title: New and Advanced Picosecond Lasers for Tattoo Removal.
abstract: Early methods of tattoo removal ultimately resulted in unacceptable cosmetic outcomes. While the introduction of laser technology was an improvement over the existing chemical, mechanical, and surgical procedures, the use of nonselective tattoo removal with carbon dioxide and argon lasers led to scarring. Q-switched lasers with nanosecond (10-9) pulse domains were considered to have revolutionized tattoo treatment, by selectively heating the tattoo particles, while reducing the adverse sequelae to adjacent normal skin. Theoretical considerations of restricting pulse duration, to heat tattoo particles to higher temperatures, proposed the use of sub-nanosecond pulses to target particles with thermal relaxation times lower than the nanosecond pulses in Q-switched lasers. Initial studies demonstrated that picosecond (10-12) pulses were more effective than nanosecond pulses in clearing black tattoos. Advances in picosecond technology led to the development of commercially available lasers, incorporating several different wavelengths, to further refine pigment targeting.
authors.forename: Maurice A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Adatto
authors.forename: Ruthie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Amir
authors.forename: Jayant
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bhawalkar
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sierra
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bankowski
authors.forename: Doran
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rozen
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dierickx
authors.forename: Moshe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lapidoth
mesh_terms: D002921:Cicatrix / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D003116:Color; D062109:Dermatologic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007281:Ink; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013653:Tattooing / Q000009:adverse effects*