PicoSure Laser Tattoo Removal
At the Liposuction and Cosmetic Surgery Institute, we strive to bring the latest technologies on the market to our patients. The latest and greatest tattoo removal laser in Chicago is the PicoSure tattoo removal laser, which we now house in our practice at the Liposuction and Cosmetic Surgery Institute. With the PicoSure tattoo removal laser, we can now remove tattoos anywhere on the body quicker and with fewer side effects like bruising and/or scarring, if any at all.
Additionally, tough-to-target colors like blues, greens and whites are no match for the PicoSure tattoo removal laser, which easily targets and obliterates the blue, green and white inks. The laser wavelengths are delivered in picoseconds, 100 times shorter than traditional tattoo removal lasers (which use bursts delivered in nanosecond bursts). These bursts, which come in quicker and shorter bursts, obliterate the ink down to smaller fragments, which in turn makes it easier for your white blood cells to flush them away naturally.
The video above perfectly illustrates this process.
How is the PicoSure tattoo removal laser different than previous tattoo removal lasers?
Previously, tattoo removal lasers used nanosecond, photothermal energy to target tattoo ink and obliterate it so the patient’s white blood cells could flush it away naturally through the body. This basically means the laser energy heated the ink up to a point where it compromised the structural integrity of the ink, thus blasting it into bits that the white blood cells latched onto and carried away. This worked, and still works, extremely well for the removal of tattoos. However, traditionally this method required many treatments, sometimes 15-20 or more, to fully remove the tattoo. And because that thermal heat was an essential aspect of the treatment, bruising and/or scarring were possibilities.
The PicoSure tattoo removal laser utilizes patented “PressureWave” technology, which triggers a photomechanical, rather than a phototermal, effect on the tattoo ink. The ultrashort pulses of the Pico tattoo removal laser are the only way to accomplish this photomechanical energy. The photomechanical, short pulses of the PicoSure tattoo removal laser rely on impact and stress, rather than heat, which allows for the ink particles to be obliterated into tiny bits, which are more easily carried out of the body naturally via the white blood cells, with minimal, if any, bruising and/or scarring left behind.
How many treatments will it take to remove a tattoo with the PicoSure tattoo removal laser?
We can’t put an exact number on it, mostly because there are so many factors that go into just how many treatments it takes to remove a tattoo with a laser. Ink quality, ink depth, location of that tattoo, and other factors, all contribute to the amount of treatments needed to remove a tattoo. And we have no way of determining the quality of ink the artist used, nor can we determine how deep into the dermis the artist went. But you can rest assured, with the PicoSure tattoo removal laser the tattoo will probably be removed quicker than if any other tattoo removal laser was used.
Will having my tattoo removed using the PicoSure tattoo removal laser hurt?
Most patients report some type of mild discomfort. The most common response we get is a similar sensation to getting snapped with a rubber band. However, the early returns we’ve gotten on the PicoSure tattoo removal laser tell us that the discomfort has been much less than in the past with traditional nanosecond tattoo removal lasers. The best answer is that it can vary from patient to patient.
Are the PicoSure tattoo removal laser treatments more expensive than traditional tattoo removal treatments?
Individually, yes, they are. However, take a step back and look at the bigger picture for a second. The PicoSure tattoo removal laser treatment will remove your tattoo in fewer treatments than any other laser out there. That much we know. With that in mind, think about everything that goes into the cheaper by the treatment alternative. Think about your commute to and from a doctor’s office. Think about the time and financial commitments of that visit (sitting in the car, waiting in a waiting room, the gas used to and from the doctor’s office, slow response to therapy, etc.). With the PicoSure tattoo removal laser treatment, all those aspects of treatment are reduced. So, once you put the treatment in perspective, odds are you’ll end up saving money on your tattoo removal treatment with the PicoSure tattoo removal laser treatment in the end.