TOP 10 REASONS WHY PEOPLE GET TATTOOS REMOVED:

1. After getting a tattoo it feels out of character
2. Employment opportunities
3. An upcoming wedding
4. An Ex’s name in a new relationship
5. Moms with “Tramp Stamps”
6. Dated tattoos such as “Tribal” 
7. Inappropriate tattoos become an embarrassment
8. Tattoos applied in youth; tastes have matured
9. To clear the canvas for better artwork
10. Cover-ups that turned out badly

The ink used in tattoos is made from minerals. To understand how tattoo removal works think of the ink as tiny “rocks.”  With multiple treatments, the “rocks” are broken down into smaller and smaller “pebbles.”  The number of treatments required to get a tattoo off varies greatly based on factors such as the age of the tattoo, whether it was applied by a professional or not, the depth and concentration of ink, the number of colours, the type of laser used, and the technique used to perform the treatments. Traditional lasers used for tattoo removal are called Q-Switches.  These nanosecond lasers predominantly rely on photothermal action and deliver heat into the pigment and surrounding tissue.  A minimum of 6 treatments and upwards of 15 or 20 are required.  Complete clearance of ink is an unlikelihood if the tattoo has multiple colours.  Scarring is not only possible but probable.  The risk of scarring from Q-Switch treatments is heightened by treatment methods that involve multiple passes in the same session.  

Now there is a New Laser!

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Now there is a new picosecond laser that operates at speeds measured in trillionths of a second!  This breakthrough technology, known as Picosure, has opened up a whole new realm of possibilities for the use and effectiveness of lasers including faster clearance of tattoo ink.  Picosure uses pressure-wave technology that creates an intense mechanical impact that shatters the ink into tiny particles.  The “rocks” are not reduced to “pebbles,” but instead become “sand.” 

Tattoos are cleared in fewer treatments, with less fluence, and without injuring the surrounding skin. Another indication for Picosure is scar revision.  Thus, it has proven effective at removing previously treated tattoos that became impacted in scar tissue and failed to clear after multiple Q-switch treatments.  Healing time after a Picosure treatment is similar to that of traditional lasers but far fewer treatments are required.  Greens and blues

which are notoriously difficult to remove with Q-switch lasers come off easily with Picosure.  We have witnessed complete clearance of green and light blue ink in 1 to 3 treatments.  Black, dark blue and other colours fade more slowly and may require 3 to 5 (occasionally more) treatments. Red and white will fade much slower than other colours. The pigment will diminish gradually over a period of 6-8 weeks.   Treatment may then be repeated. 

Tattoo shows such as Tattoo Nightmares and Ink Masters give people a false impression that tattoos can easily be covered up with other tattoos.  Finding an artist with the confidence and skill to cover up something like large black tribal with a beautiful modern image is rare.  Trying to cover any tattoo limits the possibilities for new art because you have to work around the tattoo you already have.  Fading the old tattoo first with a

few Picosure treatments allows you to clear the canvas and truly create something that reflects your personality and tastes.  For those who cover up without fading first, more often than not what is created is worse than what they started with. The words I hear often are “It looks like a big blob.”  To add insult to injury, the fresh thick ink of a cover-up is far more difficult to remove than the old, faded ink they covered, would have been.

The cost for a Picosure treatment is higher per square inch of ink than that of traditional lasers, but the total cost to remove the tattoo will be lower.  Fewer treatments, faster recovery time and greater results are achievable.  Picosure delivers faster and better clearance at a lower overall cost! Give us a call for a free tattoo assessment!