What is the best method of cosmetic tattoo removal?

Question

I had my eyebrows tattooed over 12 years ago and the technician tattooed them in black, which faded to a Greyish-green color. My skin is a light tan, naturally. I am looking to get the tattoo removed with a laser that does not kill the hair follicle. I have some existing eyebrow hair and would like to keep it. What should I be looking for in terms of treatment? Is there a specific machine or laser or method that sounds like it would help me?

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

This can be removed with laser tattoo removal. It may take a series of treatments. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with an expert. Best, Dr. Emer

James Shire, MD · Answer

Your best option to remove your eyebrow tattoo is a pico laser, such as a Picosure. The pico will remove all the colors (black, blue, green, etc.) quicker without scarring and will not remove your hair. Please find  a doctor with a pico laser that is experienced.

Mark Taylor, MD · Answer

The new picosecond lasers and high quality nanosecond lasers and the new Fotona Starwalker Laser are the best lasers for removal of tattoos.  Picosecond laser are mainly 755nm (PicoSure) and 1064/532nm lasers (Discovery Pico, Enlighten and Picoway etc.)  The Fotona Starwalker Laser has both Nano and Picosecond pulses at the same time.  These lasers have different colors of laser light for different colors of tattoos.  In some tattoos the ink is placed too deep for these lasers to remove the ink, so a small spot fractional erbium laser like the Fotona SP Dynamis laser can be used to make small laser holes in the tattoo to help the picosecond and nanosecond laser eject the ink.  The best laser centers will have 2 picosecond lasers and some nanosecond lasers with variable laser light colors and pulse durations.  This is the very best way to remove a variety of tattoos with different colors of tattoo ink.

David S. Rosenberg, MD · Answer

I recommend the Picosure system by Cynosure, it is the least painful and the most effective method. In our office we offer numbing cream as well as numbing injections.  Good luck!

What is the best method of cosmetic tattoo removal?

Answers (4)

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