Lasers and Tattoo Removal

As an Oak Brook laser tattoo removal studio we are endlessly interested in laser tattoo removal and lasers in general.  We've had patients ask us about how lasers came to be used for tattoo removal purposes in the first place and the origins of removal are nothing short of remarkable. While the use of lasers for medical technology date back to the 1960s, lasers being used for laser tattoo removal date back to the late 1980s.  Yes, it was not all that long ago in retrospect, but since the 1980s laser technology has advanced in incredible ways.

In the 1980s pulsed laser lights were first approved for a variety of medical treatments and eventually in the 1990s one laser in particular was approved for tattoo removal.  The Q-Switched Ruby laser was able to to effectively break down green tattoo ink, which we now know can be quite difficult for a laser to break down.

In 1991 an even better laser came onto the scene.  The Q-Switched Nd, or YAG, had the ability to use a wider range of wavelengths.  This new laser was able to eliminate blue, black, red and orange ink.  Its ability to break down a multitude of colors made it quite popular in the laser tattoo removal realm.

In 1992 the Q-Switched Alexandrite Laser was approved for laser tattoo removal proving it had the ability to break down some of the most stubborn of tattoo inks and colors.  That was just what the laser tattoo removal industry needed, a laser that could better break down the difficult ink particles.

Typically these lasers will be used in combination during a laser tattoo removal procedure.  If not used in combination with one another a tattoo removal studio may use a variation of these types of lasers.

Our Laser

Here at Erase we use the Asclepion TattooStar Effect laser.  The Asclepion TattooStar Effect laser specifically targets and breaks up ink particles better than the lasers of the past.  The results our patients get from our laser is powerful and unlike the results earned in the past from lasers.  Before undergoing laser tattoo removal it is always best to speak with your chosen removal studio staff about the laser(s) that will be used during the procedure.

Comment or questions about the use of lasers and tattoo removal?  Feel free to leave us a comment below or contact us.