Pigment lasers and tattoo removal: how do modern dermatological lasers work?

Pigment lasers are among the most advanced dermatological technologies for treating the pigments present in the skin. They make it possible to act in a targeted manner on certain pigmented lesions or on the pigments contained in tattoos.

These technologies use specific wavelengths that are capable of fragmenting pigments without damaging surrounding tissue.

At the Skinpulse Center, several last-generation laser technologies are used in order to adapt the treatment to each type of pigment and each type of skin.

How does a pigment laser work?

A pigment laser emits light energy that is absorbed by the pigments in the skin.

When this energy is absorbed, it causes the pigment to break up into smaller particles. These fragments are then gradually eliminated by the body.

This technology makes it possible to precisely target pigments while limiting the impact on surrounding tissue.

Picosecond lasers

Picosecond lasers represent an important evolution in the treatment of skin pigments and tattoo removal.

They work with extremely fast pulses measured in picoseconds, which makes it possible to fragment the pigments very precisely.

PicoSure™ — Cynosure

The PicoSure™ (Cynosure) Is a picosecond laser using a wavelength Alexandrite 755 nm.

This technology makes it possible to target certain skin pigments and is also used in certain dermatological treatments requiring very precise action.

PicoWay™ — Candela

The PicoWay™ (Candela) is a picosecond laser using two main wavelengths:

• 1064 nm
• 532 nm

These different wavelengths make it possible to treat different types of pigments present in the skin.

Q-Switched Lasers

Lasers Q-Switched are laser technologies that have been used for many years to treat skin pigments.

They work by delivering very short light pulses that allow the pigments to be fragmented.

Revlite™ — Cynosure

The Revlite™ (Cynosure) Is a laser Q-Switched Nd:YAG 1064nm and 532nm used for the treatment of certain pigmented lesions.

Acroma QS — Ethereum Platform (Evidence)

The Acroma QS Is a system Q-Switched Fractional ND:YAG allowing to treat certain pigmentary irregularities while respecting the surrounding skin.

Optimized pulsed light (OPL)

technology IPL.sq — Ethereum Platform (Vydence) uses Optimized Pulsed Light.

Unlike lasers, this technology diffuses light composed of several wavelengths, which makes it possible to act on different skin pigments.

Alexandrite Elite™ laser

The Elite™ (Cynosure) uses a technology Alexandrite 755 nm, making it possible to target certain skin pigments with precision.

This technology is one of the versatile laser systems used in dermatology.

Why use multiple laser technologies?

Each pigment found in the skin has different characteristics. This is why several laser technologies can be used in order to obtain a suitable treatment.

The parameters taken into account include:

• The depth of the pigment
• The color of the pigment
• The type of skin
• The location of the lesion

A dermatological consultation makes it possible to assess these elements and to determine the most appropriate technology.

The importance of a dermatological diagnosis

Before any treatment with a pigment laser or tattoo removal, a dermatological diagnosis is essential in order to precisely identify the nature of the pigment to be treated.

This step makes it possible to choose the most suitable laser technology and to establish a personalized treatment plan.