Picture this – Spring Break, senior year and you travel to the Shore with a group of friends. All of you decide to get matching tattoos. Fast forward 10 years and you no longer remember what those symbols mean on your body but they are preventing you from getting that dream job. No matter how many colors or your skin type, the Picosure laser can now treat all tattoo colors and skin types!
Why Do Different Laser Wavelengths Matter?
Like every patient, every tattoo removal is different. Different wavelengths are needed to remove different colors of tattoo ink. Each pigment used absorbs different wavelengths. The Picosure handpiece has three wavelengths, 755, 532, and 1064 which are capable of treating all colors and skin types. The 755 nm wavelength is a fine supplemental wavelength for treating green, blue, and black inks. The 532 nm wavelength is the most effective wavelength for red ink and other warm-toned colors, including violet, orange, yellow, and brown. The 1064 nm wavelength is ideal for removing black or dark tattoos, as this wavelength of light energy is very well absorbed by black ink. Since the most common ink color used by tattoo artists is black, the 1064 nm wavelength is the most commonly used laser wavelength for tattoo removal.
How Does Tattoo Removal Work?
Tattoo removal works by breaking up tattoo ink particles in the skin. The laser handpiece is pulsed over the tattoo, directing light energy toward the ink. The energy is absorbed by the tattoo ink particles, which instantly shatter into tiny fragments. If the ink doesn’t absorb the laser light, the ink doesn’t shatter… and the tattoo won’t be removed. Light energy can either be visible or invisible, depending on its wavelength. When light energy is visible (with a wavelength between 390 nm and 700 nm), we see it as colored light. The lasers different wavelengths can detect the color and remove the tattoo from the skin.
Schedule a complimentary consultation in our office in New Jersey and we can help you decide if your tattoo will be removed successfully with the Picosure laser.
