Interested in removing your tattoo?  Wondering how laser tattoo removal works?  Here are answers to the 10 most commonly asked questions we are asked about our laser tattoo removal procedure.

1. How do lasers remove a tattoo?

First, lasers deliver a specific wavelength of light energy on the tattoo to shatter the ink into smaller pieces. The laser delivers the energy to the tattoo in a very precise beam reducing the risk of injury to the surrounding skin.  The ink is then broken down into tiny micro-particles.   One analogy to understand this process, is to think of the ink like a sugar cube and the broken down particles as tiny sugar granules.

2. What happens to the shattered ink?

Once the ink is broken down into tiny micro-particles, the ink will be eliminated through the body’s natural processes over the course of many weeks.

3. How many sessions are required to remove a tattoo?

Laser tattoo removal often requires several sessions. The number of sessions needed often depends on the size of the tattoo, the amount and type of ink used, and the depth of the ink in the skin.  Another variable is who placed the tattoo, as tattoos applied by professionals usually need more sessions than tattoos placed by amateurs.

At Trilogy Health, our provider and team of medical experts can give you a better idea of the total number of sessions needed during your consultation and once your treatments begin.

4. Please explain how the age, location, color and density of a tattoo     affects the removal process.  

• Age –  In most cases, the older the tattoo, the easier it is to remove.
• Color – The easiest ink colors to remove are black and red tattoos. Blue and green are often the most difficult ink colors to remove and generally requires more sessions for optimal clearance of the ink.
• Location – The further away from the heart the tattoo is located such as on the hands or feet, the slower the removal of the ink.
• Density – Thick tattoos are slower to remove than shaded tattoo areas that have lower ink density.

5. Can you get a tattoo on the same area of the skin where a tattoo was removed?

Lasers eliminate about 95% of a tattoo.  Once there is sufficient fading away or removal of the tattoo, you can definitely get another tattoo in the same area.

6. How much does laser tattoo removal cost?

Laser tattoo removal prices can start as low as $100 per session.  Prices vary based on the size of the tattoo, its location on the body and the colors of ink used.

7. Are there any side effects or any downtime associated with the treatment?

You may experience temporary redness, swelling, bleeding or blistering at the laser tattoo removal treatment site that often resolves quickly.   The reaction, if any, is often similar to what is seen at the time of tattoo placement. Scarring is very uncommon with the Enlighten device since the laser does not go deep enough in the skin to cause a scarring response.   However those with a history of keloid scarring are still at a higher risk of scarring.  Most can return to regular activities immediately following the session.

8. Is laser tattoo removal painful?

You may experience mild discomfort. The procedure is frequently described as the sensation of a rubber band being snapped against the skin.  At Trilogy Health, your comfort is important to us and we do offer potent numbing creams as well as the option of a local anesthetic when possible.

9. Does it matter which laser device is used to remove your tattoo?

Yes!  Trilogy Health is proud to offer one of the most advanced laser tattoo removal devices on the market today, the Enlighten.  The Enlighten laser uses a cutting-edge laser technology known as picotechnology for tattoo removal and other purposes.  It’s one of the first real advances in tattoo removal technology in the last 20 years.  The previous standard used only nanotechnology, as epitomized by the Q-Switch laser.  The Enlighten device offers both nanotechnology and picotechnology platforms.  Nanotechnology is ideal for dense tattoos with dark inks and picotechnology is ideal for lighter tattoos or those that fail to fade further with nanotechnology.  Picotechnology delivers laser energy at an incredible speed of a trillionth of a second; 1000x faster than nanotechnology. This causes a rapid thermal expansion that shatters tattoo pigment into minuscule particles that are easier to be absorbed and excreted from the body.

In addition, the Enlighten offers two different wavelengths, 1064 nm and 532 nm for more versatility at removing different color inks.   For example, the 1064nm wavelength is ideal for treating darker ink colors such as black, blue and green.   The 532 nm is more effective against brighter ink colors such as red, yellow, purple.

What does this all mean…. The Enlighten’s dual technology, dual  wavelength options makes it more effective on color tattoos and 40% faster at tattoo clearance than devices such as the Q switch laser offering only offering nanotechnology or laser devices offering only picotechnology In other words, more powerful laser=fewer tattoo removal sessions = less pain and less cost.  If that is what you are hoping for in your laser tattoo removal device, then look no further than Trilogy Health since we are very proud to offer one of the only Enlighten devices found in San Diego!

10. How can I learn more about laser tattoo removal?

To learn more about laser tattoo removal, schedule a free consultation with Dr. Ellyn Levine and her team of medical experts to answer any additional questions you may have.  Trilogy Health is here to help you start the fade with our cutting edge laser tattoo removal device called the Enlighten.  Go ahead and take the first step….contact us today!

Are you tired of looking at your tattoo that you wish you didn’t get in the first place? Do you ever wonder if there is a way to get rid of it for once and for all? You´re not alone.  Fortunately, there have been great advances in the Tattoo removal industry with improved technology that are more powerful and effective at clearing black as well as multi-colored tattoos in significantly shorter length of time than the most common laser device used today called the Q switch laser.

