Tattoo Removal

Tattoo removal is a procedure to eliminate or significantly lighten a tattoo in the skin, sought by people who have changed their personal taste, face social or professional considerations, or want to make room for a new tattoo in the same spot. Because tattooing generally leaves a permanent mark, people have tried many approaches to hide or destroy unwanted tattoos over the tattoo history. The current standard method is non-invasive removal of the tattoo pigment with Q-switched lasers, using different laser types tuned to the light absorption of different ink colors: black and other dark inks are usually removed completely, while lighter colors such as yellows and greens are much harder to clear. How well removal works depends on the person skin color, the ink color, and how deeply the ink sits in the skin, and current research is exploring multi-pass treatment schedules and picosecond laser technology to improve results further.