When lasers where developed in the early 1960's, they had been developed for industrial uses only. As researchers invented lasers which emitted wavelengths of light in short flashes called pulses, medical use became an option. These lasers can effectively remove tattoos with a low health risk according to the American Academy Of Dermatology.
There are different types of lasers used for the removal of a tattoo depending on the tattoos pigment colors. Usually blue and black are the easiest to remove and yellow and green the hardest. Three different lasers were developed specifically for use in tattoo removals using a technique known as Q-Switching. This refers to the lasers Short - High energy pulses.
* The Q-Switched Ruby
* The Q-Switched Alexandrite
* The Q-Switched Nd:YAG, this latest system in this class of lasers is particularly advanced in the removal of red, blue and black.
The laser works by producing short pulses of intense light harmlessly passing through the Epidermis, the top layers of the skin, to be absorbed by the pigment in the tattoo ink. The energy the laser emits causes the pigment to fragment into smaller particles which can then be naturally removed by the body's immune system.
A lot of research went into determining the right wavelengths of light to be used and how to deliver the lasers output to get the best results. The laser is conceived to break up only the pigments in the tattoo ink and not the natural pigment in the skin.
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