The Solution Over the years, many different methods have been used for tattoo removal, each with differing levels of success. Dermabrasion, salabrasion, and Argon or CO2 lasers leave behind scars in place of the tattoo. Obviously, this is undesirable. Plastic surgeons now use Q-Switched laser to remove tattoos with a minimum of scarring. YAG laser is the newest member of the Q-Switched class of lasers.
Lasers are devices that emit certain wavelengths of light.
When the wavelengths emitted by light come in contact with the skin, they may pass through the skin or be absorbed or reflected by the skin. When the light from the laser hits the skin, instead of passing through the skin, it will be absorbed by the ink and break the ink up. The ink is then removed by the body through its natural filtering systems. YAG laser is designed to pass through the skin but to be absorbed by the inks common to tattoos. The procedure, while somewhat uncomfortable, usually is not so painful that the patient requires anesthesia.