Page 32 - An Introduction to Laser Tattoo Removal

Chapter 2 – Fundamentals of Laser Tattoo Removal v1.0
It would be wise to question any prospective laser removal client/patient about their history during the tattooing process. If they detected any adverse response soon after the ink was inserted, then there is a higher probability of a similar response soon after any laser treatment. It is better to be forewarned!
Figure 10c: The final result – green ink made up from yellow and blue inks
Tattoos and laser tattoo removal and cancer
This photo shows the final results more than a year after the final tattooing process. The ‘green’ ink which replaced the original expelled ink, consists of yellow and blue ink, mixed by the artist prior to insertion.
Fortunately, the skin had repaired sufficiently well to accept new ink. The interesting point here is that the colour of the ink is clearly ‘green’. Yet, it is does not contain any green pigment.
This highlights the problem when looking at tattoos – it is impossible to know, precisely, what is in them!!
The colours we perceive, can easily be other, non- obvious colours, which our eyes cannot discriminate. This has major significance when considering laser treatments, since the absorption of laser energy by yellow and blue pigments, will not be the same as the absorption by green pigments.
It is, therefore, impossible to predict how any tattoo will respond to any particular laser wavelength, with real precision.
All photos were supplied, with kind permission, by Amanda Thornton, Larkhall, Scotland.
An excellent review paper by Kluger and Koljonen found that there was no clear or obvious correlation between tattoos and cancers, although they did recommend more detailed analysis.
There is very little in the scientific literature about laser tattoo removal and the risk of cancer (an interesting paper may be seen here). However, a Ph.D. study carried out by one of Mike’s colleagues in the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, looked in to whether the Q-switched ruby laser energy could induce mutagenetic changes in human tissues. Dr Jennifer Newstead was a microbiologist who investigated this issue. After three years of histological and microscopic study, she concluded that there was no evidence to suggest that the QS ruby laser could induce any such changes in human cells.
This was not surprising given that the wavelengths of ruby lasers is 694.3 nm – a deep red colour. Such wavelengths result from ‘low energy’ photons which are much less likely to induce
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Chapter 2 LEVEL A Laser Tattoo Removal
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