Treatment of Tattoos by Q-Switched Ruby Laser

Abstract

Tattoo treatment with Q-switched ruby laser pulses (694 nm, 40 to 80 nanoseconds) was studied by clinical assessment and light and electron microscopy. Fifty-seven blue-black tattoos or portions thereof (35 amateur and 22 professional) were irradiated with 1.5 to 8.0 J/cm2 at a mean interval of 3 weeks. Substantial lightening or total clearing occurred in 18 (78%) of 23 amateur tattoos and 3 (23%) of 13 professional tattoos in which the protocol was completed. Response was related to exposure dose. Scarring occurred in one case, and persistent confettilike hypopigmentation was frequent. Optimal fluence was 4 to 8 J/cm2. Clinicohistologic correlation was poor. Q-switched ruby laser pulses can provide an effective treatment for tattoos.

Effects of non‐invasive, 1,210 nm laser exposure on adipose tissue: Results of a human pilot study

“…The lasers and flash lamps developed for selective photothermolysis of vascular and pigmented lesions, tattoo and pigmented hair removal, and treatment of glaucoma emit millisecond-domain or shorter pulses [14,[16][17][18][19][20]. Skin cooling is used with these procedures mainly for epidermal protection and patient comfort, not for dermal protection.…”

Dermatography: A Review of 15 Years of Clinical Applications in Surgery

“…If required, 10% lidocaine in Edula ® (Medicer, Arnhem, The Netherlands) ointment (47) is applied. (30) Complete anaesthesia is rarely applied in dermatography, as it influences microcirculation and as a consequence alters the color of the skin. Patients are treated policlinically.…”

“…(18)(19)(20)(21) Most group members regret having these tattoos when they get on in life and want to have them removed with the aid of one of the available medical techniques. (20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31) In 1984, van der Velden began to adapt Japanese tattooing techniques for application in a range of medical disciplines. The techniques that were developed have been termed "dermatography" in 1990.…”

Treatment modalities for hyperpigmented skin lesions: A brief overview

“…These lasers allow thermal relaxation time; therefore, these lasers carry very little collateral damage to the adjacent tissue and subsequent scarring is rare [40,41] . Taylor et al demonstrated the mechanism of pigment removal via laser application [42] . The short pulses of high energy cause rapid thermal expansion of the pigment granules and result in photoacoustic fragmentation of the pigments.…”