IPL Tattoo Removal

IPL should never been used for tattoo removal. Using this modality can lead to scarring, ink retention and dyspigmentation. The gold standard and widely recognized means by which to remove a tattoo is via Q-switched laser technology. An attempt to remove a tattoo with an IPL device is the sign of an uneducated health care provider and is a major source of liability.

IPL would not be a great treatment for your tattoo. You need to seek the care of an expert who has a Q-Switched laser. There are many different types. We typically use multiple laser wavelengths of light to treat different colored tattoos.

Different types of lasers will be useful depending on the color of your tattoo. You will require a Q-switched ruby or YAG laser for black and blue tattoos, a Q-switched KTP laser for red tattoos and/or a Q-switched Alexandrite laser for purple and orange colors. In general the darker the tattoos the easier to get rid of it as the pigment absorbs the laser energy better. Best of luck!

Lasers used for tattoo removal are single-wavelength, very high energy, very short pulse duration machines that deliver enough energy to cause the tattoo ink granules in the skin to vaporize, causing a bit of epidermal damage in the process. That is why there is healing involved after treatment, and why multiple treatments are needed. The minimal damage to skin allows maximum ink removal with minimal skin damage and scar risk. IPL machines are essentially full-spectrum, moderate high... more

Lasers and other light therapy devices, such as the Infrared Coagulater (IRC), are the treatments of choice today. Lasers work by emitting short, intense pulses of light that pass through the skin and target the ink. The energy from the laser light fragments the large particles of tattoo pigment enabling the body’s natural immune system to more easily scavenge the pigment and carry it away. This process usually takes several weeks, and multiple treatment sessions are often... more