LASER TREATMENT
Lasers have been used for tattoo removal for more than 20 years. Here at Body Art we use only the best quality Q-Switched Nd:Yag laser which for the past 10 years has been the acknowledged laser of choice for all leading laser treatment clinics.
Click here to book an appointment at our Laser Treatment Clinic
Please click on the following frequently asked questions for more information:
Why is a tattoo so difficult to remove?
How is the Q-switched Nd:Yag different to other lasers used for tattoo removal?
I have seen other light treatments offered for tattoo removal, what are these?
Can a tattoo be removed in just one treatment?
How many treatments will be required to treat the average tattoo?
What are the costs likely to be?
Do all tattoos respond to treatment?
How will I know if there are any resistant colours present?
How long does the treatment take?
Does it hurt?
Does the laser cause scarring?
Are there any other side effects?
Is the treatment safe?
What do I do if I want to find out more?
Why is a tattoo so difficult to remove?
The tattoo pigment injected into the lower layers of skin (the dermis) becomes sealed away by a tough network of collagen fibres. It is very difficult to remove the tattoo pigment without affecting the surrounding tissue. The alternatives to laser treatment involve either physically removing the pigment and the surrounding skin by surgical excison and skin grafting, or chemically destroying the pigment using salts, acids or organic solutions. In either case the surrounding skin is damaged and will require significant after care. Significant scarring would be an expected outcome of non-laser removal methods.
How is the Q-Switched Nd:Yag laser different to other lasers used for tattoo removal?
The Nd:Yag laser produces extremely short pulses of high energy light. This light is absorbed strongly by particles of tattoo pigment but not by the surrounding skin. The tattoo pigment particles heat up and break down into smaller particles; These minute particles are targeted by the body's own immune system and removed. Because the energy is selectively absorbed by the tattoo pigment, surrounding tissues are not usually affected and there is usually no lasting damage to the skin.
I have seen other light treatments offered for tattoo removal, what are these?
In some cases Intensed Pulsed Light (IPL) systems are advertised for tattoo removal. These systems were designed to target melanin in hair follicles for hair removal and differ from lasers in producing a wide range of wavelengths in the red end of the spectrum rather than a single frequency. In addition, these systems are not Q-switched and more energy is absorbed and accumulates in the skin tissue than is the case with the Nd:Yag laser. More energy in the skin equates to skin damage and an increased risk of scarring
Can a tattoo be removed in just one treatment?
Only very rarely. some amateur (pin and ink) tattoos may disappear after only a small number of treatments; professional tattoos usually take a higher number.
How many treatments will be required to treat the average tattoo?
There is no such thing as an average tattoo; every tattoo is different and every individual responds differently. As a guide, amateur tattoos can take anywhere from 1 - 10 treatments; professional tattoos from 5 - 20, although they may take more than this. Without seeing the tattoo it is impossible to be more accurate and even then, we will only be able to give an estimate.
What are the costs likely to be?
The cost of a single treatment will depend solely on the size of the tattoo. The bigger the area, the more time it will take to treat and the higher the charge. Again, until we can see the tattoo, we cannot measure the area or price the treatment. The minimum treatment charge is generally £30 per session.
Do all tattoos respond to treatment?
Unfortunately not; most pigments, especially blacks and blues, do respond very well to Nd:Yag laser treatment. However, some pigments, usually greens, can be resistant to treatment.
How will I know if there any resistant colours present?
In most cases it will be apparent to the assessor whether there is likely to be a problem. Where the practitioner is in any doubt, Body Art will often perform a test patch to determine the likelihood of successful treatment. There is usually a charge of £10 for a test but, in our experience, it is better to find out about potential problems before the whole tattoo has been treated and a larger sum of money has already been spent. The £10 is taken is taken off your first session if you decide to carry on with the treatments.
How long does the treatment take?
This depends on the size of the tattoo; a small tattoo might take 5 minutes, where a large tattoo or multiple tattoos could take an hour or more of treatment. Again, the assessment will provide this information.
The honest answer to this is yes, although the amount of pain felt will depend on the type of tattoo, the amount of treatment required and your own pain threshold. Some clients would describle it as no more than uncomfortable where others will describe it as painful. Clients' descriptions range from an elastic band flicked against the skin to splashes of chip fat and even red hot needles. The truth is that you will only know how painful you find it when you try it! Advice on pain relief will be given during your assessment.
Does the laser cause scarring?
Although there is a risk of scarring with any laser, in most cases, scarring is not a significant risk for tattoo removal with the Nd:Yag laser. Tattoo removal has become associated with scarring because the first lasers used for tattoo removal were very aggressive and carried a high risk of scarring. The Nd:Yag laser does not heat the surrounding skin significantly and as such the risk of scarring is very much reduced. The risk of scarring is mainly associated with a genetic pre-dis-position to forming scar tissue and the presence of resistant green pigment. To reduce the risk, we carry out an extensive medical evaluation to identify high risk clients.
Are there any other side effects?
After each treatment, the area may blister; this is quite normal and usually resolves in a few days. Once any blisters or crusts have subsided, the skin around the tattoo will look shiny for a number of weeks. Treatment cannot be repeated until your skin has returned to normal; this will usually take from 4 to 6 weeks.
The highest risk side effect is skin de-pigmentation (loss of natural skin colour). As the laser targets dark pigments, energy is absorbed by the melanin in the skin. This can cause the natural colour in the skin to bealch after a number of treatments. While normal skin pigment will usually recover, it can take months or even years to do so and in some rare cases, the natural colour of the skin may not return at all or may return on patches. This may happen in approximately 1 in 200 people. As a general guideline, the darker the skin the more risk there is of de-pigmentation.
Because of the risk of damage to skin pigment, we will not treat tanned skin and will postpone treatment until any sun tan has faded. The risks of permanent de-pigmentation is harder to measure than for scarring as the skin usually recovers to at least some degree.
The Nd:Yag laser has been used around the world for more than 13 years and has treated millions of tattoos safely. Nd:Yag laser energy is really just a strong light and there is no linkage with any skin disorder or any increased risk of skin cancer.
The major risk to health is to the retina within the eye as direct exposure to lasers and other strong light sources can cause permanent damage. Consequently, the use of lasers and light sources (IPLs) is regulated under the Care Standards Act 2000 by the Healthcare Commission.
All facilities using laser/IPLs must be registered and inspected by the NCSC. If a facility is not registered, it is operating illegally and will not be insured against negligence. Body Art is registered and fulfil the legal requirements to the highest standards.
What do I do if I want to find out more?
Simply contact Body Art to arrange your initial consultation. This will take about 30 minutes and will give you all the information that you need to reach an informed opinion about the suitablilty of our treatment. Click here to go to our contact page.
