Tattoo Removal

Re-think or Re-think and Re-ink

Art in any form can be made better. Things I adored a decade ago now bore me. So too it goes for tattoos. Whether it’s time to update your tattoos or time to move forward without the ink, we can help.

Thankfully technology has moved us past the practice of removing tattoos by surgical incision. And the effectiveness of recent developments compared to older traditional technologies (Q switch and Nd Yag) commercialised twenty years ago now, provides the opportunity for a much quicker removal journey.

We operate a world standard tattoo removal clinic by Australian leading picosecond laser operators under a Cosmetic Doctor guidance. We have the experience, capability and procedures that allow us to safely do procedures previously only dreamt of including some not attempted by other clinics.

We remove tattoos in the eye orbit area, semi-permanent eye brow tattoos, safe and low pain removal of tattoos on the extremities (hands and feet), removal of difficult colours and inks, removal of deep and excessively dense tattoos, safe removal of constricted tattoos and tattoos that have failed to respond to 20 or more treatments by other machines at other clinics.

For most clients we are not the last but first port of call. We aren’t the cheapest operator around but we offer, we believe, significantly better value. Particularly more value if you value your own time into the equation.

That said the greatest benefit offered by our clinic is the safety our equipment provides clients compared to non picosecond laser based clinics (which includes the majority of clinics here on the border and surrounds). The safety difference between photo thermal (older technology which works from heat) and photo mechanical (the newer PicoSure® technology which works on a photo mechanical pressure wave), in medical research performed overseas, is significant. The photo mechanical operating method of the PicoSure® requires much less energy and produces signicantly less heat and therefore is much less likely to create tissue damage.

Before you start, consider this.

Its slower to remove than make.
The body needs time between treatments (usually eight weeks for the best treatment efficacy) to remove the treated ink. It’s not possible, technically, in the great majority of cases, to treat the ink mass in one sitting.
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Laser tattoo removal is not painless.
Complimentary numbing of the treatment area is provided in all cases. For speed of treatment clients are provided numbing cream and application instructions so they can arrive at the clinic ready to go.
With numbing cream applied, on a scale from 1 to 10, you should experience no to mild discomfort.
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The technician expertise and experience make a big difference in treatment outcomes.
Understanding anatomy, science, laser equipment operating parameters and ink clearance all have a bearing on the treatment outcome. We regularly treat patients with a long history (20 or more) treatments at other clinics.
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Not all machines are equal.
Regardless of what you read, the research and growing evidence points to the clearance of treatments performed by picosecond lasers (PicoSure®) and the resulting pressure wave motion platform it uses, as opposed to older technologies using thermal (heat), as being superior, faster and also significantly safer. In our experience, once treated with an inferior platform or by a less competent operator tattoos become more stubborn to move as scar masses, traumatic or increasingly fibrous tissue impinge treatment efficacy. Our technology “PicoSure®” is a medically based USA developed and manufactured trademarked and also the world’s first picosecond laser tattoo removal platform.
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Colour and ink density matter.
Laser is intense light. Light as you know is made up of different colours and each of these colours is located at a different part of the light spectrum. Each of the spectrums reacts differently to laser pulses. PicoSure® treats the entire colour spectrum. It has been found to be effective on colours older technologies find challenging e.g. black, green, blue, red, orange and purple. Even though PicoSure® treats every colour, treatment time expectations need to be managed. Its currently impossible (usually) to move all of a tattoo's ink mass in the one sitting. The density (amount of ink) currently used in tattooing here in Australia is usually too much for the laser to treat and the body to remove in one, two or more sittings. Some tattoo's are like whales, impossible to miss, impressive in their vividness but as a consequence thick and heavy to move. On the other end of the spectrum some ink due its iridescence e.g. bright green or because its an outline, can be less dense and much easier to remove. Determination of laser parameters and settings (spot size and joules of energy) are important. The difference in efficacy of treatment is dependent heavily on the machine and operator.
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Price

from $125 to $1,500

Price is dependent on the size and complexity of the tattoo to be removed / lightened. Complexity being things like, for instance, pre-existing scaring and medical conditions, tattoo location, previous tattoo removal treatments, age of the tattoo, thickness, depth, density and colour etc.

