Tatoo

Tattoos can be effectively removed by the Q switched NdYAG laser. It works best on black, blue black and green tattoos. A numbing cream is applied 45 mins before the procedure to reduce discomfort. It usually takes 4-8 sessions before the tattoo is satisfactorily or completely removed and are spaced at 6 week intervals.
Side Effects

• Hyper pigmentation (dark spots) or hypo pigmentation (white spots) may sometimes occur; however these are more common in darker skin.
• ‘Paradoxal darkening’ of a tattoo may occur when a treated tattoo becomes darker instead of lighter. This occurs more often with flesh tones and lighter colored tattoos and maybe avoided by doing a ‘patch test’; where the laser is applied to one or two test sites prior to a decision to treat a full tattoo.
• Scarring may occur when inappropriate laser energy is used.
• Transient textural changes are occasionally noted but often resolve soon.
• Local allergic responses to many tattoo pigments have been reported, and allergic reactions to tattoo pigment after Q-switched laser treatment are also possible.