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Tattoo Removal
That tattoo was beautiful and meant something once upon a time, however, either the meaning has now gone, the picture has changed with aging, colors faded, or you just want to start a clean slate.
Whatever your reason for wanting to remove that tattoo, Dr. Kim may have a solution to zap it away using the Q-Switched Nd:YAG Laser technology. Q-Switch Laser is effective for all skin types. Lighter skinned patients typically have better results than darker skinned. Also keep note, older tattoos may be tougher to remove since the dermal pigment may have penetrated deeper than newer tattoos.
Procedure
After numbing cream is applied, Q-switch laser is shot onto the tattoo area using an intense pulse of light energy that is very powerful and very brief. Since the energy is in the skin for such a brief period, the skin isn’t heated long enough to experience tissue damage. However, because the pulse of energy is so intense, the tattoo ink instantly fragments into smaller pieces as it absorbs the light. After treatment, the tattoo ink that is shattered will be eliminated by the body’s natural immune process. Each laser treatment breaks down more ink until the tattoo is eventually erased.
How Many Treatments are Needed?
All colors of the tattoo can be removed; however, Black, Blue, and Brown tattoos respond better to the treatment while Red or Green tattoos need more time. Multiple treatments are needed to completely remove a tattoo. Larger, more pigmented tattoos will need more treatments than smaller, more faded tattoos.
Post Treatment
Following treatment, you may feel like you have a mild sunburn and may experience some minor pain and itching. Typically, these effects only last a day or two. If necessary, pain may be controlled with over the counter medication. Sunscreen must always be applied to treated areas.
