Tattoos, those colorful works of art that are appearing in nearly every area of the body, have also spurred a new phenomenon known as “tattoo regret” in exponential numbers. People that get body ink on impulse during their younger adult years often find that the tattoos become problematic with some jobs or even personal relationships. Fortunately, tattoo regret can be effectively addressed today with innovative laser technology that shatters every shade of body ink.

Tattoo Removal with PicoSure
PicoSure is a revolutionary procedure that offers the first major advances in tattoo removal in more than two decades. This laser treatment uses “picosecond” technology to shatter body ink into tiny particles that are easily removed through the body’s own processes. Shattering is a more effective way to eliminate most colors of tattoo ink, giving you better results than you would receive by burning off the ink with other laser procedures. Over time, most tattoos can be effectively reduced and many are removed completely from the skin.

Benefits of Faster Laser Pulse
There are a number of benefits to the faster pulses of the PicoSure laser:

• More effective removal of nearly all ink colors, including stubborn blues and greens
• Faster, more comfortable treatment sessions
• Fewer treatment sessions required to achieve full desired results
• Reduced risks and side effects over other laser treatments
• May even reduce tattoos already treated with other types of lasers

The ability to treat a wider range of ink colors is one of the biggest draws of the PicoSure laser. While most laser treatments can handle black ink or colors like orange and yellow, blue and green shades are much more difficult to eliminate. However, the shattering process of the PicoSure reduces all ink colors, including those not effectively treated with other laser procedures.

Clinical Studies Show Excellent Results
Researchers from the department of dermatology at NYU Langone Medical Center did a clinical study on the PicoSure laser in 2013 to determine its effectiveness in tattoo removal. Results of that study were published in both Dermatology Times and The Aesthetic Guide. The scientists studied 22 subjects undergoing tattoo removal. Some of the subjects had previously untreated tattoos while others had tattoos that had been treated (unsuccessfully) using other types of lasers. The average age of all the tattoos treated was 9.5 years.

The research team found that the PicoSure laser treatments offered tattoo elimination of more than 80 percent overall. Even more impressive was the fact that a 94-percent clearance was achieved on blue and green ink after just one or two treatments. None of the subjects in this study suffered side effects from the procedure like scarring or pigmentation changes and most reported the procedure to be relatively tolerable.

Factors Affecting Tattoo Removal
If you are considering tattoo removal, there are a few factors that will determine the overall success of your procedure, no matter what laser treatment you choose:

• Specific colors used
• Size of tattoo
• Depth and density of ink
• Skin tone
• Patient’s own immune system

We will discuss all of these factors with you at your first treatment session to give you an idea of how many treatment sessions you might need to get rid of your body ink. Most patients will need a series of sessions, spaced a few weeks apart, to achieve full desired results.

If you are the victim of tattoo regret, don’t despair! The PicoSure laser available at Incredible Veins Skin & Body can help you say goodbye to your body ink for good. To learn more, contact our office today at 818-446-2995.