What is the best method for tattoo removal in Singapore? (photo)

Doctor's Answers 4

To remove a tattoo is a long drawn out process.

The laser remains the best method to remove a tattoo.

Several years ago doctors looked at the existing technologies and decided that the Q-Switched Nd-YAg lasers should be considered the gold-standard laser for tattoo removal.

The pigment that absorbs the laser energy is called the chromophore. There are 3 processes that happen when the laser beam hits the skin.

  • Photothermal effect - the chromophore is heated and effectively burns up.
  • Photoacoustic effect - light behaves like a sound wave which shatters the chromophore into much smaller fragments
  • Lymphatic clearance - the location of the tattoo determines how easy it is to clear the tattoo. It is much harder to remove tattoos over areas where the skin is thin eg- wrist, ankle. Fleshy areas like the upper arm would be easier.

The pico-second lasers did not yet exist at that time. I personally prefer to use my pico-second laser because the clearance of the tattoo is faster, requiring fewer sessions. Recovery time is also shortened. The chances of scarring is also lower.

Your right flank tattoo would be best removed using a Picosecond Laser.

In my experience, you might require 3-5 sessions of Picosecond Laser treatment for satisfactory result.

Treatments are usually spaced 3-4 weeks apart.

There is some down-time/recovery time associated with the laser treatment.

The treatment process involves: consultation, numbing cream, laser procedure and post-laser care.

Warmest regards,

Dr Justin Boey

As mentioned by my colleagues, q switched lasers are the method of removal of tattooes.

New picosecond lasers are indeed more efficacious; older nanosecond lasers might require upwards of 10-20 sessions each spaced 4 to 6 weeks apart, even then with some attaining less than satisfactory clearance.

Picosecond lasers offer quicker and better clearance of tattoos, and though a guide of 5 sessions might be expected, some may require more sessions depending on the type of ink and tattoo.

I commonly combine this with fractional lasers to reduce the occurrence of blister formation that can happen with tattoo removal with just the q switched lasers alone.

Tattoo removal can be an arduous process for the patient, but keep at it and you should be able to achieve what you are looking for.

Cheers.

Dr Shane Tan

Pigment lasers are usually used for tattoo removal. While Q-switched lasers were routinely used for tattoo removal previously, the gold standard for tattoo removal now is using a Pico laser.

Of all the Pico lasers available, I prefer PicoSure as it is US FDA approved. It delivers ultra-short bursts of energy to the skin in picoseconds (trillionths of a second), shattering the target pigment without damaging the surrounding skin.

Compared to regular Q-switched laser, PicoSure is more effective with less discomfort. As a result, you will require fewer treatment sessions to complete.

Cheers, Dr. Terence Tan

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