LASER TATTOO REMOVAL

Course overview

LASERS FOR TATTOO REMOVAL WERE FIRST USED IN THE LATE 1960S, BUT THEY DID NOT EMERGE AS A PRIMARY TREATMENT UNTIL THE 1980S WHEN THE CONCEPT OF SELECTIVE PHOTOTHERMOLYSIS ALLOWED MORE SPECIFIC TARGETING OF TATTOO PIGMENT. GREATER KNOWLEDGE AND UTILIZATION OF OPTIMAL PULSE DURATION AND COOLING TIMES HAVE LED TO FURTHER ADVANCEMENTS OF THIS TECHNOLOGY. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE PRINCIPLES OF LASER REMOVAL OF TATTOOS AND DESCRIBES WHICH LASERS ARE USEFUL FOR SPECIFIC CHROMOPHORES. THIS ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE CARE OF INDIVIDUALS UNDERGOING LASER REMOVAL OF TATTOOS.