What You Need To Know About State Of The Art Tattoo Removal Equipment
Friday, April 30th, 2010The latest thing in laser tattoo removal is called Q-switch. In St. Louis and the surrounding area there are several places that use this procedure. Here’s a little bit about it.
Lasers have been used for removing tattoos since the early 1990s, although the effectiveness of the method was first reported in the late 1960s. Other cosmetic procedures also use lasers, such as permanent hair removal, skin rejuvenation, and vein treatments.
Places to get this procedure performed include hair-removal clinics, dermatologists, cosmetic surgeons, some spas, and even some tattoo shops. The procedure could be called laser therapy, laser tattoo removal, Q-switch, or pulsed light. Q-switch technology is use by most modern clinics and spas that perform these services.
The first lasers put out a continuous stream of light. Q-switching creates a pulsed beam which has a much higher output then the old continuous beam lasers.
The pulsed beams are used today because they are more effective, require fewer treatments and are generally regarded as less painful. It feels something like a rubber band being snapped against your skin. The pulsed beams are also less likely to cause burns or other damage to the skin.
There are many lasers that use the Q-switch technology, but the Medlite C6 is regarded as being the best for tattoo removal. Using it’s short pulse, high energy technology the Medlite C6 can treat tattoos with very little chance of scarring and less pain than any other laser systems. It also has the unique ability to output four different wavelengths allowing it to treat more colors than any other laser.
Lasers remove tattoos by working with the body’s lymphatic system which naturally removes impurities from the body, and cause tattoos to eventually fade. Lasers speed up this process by shattering the pigments used in tattoos into tiny particles. This makes it easier for the body’s immune system to clear the particles, and causes no harm to the body.
Laser tattoo removal is most effective when the ink is dark. For example black and red are easier to remove than yellow and green.
There is a new kind of ink called Infinitink that some parlors have started using for their tattoos. It is a patented product designed to be removed in a single laser treatment. With other inks, at least three treatments are necessary to achieve the desired results.
People that live in St. Louis and had their tattoos applied prior to 2009 would likely need at least three treatments to significantly fade the colors. Before 2009 Infinitink was not used very often. When first introduced, it was only available in black, but is now being produced in other colors.
Offices in St. Louis offering laser tattoo removal usually recommend 3-6 treatments spaced 6-8 weeks apart. The ink continues to break up and fade over that period of time. The spacing also reduces the chance of burning or skin damage.
The fees charged by St. Louis tattoo removal specialists vary greatly. Usually you will get quotes between $100 and $400 per visit, depending on how large and how many tattoos you want treated.