Tattoos aren’t a modern invention. In fact, they have been around for hundreds of years. But they didn’t really become mainstream until the 1970s. Fast forward to today, tattoos are recognized as a form of self-expression. No wonder they are most common among millennials.
About 32% of Americans have a tattoo, of which 22% have more than one, according to a recent survey by Pew Research Center. Among the Americans who have tattooed themselves, 23% regret getting inked. Around 11% have tried to cover one or more of their tattoos or remove them altogether.
Do you also regret getting inked? Well, don’t worry. You can banish tattoo regret by opting for tattoo removal. Yes, advances in technology have made it easy for people to get rid of unwanted ink from their bodies. Thanks to innovations like picosecond lasers, removing tattoos has become easier than ever.
Continue reading to learn about the picosecond laser and why you should consider it for tattoo removal. Or, you can also check this website to know more about it.
How Bad Does Tattoo Removal Hurt?
It depends. No two people experience the same pain when it comes to tattoo removal because each person’s pain threshold is different. Some people say that they can grin and bear the pain, but others compare it with wisdom tooth extraction and childbirth. Therefore, your pain threshold will determine how much the tattoo removal process will hurt.
The location and size of the tattoo also determine how much pain you will experience while getting rid of tattoos. That’s because some areas of our body are more sensitive than others.
Hands, ankles, feet, neck, fingers, ribcage area, wrists, forehead, and around the armpits are some areas where tattoo removal is painful. These areas hurt more than others because they have more nerve endings and touch receptors.
Finally, the skills and experience of the person removing your tattoo will decide how painful the experience will be. That is why it’s advisable to get a tattoo removal done by a licensed dermatologist.
Trained dermatologists give local anesthetic injections or apply numbing creams before the procedure. They also adjust the process to your comfort level, which minimizes the pain to a great extent.
All in all, the pain that you experience during the tattoo removal process is subjective. But one thing is for sure: the pain of tattoo removal isn’t as bad as getting a tattoo in the first place.
What is a Picosecond Laser?
A picosecond laser is a laser device that uses ultra-short pulse durations to target exogenous ink particles and endogenous pigmentation (tattoo). Besides tattoos, this revolutionary technology can be used to target a wide range of skin conditions and imperfections, such as scarring and discoloration.
Why Consider Picosecond Laser for Tattoo Removal?
The introduction of laser technology has completely revolutionized the way tattoos are removed. Unlike the previous methods, such as skin excision and salabrasion, which cause some serious scarring, laser tattoo removal doesn’t damage the skin. Instead, it is a highly effective and advanced method to get rid of unwanted body art.
With that said, here’s why you should consider a picosecond laser for tattoo removal:
1. Works on Tattoos of All Colors
Colored inks are notoriously tricky to remove. While early technologies removed only a limited selection of ink colors, the picosecond laser is effective at shattering a wide range of ink colors.
A recent NIH study disclosed that the 1064/532 nm picosecond laser effectively removes 75% of tattoo pigments compared to the 1064/532 nm short pulse Q-switched laser. The combination of increased power with several wavelengths is what makes picosecond lasers effective in removing tattoos with too many colors.
2. Minimal Skin Damage
Unlike the majority of laser treatments that generate heat, a picosecond laser targets tattoo inks by sending ultra-short pulses of energy. The laser has a strong impact on the skin, because of which the problematic pigments are shattered.
Despite being highly concentrated, the picosecond laser is gentle on the epidermis, making it safe for all skin types. That is why the skin damage is minimal, and people experience little to no discomfort during the treatment.
3. Faster Tattoo Removal
Picosecond lasers produce ultra-short pulses of energy measured in picoseconds, which is one trillionth of a second. As such, the picosecond laser pulse is 1000 times shorter than that of a Q-Switched pigment laser.
That is why a picosecond laser requires only four to six sessions for tattoo removal, unlike traditional laser tattoo removal, which removes tattoos in 10 to 12 sessions.
Wrapping Up
Tattoo regret isn’t uncommon, but the good news is that getting rid of unwanted body ink has become easier than ever. Thanks to technological advancements, the tattoo removal process has been revolutionized, making the process less painful and more efficient.
When it comes to tattoo removal, the picosecond laser is the real revolution, as its ultra-short pulses of energy disintegrate tattoo pigment quicker than outdated laser technology. Besides, it’s safe for use on all skin types and comes with minimal downtime.
It’s because of this breakthrough in laser technology that you can get rid of unwanted ink from your body and regain confidence.
