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Ink and skin hyperpigmentation removal
Do you suffer from any of the following:-
- Dark circles under your eyes?
- A tattoo you want gone?
- Hyperpigmentation or dark skin discoloration?
A troublesome pigment on or just under the surface of the skin, whether it is from a tattoo, a stubborn age spot or just general discoloration under your eyes that has not responded to skin lighteners - should respond to laser treatment.
How do lasers remove pigment?
A particular colored laser will heat up and destroy pigments of particular colors. A laser that will work on one color might not quite work on a different colored pigment. A skilled operator will know which laser to use against which problem pigment.
To this extent it doesn't so much matter whether the pigment is natural such as hyperpigmentation, or artificial such as a tattoo, or where it is - what matters most is what color it is.
It is much easier to remove an amateur tattoo than a profession one - a professional tattoo uses more colors! Cosmetic tattoo removal is quite difficult too, because the colors that are used can be very close indeed to the natural colors of the skin.
The treatment itself
In general pigmentation removal is done with Pulsed dye or Q-switched lasers. Removing tattos and pigments with lasers can be painful so an injection of lidocaine or perhaps some anaesthetic cream is used first, with antibacterial cream afterwards because the skin will be sore and prone to infection for a while.
Which laser for which color?
Each type of laser has a wavelength at which it operates - though lasers using dyes, prisms or similar devices have a certain amount of latitude. It is also possible to exactly halve the wavelength of a laser.
Pulsed dye lasers at 393 nm are good for removing pinkish pigments, but hardly penetrate the skin at all.
Pulsed dye lasers at wavelengths of 510 nm are used for treating red, orange, and purple tattoos and similarly colored surface skin disorders. 510 mn is too short a wavelength to reach very far into the skin.
Q-switched Nd:YAG ("neodymium yttrium aluminum garnet") laser at 532 nm is used for for removing red pigment, also for treating freckles in olive or light brown skinned people
Q-switched ruby lasers at 694 nm are for removing black, blue and green pigment and other skin leisions. The red light easily goes through the skin so it is used for treating both tattoos and natural pigment skin problems.
Q-switched alexandrite lasers at 755 nm are for removing black, blue and green pigment - also dark circles under the eyes.
Q-switched Nd:YAG laser at 1064 nm is for removing black and blue pigment. Laser light at a wavelength of 1064 nm is in the infra-red and therefore it can go several millimeters into the skin to treat deep pigments, pigmentation disorders and treat varicose veins up to 3mm around.
Side effects
Side effects with the Q-switched ruby laser are usually changes in skin texture, scarring and changes in the skin's pigment. Q-switched alexandrite laser side effects can include changes in skin texture and temporary lighter patches of skin in 50% of patients and textural changes in 12%.
Q-switched Nd:YAG laser very occasionally causes hyperpigmentation and changes in skin texture, but the chances of it causing skin lightening are lower than with the Q-switched Ruby laser.
Sasha recommends..
If its a natural pigment you want removing such as hyperpigmentation, or age spots, even troublesome freckles or dark circles under the eyes - try out one of the skin lightening creams first. They are cheaper, and a bit of slight irritation is the worst you can expect.
If its a cosmetic tattoo/permanent makeup you want removing - most of them fade after a few years. Cover up with concealer and wait is what I would do. If it isn't starting to fade after four years, you might need laser removal. Fading is difficult to judge yourself. Ask a friend to decide!
If it is a decorative professional or amateur tattoo then there is no option but laser treatment and nothing else that I know of will remove it.
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