied you will be after PicoSure. Contact Your Derm Laser & Esthetics in Calgary, AB at 403-457-1900 to schedule a consultation.

The post How Effective Is Laser Tattoo Removal? appeared first on Derm.ca.

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