Over the past 20 years there has been no innovative or new technology for tattoo removal. Multi-coloured tattoos were often treated with different lasers as there was no one laser available to treat all colours. Then Cynosure launched the world’s  rst picosecond laser in 2012 - the revolutionary PicoSure laser. This state-ofthe-art technology has revolutionised the effectiveness of tattoo removal. The pulse width of the picosecond technology is 100 X faster than nanosecond technology and not only is it effective on all tattoo colours, but compared with other tattoo removal lasers, tattoo treatments now take half of the overall time, saving patients both time and dollars

Each patient is different and therefore a number of variables will come into play such as the size of the tattoo, the colours, where on the body the tattoo was placed and the types of inks that were used. But, on average, half the amount of treatments is usually required when compared to nanosecond technology, with a 6-8 week period between each treatment. This gives the body time to clear away the ink particles before the next treatment.

Tattoo size will usually dictate the time so it may take only a few minutes or slightly longer.

As with most tattoo removal treatments, there will be a level of discomfort but most patients tolerate the discomfort well. And it’s important to remember that with the revolutionary PicoSure laser the number of treatments required is halved when compared to the older dated technology. And most patients report that the discomfort experienced is well worth the removal of their unwanted tattoo!

Post treatment there is usually a whitening of the tattoo and blisters and scabs may form. An ice-pack can be placed on the treated area and a mild analgesic may be taken. The skin around the treated area will not be affected.

There is no guarantee that the tattoo will disappear completely, however, reports from patients who have undergone tattoo removal with the PicoSure laser have been outstanding.