In the wake of a recent outbreak of infected tattoos, we’re seeing more tattoo removal patients come through our doors here at the BC LASER AND SKINCARE CLINIC these days than ever before.
Luckily, our ability to remove tattoos is better today than it was even one year ago—not because of new technology, but because of a new technique that has been developed to better utilize the technology I’ve been using with my own patients for a long time.
I’m referring to the R20 laser tattoo removal method, a protocol developed by a team of doctors led by Dr. Theodora Kossida in Greece. Dr. Kossida and her colleagues found that performing four passes over a tattoo with a Q-switched laser, each spaced 20 minutes apart, was far more effective than the traditional method (which called for performing only a single pass) in removing the ink—and that the extra laser exposure produced no adverse side effects. In fact, in the study they published last year, Dr. Kossida and her team stated that in the follow-ups they performed three months after treatment, the R20 method was revealed to be 50-85% more effective in removing a black tattoo—without additional side effects—than the traditional method was.
In the past, tattoo removal patients have almost always had to undergo multiple treatments; with the R20 method, however, many tattoos can be removed in a single treatment session.
After having used Q-switched lasers for tattoo removal for a number of years, I’m happy to announce that the BC SKINCARE AND LASER CLINIC is now offering R20 laser tattoo removal as well. If you’ve been wanting to get rid of one of your own tattoos, give us a call and set up a consultation!
