Black, dark blue, red, and dark orange tattoos will usually respond relatively quickly to the PicoSure® laser treatments because dark ink absorbs laser energy better. Green, purple, brown, light orange and light blue may require more visits. Our new PicoSure® laser is much more effective than older lasers at removing multicolored tattoos.
Light colors such as light green, yellow, white and turquoise can be difficult to remove, however, our all new PicoSure® laser is much more effective at removing these colors than older Q switched laser technology models. The PicoSure® laser produces a photo-mechanical effect which energy that is produced from the speed of the picosecond technology actually causes more damage to the ink by the energy wave in addition to the laser light.
Sometimes chemicals like iron oxide or titanium dioxide are added to tattoo inks to brighten the tattoo – but these chemicals make it much more difficult to remove the tattoo because they are not ink. Fluorescent “Day Glow neon colors” and ultraviolet “black light” pigments are almost impossible to remove. Some tattoos are now made with tar-based ink or “laser resistant ink” can only be removed by excising them surgically.
