Many of us make decisions in our lives that we later come to regret. Sometimes the mark of that decision remains imprinted on our bodies.
According to a study conducted by the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, nearly 36 percent of Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 have at least one tattoo. But a significant number – about 20%, according to a recent study – of people with tattoos eventually regret having them. The moral of the story, of course, is to always ‘think’ before you ‘ink,’ but if you already feel stuck with a tattoo that you now wish you didn’t have, there are effective options for removal.
Tattoo Removal Before and After Photos
PicoSure Laser
Laser technology has proven effective for removing tattoos since its adoption for this purpose only a few decades ago. But an exciting new advancement in the field is the advent of the PicoSure laser, which makes it possible to remove tattoos faster and more effectively than ever before.
Using pulses of light, lasers are able to shatter tattoo inks into microscopic fragments. These fragments are then engulfed by the cells of the body’s immune system which digests the fragments and carts them off to the blood and lymphatic systems that then transport debris out of the body. This process results in erasure of the ink from the skin.
The PicoSure laser destroys pigment more effectively than any prior technology. Older lasers, such as the traditional Q-Switched lasers, pulse light in nanoseconds, but the newer PicoSure laser pulses in just picoseconds – that’s one trillionth of a second! A good way to think of it is that Q-Switched lasers break apart the unwanted body-ink into small pebbles, but the Pico breaks it down into tiny grains of sand resulting in fewer treatments and a more complete removal. Whereas older lasers required anywhere from 10-20 treatments, the PicoSure can often completely remove a tattoo in less than half the amount of sessions.
I am one of the few highly-trained dermatologists offering PicoSure laser tattoo removal treatment in New York City. I’m proud to offer my patients a faster and more complete tattoo removal in fewer sessions, providing them a more cost-effective option.
Still, PicoSure is not for everyone. The choice of laser a physician uses in tattoo removal depends largely on the color of the tattoo pigments. The PicoSure is most effective for removing black, green, and blue ink. I recommend treatments to take place at four-to-six-week intervals. My patients generally report much less discomfort from the laser treatment than when the tattoo was originally etched into their skin!
The PicoSure laser’s efficient use of energy decreases the chance of hyperpigmentation (darkening of the skin) or scarring – making for a more beautiful result.
So if “forever with Anne” turned out to be much shorter than you expected or if you wish to join the police force or move up the ranks of corporate America, don’t worry about that tattoo jeopardizing your dreams.