The Science Underlying Tattoo inks

https://www.businessinsider.com/how-does-laser-tattoo-removal-work-2015-6

Tattoo inks contain metals like lead, copper, manganese and mercury. These metals make tattoos permanent once injected deep into your skin. Your immune system recognizes these particles as intruders in your body. As a result, it releases white cells to get rid of these particles. The white cells work to remove these particles by sending them to the liver to be processed and excreted. However, the white cells are only able to handle a small amount of particles as the ink particles are too big.

How Laser Tattoo Removal Works

In order to remove a tattoo you need to break up the ink particles embedded into your skin. Lasers are able to do this by heating up the ink particle and making it expand but fast enough so that half of the particle remains cool. This hot and cool process rips the particle apart. The white cells are then able to absorb them and carry them to the liver to be eliminated from the body.

The lasers don’t burn the tissue. Instead, the energy collapses into a shockwave. The shockwave vibrates through the skin and causes the upper layer of skin to lift up and appear white or frosting.

Choosing the right laser and provider

Not all laser tattoo removal devices are created equal.  Choosing the right provider and laser device is critical to your success.

Trilogy Health is proud to offer one of the most advanced laser systems for tattoo removal called the Enlighten, introduced in 2014.  It offers dual wavelength (1064 nm and 532 nm) and dual pulses (picosecond or nanosecond) technology allowing the provider more versatility and options for breaking down the ink particles in tattoos. These dual wavelengths have been shown to result in faster, less painful and fewer treatments than devices using only 1 wavelength.

Laser Tattoo Removal Procedure using the ENLIGHTEN laser:

• Tattoo area is cleaned with alcohol pads and numbing cream is then applied to area 30 minutes prior to treatment.
• Protective eye shields are worn during the procedure.
• Your doctor will test your skin with the laser to determine the most effective energy for treatment.
• A handheld device will be used against the surface of the skin, activating the laser light to remove the tattoo. The feeling is said to be similar to a rubber band being snapped against your skin. Ice will also  be available to minimize discomfort.
• The total number of treatments needed depends on different factors such as the colors and ink types used on the tattoo, the intensity of the tattoo, the size of the tattoo, and the body location of the tattoo. You should expect multiple treatment sessions. However, your provider can give you a better idea of the total number of treatments needed during your consultation and once your treatments begin.
• After the procedure, you may experience redness and swelling. However, these are only temporary side effects.  A moisturizing ointment and temporary bandage is often all that is needed after treatment.

Contact Dr. Ellyn Levine and her team of experienced medical providers specializing in Laser Tattoo Removal at Trilogy Health to get a free consultation. Learn more on their website, www.sdtattooremoval.com and watch Dr. Levine’s segment on CBS 8 San Diego demonstrating a treatment.

If you’re like a lot of people who have a tattoo, you were excited when you got it – confident that you’d love it forever. But now that you’re older (and wiser), you may be having regrets. Perhaps the tattoo no longer reflects your style. Or maybe you want to put a different tattoo in its place. You can’t go back in time and never get the tattoo in the first place, but with today’s tattoo removal technology, you can eliminate it.

In the past, tattoos were removed in a number of painful ways, like dermabrasion, acid, and surgical removal. Thankfully, tattoo removal has evolved. These days, tattoos are removed through the use of lasers. Although there are several excellent laser technologies on the market, at Optimal we use the enlighten™ laser system.

What is Enlighten?

The enlighten laser is a revolutionary tattoo removal system that utilizes nanosecond and picosecond technology to send ultra-short bursts of light through the upper layers of your skin to where the ink is located. These light pulses don’t hurt and the sensation is no more painful that lightly snapping a rubber band against your skin. To give you an idea of how fast the light pulses are, consider that a picosecond is one trillionth of a second, which is a thousand times faster than a nanosecond.

Over the course of several treatments, the laser light breaks up the ink into tiny particles that are absorbed by your body. After absorption, your body eliminates the minuscule ink particles through its normal processes. With enlighten, you could require up to 40 percent less treatment sessions than other laser tattoo removal methods.

The reason we offer both picosecond and nanosecond technology is to give clients the option to choose the pulse speed they prefer. Generally speaking, we recommend the picosecond for dark ink tones and dense designs. If you have a light or shaded tattoo, using nanosecond is usually sufficient. No other device currently exists that enables tattoo removal practitioners and patients to choose pulse speed based on individual factors. Skin types from extremely light to extremely dark can all benefit from the enlighten laser.

Through with your tattoo?

Tattooing your (former) love’s name may have seemed like a good idea at the time, but now you’re over it. No worries…your regrettable tattoo can soon be history. If you’re ready to remove, then we’re ready to help you. Give Optimal a call and we can evaluate your tattoo and let you know how many sessions you should expect. This differs for each person based on ink colors, age of the tattoo, location, composition, depth, and a number of other factors.

With a variety of services designed to help you feel and look your best, Optimal Health, Weight and Laser Center offers free no-obligation consultations.