Tattoo Removal Before & After | Progressive Pico Laser Fading in a Male Patient

Details of the Treatment

Pico laser was the technology he had been waiting for. The forearm tattoo had to come off without the pebbled scarring older Q-switched systems were known for.

Forearm assessment showed a multi-color tattoo with predominantly black ink and accent colors. The skin was Fitzpatrick type III. The tattoo age was approximately seven years. The ink depth was uniform within the dermis with no surface scarring from the original placement. The surrounding skin was free of pigmentary irregularity. The pattern reflected a moderately aged amateur tattoo with mixed pigment. The plan was Pico laser at multiple wavelengths matched to each ink color across a multi-session course.

Pico laser was performed at the wavelengths appropriate to the dominant ink colors. Black ink responds to 1064 nm; colored inks require shorter wavelengths matched to each color. Multi-color tattoos require longer treatment courses than single-color black tattoos because each color is treated separately. In the after image, fading of this kind is typically observed progressively across the treatment course, the tattoo has substantially faded across all colors with no visible scarring or textural change in the surrounding skin. Treatment is ongoing toward complete clearance. Tattoo removal is a multi-session commitment measured in years, not visits. The right device produces the right result over the right timeline.