The newest technology for removing tattoos with a laser is called Q-switch. There are several offices in the St. Louis area that use this technique. 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. Lasers are also used for other cosmetic purposes, such as permanently removing hair and rejuvenating the skin.
Places to get this procedure performed include hair-removal clinics, dermatologists, cosmetic surgeons, some spas, and even some tattoo shops. They may refer to the procedure as Q-switch, pulsed light or simply laser therapy. Practically all of the modern clinics use the Q-switch technology.
The first lasers used for these procedures put out a steady beam of light. The pulsed beam produced by Q-switching has a much higher output than a continuous wave beam.
Today pulsed beams are used because they are more effective, can accomplish the same results with fewer treatments and in general are 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 taking advantage of the body’s immune system that naturally removes impurities from the body, and cause tattoos fade over time. By shattering the tattoo ink into very small particles, lasers speed up this process. This makes it easier for the body’s immune system to clear the particles, and causes no harm to the body.
Dark color ink responds better to laser tattoo removal treatments than lighter colors. For example black and red are easier to remove than yellow and green.
Some parlors are using a new kind of ink for their tattoos. The ink is called Infinitink. It was created with the purpose of being able to be removed in one laser treatment. Other inks on the market will take several treatments (at least 3) to produce the results most people are after.
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.
Professionals in St. Louis who perform laser tattoo removal advise their clients to wait 6 to 8 weeks between treatments. This is because the body takes that long to absorb the ink that was broken down during the laser sessions. Allowing several weeks between appointments also reduces the risk of burning or damaging the skin.
The cost of removal can vary greatly between the St. Louis tattoo removal professionals in the area. You can expect to pay between $100 and $400 per visit, depending on the size and number of your tattoos.