Tattoo Removal
No one knows when the practice of tattooing the skin began, but Egyptian mummies dating back to 1300 B.C. have shown evidence of blue tattoo marks. Tattooing is accomplished by injecting colored pigment into small deep holes made in the skin. Regardless of who injects the pigment - a tattoo artist or an untrained person, the marks or designs were intended to be permanent. Today, there are an estimated 20 million Americans who have tattoos that no longer fit into their lifestyle. For years, the only way to remove them was via surgical incisions which left scars instead of ink. Technological advancements have now made tattoo removal possible.
Today, the Q-switched Nd:Yag laser is the most frequently used laser for the removal of unwanted tattoos. Pulses of light from the laser are directed onto the tattoo breaking up the pigment. Over the next several weeks the body's scavenger cells remove the treated pigmented areas. More than one treatment is usually necessary to remove all the tattoo completely.