At our clinic, we have been working on perfecting the ‘un-art’ of removing ink pigments in human skin for a long time. And, we’ve got the investment dollars to ensure we are purchasing the most up-to-date technological equipment for the job. While many articles on the web will talk about the Q-switch laser as the so-called, “gold standard” of Vancouver tattoo removal, this is no longer the case. Prior to 2012, it was. And at that time, we had two Q-switch lasers in our office. People came to us from all over the Lower Mainland for this service. However, technology does progress! Today, the industry is getting incredible, “mind boggling” results with picosecond lasers. They work far more rapidly than Q-switch lasers (which use nanoseconds), and on various tattoo colours, too. They are also safer to use, and result in fewer complications, as a result. At our skin clinic, we carry two of these picosecond lasers: the enlighten laser and the PicoSure laser. We have already progressed beyond the Q-switch era. Having two lasers for removing tattoos means we can not only get you in sooner for treatment, but we can treat more ink colours, too. Q-switch vs PicoSure and enlighten lasers The Q-switched lasers emit energy within nanosecond increments (that is, 1 billionth of a second). This energy creates heat, which is then used to destroy ink particles that have been placed in the dermal layer of the skin. But on the flip side, the high heat is also what can damage skin. With PicoSure and enlighten lasers, the energy emission happens within a picosecond. That is 1000x shorter than a nanosecond (it comes to a a trillionth of a second). This improved laser speed drastically reduces the potential skin damage that each pulse can cause - even on darker skin tones. The intensity of the energy in such a fast, picosecond motion also breaks ink particles down into smaller pieces than with nanosecond technology. The smallness is what helps your immune system get rid of the ink. Your body can thus do its job faster than if ink particles were broken into small pieces slowly, over time. That had been the case with Q-switch lasers. Please see more on our website.