DIFFERENCES IN LASER TATTOO REMOVAL TECHNOLOGY – CLASS 4 AND CLASS 3B LASERS

Class 4 lasers include all lasers with beam power greater than class 3B, including lasers used for tattoo removal such as the PicoLase®, Medlite C6 and Ruby lasers.

By definition, a class-4 laser is a lot more powerful device than a class 3b. Lasers used for Tattoo Removal will likely have a number of safety mechanisms, including a foot switch, emergency stop button and special safety glasses which must be worn for eye protection.

Laser Tattoo Removal using Class 4 lasers can only be performed by people holding a laser licence which is issued by QLD health after many hours of training and performing supervised treatments. We are aware that some clinics may be promoting Class 3 (weak) laser treatment of tattoos. There is no license required for Class 3 lasers and as such the operator may not be properly trained or have the knowledge to perform laser tattoo removal treatments. Class 3 lasers will not effectively remove tattoo pigment and will lead to a waste of time and money by the client and a disappointing end result.

We have clinics in Brisbane and on the Sunshine Coast so we’re sure to have a location near you.

DIFFERENCES IN LASER TATTOO MACHINES – QUALITY, POWER AND PRICE

Tattoo Removal lasers can be purchased from as little as a few thousand dollars, but for top of the line technology the price can be in excess of $80,000.

Laser Tattoo Removal with a Q-Switched laser is currently the most effective means of removing or fading tattoos with the lowest chance of scarring in comparison to other methods. Q-switched lasers emit extremely high energy, short pulses of light that shatter tattoo ink particles to allow them to be removed by the body’s immune system. The key requirement for a laser to remove tattoos is for it to be Q-switched. This means that the energy is delivered in a particular way, (very short pulse-durations which ‘crack’ the tattoo pigment particles), that is effectively absorbed by tattoo pigment.

Lasers that are not Q-switched will not be effective on tattoos and Intense Pulsed Lights (IPLs) will also be ineffective, delivering energy that is not effectively absorbed by tattoo pigment and will likely damage surrounding skin.

Different laser wavelengths are required to remove different tattoo colours. Clinics that only use one wavelength often stop getting any results after the first couple of treatments, especially in multi coloured tattoos, where several wavelengths of light must be used to target the different colours.

Due to the precision and accuracy of laser technology, it is possible to remove parts of your tattoo without affecting areas you do not want to remove. It is also popular to have the tattoo partially removed or faded back to allow a cover up tattoo to be applied over the top.

The most commonly used Q-switched lasers for tattoo removal is Nd:YAG (532nm and 1064nm) lasers. Nd:YAG lasers can be made to produce two different wavelengths (colours) and so there are four potential wavelengths with which to target the entire range of tattoo pigments. The Ruby laser (694nm) is great for targeting colours such as green which have traditionally been difficult to remove with other laser machines. The PicoLase® is one of the most powerful laser technologies for laser tattoo removal and provides far superior results on all colours.

Book a free consultation in order to grasp how the procedure works and have the style, size, location and colour of the tattoo examined by a professional who can give you the correct information and answer any questions or concerns you may have.