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 is more information 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. Other cosmetic procedures also use lasers, such as permanent hair removal, skin rejuvenation, and vein treatments.
Places to get this procedure performed include hair-removal clinics, dermatologists, cosmetic surgeons, some spas, and even some tattoo shops. The procedure could be called laser therapy, laser tattoo removal, Q-switch, or pulsed light. Practically all of the modern clinics use the Q-switch technology.
The first lasers put out a continuous stream 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 similar to having a rubber band 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. The high energy, short pulse technology of the Medlite C6 allows tattoos to be treated with minimal risk of scarring and less discomfort than any other laser system. Another big advantage it has over other lasers is the ability to output four different wavelengths. This makes it possible to treat more colors, as opposed to other laser systems which are less effective on all but the darker colors.
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. Black and red for example can be removed more easily than yellow and green.
There is a new kind of ink called Infinitink that some parlors have started using for their tattoos. It is a patented product designed to be removed in a single laser treatment. Other inks on the market will take several treatments (at least 3) to produce the results most people are after.
If you got your tattoo before 2009 and live in the St. Louis area, you would most likely need no less than three laser sessions to see a drastic fade in the colors. Infinitink was not widely used until 2009. At first it was only available in black, but currently it can be found in other colors as well.
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. The spacing also reduces the chance of burning or skin damage.
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.