Lasers: physical methods for removing micropigmentation

A tattoo removal laser is a very useful assistant to any tattoo and permanent makeup artist, but in order for the laser to bring high-quality removal results, leave no scars and scars, it must be assembled from high-quality components, properly configured and calibrated. What is a tattoo removal laser? About this - in an exclusive translation of an article published on the website of the international magazine for micropigmentation specialists PMU International. Magazine of Permanent Makeup (about the original article at the link ).

Laser tattoo removal procedures have been used for several decades as an effective and very popular method. Lasers produce an intense beam of bright light that travels in one direction. This laser beam can cut, seal, or vaporize skin tissue and blood vessels. The laser has the unique ability to generate one specific color (wavelength) of light, which can vary in intensity and pulse duration. Ordinary light from non-laser sources is made up of many different colors and appears white. The wavelength and output power of a particular laser determine its medical application.

When a laser beam is directed at skin tissue, its light energy is absorbed by water or pigments that are in the skin. Water is found in large quantities in all living cells. Skin pigments include hemoglobin, a protein that makes blood red, and melanin, a red or brown pigment. All three absorb laser light of different colors.

Red light lasers

The spectrum of red light emitted by a ruby laser is extremely short, high-energy pulses. This type of pulse is made possible by a technique known as the Q-switcher. The ruby laser system was originally used to remove tattoos, primarily amateur tattoos, as it can effectively bleach or remove color pigments with little risk of scarring or damage to the surrounding skin. In addition, this laser is currently commonly used to treat many brown pigmented lesions.

Another red laser is the alexandrite laser with a Q-switcher system. As with the ruby laser, its energy is selectively absorbed by melanin, making it effective for tattoo removal.

Other lasers

Neodymium YAG laser (Nd:YAG) emits light with two wavelengths. One is invisible infrared light, used to remove blue-black tattoos, trauma tattoos, and deep pigment spots on the skin, such as nevus of Ota. This laser can also be configured to produce green light to treat superficial pigmented lesions such as brown spots as well as orange red tattoos.

Another laser is KTP , which emits green light and is able to treat certain vascular and brown pigmented lesions.

A carbon dioxide laser (carbon dioxide, CO2 laser) emits colorless infrared light that is strongly absorbed by water-containing tissue such as skin. This laser system can be used in several ways: focused - for cutting the skin without bleeding, defocused - for superficial evaporation of the skin, pulsed - for superficial resurfacing of the face.

The very powerful, fast pulsing or scanning of the CO2 laser beam makes it possible to purify and renew facial skin for cosmetic enhancement while minimizing damage or scarring to the surrounding skin. This technique removes facial wrinkles, smoothes acne scars, and rejuvenates aging and sun-damaged skin.

If the CO2 laser energy is defocused rather than continuous (pulsed), a larger spot of light is created, making it less intense. With this modification, it is possible to remove or vaporize thin layers from the surface of the skin without penetrating deeper layers. This method is especially useful for the treatment of warts, small tumors and some precancerous conditions.

When the CO2 laser energy is continuous and focused on a small spot of light, the beam is able to cut through the skin. As an alternative to traditional scalpel surgery, laser helps to restrict blood flow during treatment and reduce postoperative swelling. The carbon dioxide laser is thus used to remove skin cancers, to treat various non-vascular and pigmented lesions, and for eyelid surgeries. This technique is also used to remove warts, as well as to make some surgical incisions.

In dermatology, many different types of lasers are currently being used to treat a variety of skin conditions, growths, and cosmetic complaints. At the same time, no laser can treat all skin diseases, and some lasers have limited dermatological applications. Because all tattoo pigments absorb laser light selectively, depending on their color or composition, all of these lasers have had varying degrees of success, and early attempts at tattoo removal with lasers have had mixed results. Intermediate blanching of pigments and hypertrophic scars were common side effects.

It should be added that some lasers can be tuned to different colors of light or connected to a robotic scanner to enhance their clinical performance.