Tattoo removal expert Dr. Will Kirby was featured in the November issue of Healthy Aging magazine in an article about laser tattoo removal using Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers, specifically the MedLite C6 and RevLite - the lasers we use at Dr. TATTOFF clinics. From the article:

Nearly 40 percent of Americans age 18-35 have at least one tattoo, and 17 percent say they regret it. That rate climbs to 50 percent among adults over age 40. As a result, laser tattoo removal is one of the fastest growing segments of the aesthetic laser business, even in in a stagnant economy.

Erasing a tattoo is not a simple matter. Tattoo ink is embedded deep in the dermis, and it's meant to stay there forever. Histology indicates a network of connective tissue surrounds each fibroblast that contains ink particles, effectively entrapping and immobilizing the cell.

In the late 1960s, scientists discovered successful tattoo removal using Nd:YAG and ruby lasers. Selective photothermolysis theory shows a particular wavelength of light targets specific colors of tattoo ink without harming surrounding tissue. Physicians found there's more to it than wavelength.

Q-switched lasers allow greater precision in treating tattoos, resulting in safer procedures and more effective outcomes with minimal epidermal damage. The Q-switch controls light output by concentrating energy into a single intense nanosecond pulse or series of pulses. Hoya ConBio pioneered the use of electro-optic (EO) Q-swithced Nd:YAG systems where the EO switch acts as a high-speed shutter to ensure uniform and accurate nansecond pulses and a flat-top beam profile.

"The combination of high peak power and nanosecond pulse duration, a hallmark of photoacoustic technology, vibrates and shatters tattoo ink," says Will Kirby, DO, FAOCD, board-certified dermatologist practicing in Beverly Hills, California. "Tiny particles of ink are gradually eliminated through the body's natural processes."

Results from a retrospective study suggest MedLite C6's flat top beam profile is uniquely effective in clearing tattoos resistant to previous Nd:YAG therapy. The data suggest the improved clearance rate is attributable to the spot size and high-energy fluence in deeper layers of the dermis where tattoo ink is embedded.