Page 8 - An Introduction to Laser Tattoo Removal

Chapter 2 – Fundamentals of Laser Tattoo Removal v1.0
Table of Contents
Introduction to Laser Tattoo Treatments ............................................................................... 11
How to buy a tattoo removal laser? ..................................................................................................................12 Tattoo laser matrix – QS and pico lasers............................................................................................................13 In a nutshell........................................................................................................................................................14
Section 2.1 Tattoos, inks and the skin .................................................................................... 16
Introduction to tattoos and their history........................................................................................ 16
What is a tattoo? ........................................................................................................................... 17
Tattoos – the inks, physiology and location of professional and amateur tattoos............................................17 Tattoo machines and needles.... ........................................................................................................................19 Tattoo Inks .........................................................................................................................................................20 The tattooing process ........................................................................................................................................21 Tattoo colours .................................................................................................................................................... 22 Titanium Dioxide/Barium Sulphate/Lead Carbonate.........................................................................................24 Lines, shades and colour-packing.......................................................................................................................24 Following the tattooing process.........................................................................................................................26 Why are tattoos ‘permanent’?...........................................................................................................................27 Cover-ups ........................................................................................................................................................... 27
Tattoo Ink Toxicity ......................................................................................................................... 28
Bad Reactions to Tattooing................................................................................................................................30
Tattoos and laser tattoo removal and cancer ................................................................................. 32 Histology of Tattoos....................................................................................................................... 34 Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 36
Section 2.2 The Fundamentals of Laser Tattoo Removal ........................................................ 38
Laser Tattoo Removal Timeline ...................................................................................................... 38
Laser Treatment of Tattoos ............................................................................................................ 39
Scar-free Tattoo Removal – A very brief history................................................................................................39 Basics of Laser Tattoo Removal..........................................................................................................................41 How to treat a tattoo properly...........................................................................................................................45 Which wavelength should I use?........................................................................................................................50 Fluence vs pulsewidth........................................................................................................................................53 Chasing the ‘crack’ sound ..................................................................................................................................54 Blistering ............................................................................................................................................................55 Titanium Dioxide ................................................................................................................................................ 55 Test Patches ....................................................................................................................................................... 55 Melanin absorption............................................................................................................................................56 Sun tans..............................................................................................................................................................58 The physical location of the tattoo is important................................................................................................58 Treating large tattoos.........................................................................................................................................59 What is the ‘best’ interval between laser tattoo sessions? ...............................................................................59 What is ‘frosting’? .............................................................................................................................................. 62 Pain and laser tattoo removal............................................................................................................................63 Kirby-Desai Scale ................................................................................................................................................ 63 Cavitation bubbles .............................................................................................................................................64 Hypo- and hyper-pigmentation following laser tattoo treatments ...................................................................65 Contra-indications – who should NOT be treated with this technique .............................................................66 Treating ‘new’ tattoos........................................................................................................................................67 One last thing... .................................................................................................................................................. 67
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Chapter 2 LEVEL A Laser Tattoo Removal
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