Heat Generated by a Laser can Reach 900 Degrees in the Skin

The invention of the laser can be dated back to 1958 when two Bell Laboratory researchers, Arthur L. Schawlaw and Charles H. Townes published the scientific paper, Infrared and Optical Lasers. The term Laser is an acronym which stands for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation.

Theodore Maiman is credited with creating the first working laser in 1960, but had no idea what to do with it. Working against better funded competitors at Bell Labs, RCA Labs, IBM and others  Maiman managed to create a beam of pulsed ruby colored light that could burn a hole in the wall of his laboratory. Despite his belief that it might have applications in medicine, industry, defense, and space communications, he later told the New York Times this new technology was a “solution seeking a problem”.

Fast forward 20 years to when laser was being studied as a way to aid in the removal of tattoos. After much research, by the late 1980’s tattoo removal began gaining in popularity when the “pulsed” lasers made it more plausible to perform medical procedures using lasers. By the early 90’s the Q-switched lasers made laser tattoo removal much more plausible.

Today laser tattoo removal is the most prominent and painful of the current tattoo removal methods, with IPL being the most expensive form of tattoo removal method as of this writing. Each tattoo color requires a specific wavelength of laser light. When the laser beam strikes and breaks apart the small particle of tattoo pigment it can generate temperatures in the surrounding tissue of up to 900 degrees Fahrenheit. As you can see by the picture below laser generated heat can create severe blistering.

Blister Caused by Laser Tattoo Removal

To reduce the chance of blistering be sure the clinic of your choice has, and properly maintains, the specific laser required for the colors in your tattoo. Red, orange, pink and lighter colors require a 532nm wavelength laser.  Yellow, green, turquoise, teal and light blues require a 755nm laser wavelength. The 1064 wavelength is for black, blue, brown and darker colors. Some custom colors may require extra treatments from a variety of lasers which means more treatments and greater cost.

Always check with your laser operator about special provisions required for custom colors that don’t specifically meet the requirements of the laser wavelengths mentioned above. When shopping around for a laser removal clinic in your area do not hesitate to ask questions. A little knowledge when asking questions up front can save hundreds of dollars on wasted treatments. Also do not be afraid to ask about whether they back up their work with a guarantee. You may be able to get in writing a maximum price to finish the job no matter how many return visits it may take.