All tattoo removal initial consultations are free. On completion of the a consultation we will provide a firm per treatment sitting price. Unfortunately and regrettably, the determination of the amount and density of ink and the ink composition of a tattoo and therefore the number of sittings that will be required to remove it, is still done by estimations based on observations made by our clinicians. Its neither perfect nor scienific / empirical based. As a consquence while we do our best, we are unable to guarantee the number of treatment sittings that will be required.

Promotions

Pay up-front for three (3) treatments and receive one (1) treatment for free. That is, four (4) treatments for the price of three (3) treatments, on the provision the three (3) treatments are paid for in advance. Conditions apply. Arrange an appointment to get a quote and see if you are eligible; the appointment is free!
For treatment of tattoo areas that are persistent (the spots that remain after the clearance of the majority of a tattoo) after six treatments; pay up-front for two (2) treatments and receive an additional one (1) treatment for free.
We periodically do one off promotions through our facebook page; like us on facebook and watch our posts for deals!

What are the steps?

Every patient needs to have an initial consultation, complete our medical consent form, provide a medical history and have the tattoo visually inspected. It’s free. If you live out of town, we can provide you with the information you require to make an informed decision through the use of a combination e-mail(s), sms(s) and phone conversation(s). NB, information and opinions provided are subject to a face to face consultation, completion of our medical history and consent forms and examination.
During the consultation you will be provided with “pre-treatment instructions” to follow and details of skin treatments you can implement to improve treatment outcomes along with numbing cream (if relevant). We require strict compliance to our “pre-treatment” instructions. Non-compliance will result in the treatment being postponed.
The treatment area needs to be shaved and free of hair, creams, sunscreen, fake tans, dirt and all other containments and an anaesthetic cream to numb the area applied by you (if relevant), at least one hour prior to commencing the treatment.
The actual laser treatment time will be between 10 and 40mins depending on the size of your tattoo. You should expect to be in our rooms for between one (1) and two (2) hours, (this period includes prior and post treatment procedures e.g. application of the anaesthetic, taping of the tattoo treatment area and post treatment cooling).
Protective glasses and or total eye blocks will need to be worn during operation of the laser.
Post treatment cooling of the treatment area needs to occur for at least 15mins post treatment. We apply cooling through the use of a number of mediums.
Prior to leaving the premises you will be provided with “post treatment” instructions which you will need to follow including regular cooling via ice packs and regular application of post treatment cream to the tattoo treatment area for up to 48 hrs.
Day one and week one post treatment you will receive a follow up call to check on your progress.

Explanation Continued

It’s slower to remove than you think. The PicoSure's® job is to shatter the ink particles into a fine dust that is small enough to allow the body’s lymphatic system to remove it. Where does the ink go? A large percentage is excreted naturally. Most of the ink, however, is retained by the body and used in bone and tissue, repair / production. The important thing to understand is that the repair process proceeds at a constant speed and is dependent on time. Therefore, the longer the time between treatments the more time for the body to remove ink. Its faster (not to mention cheaper) to be slower!
It’s not painless. We use strong anaesthetics that allow us to operate at optimum laser treatment levels and also provide the best patient comfort. For safety reasons the treatment area is not completely anaesthetised. It’s important for the clinician to be able to check pain levels to ensure they are not changing significantly. They do this at regular intervals throughout the procedure. In addition to the local anaesthetics an air pressure cooling machine called a Zimmer is used. Super cooled air is directed onto the tattoo before, during and after treatment. There are two purposes served by doing this, firstly, it makes the treatment marginally safer and secondly, it makes the treatment more comfortable. The cooling acts as a distraction. Post treatment the tattoo will be a little tender but not painful for up to 48 hours.
Technician expertise and experience matter. While the laser technology is predictable, people and their tattoos, aren’t. Determining the optimum laser parameters is largely dependent on technician expertise and experience and the protocols established and employed by the clinic. Our technicians are constantly updating their training and also referring tattoo’s to Cynosure’s technical department for advice and confirmation of treatment settings.
Not all machines are equal. We use a PicoSure® laser. PicoSure® is the original and first FDA approved picosecond laser to operate in Australia. PicoSure® is a picosecond laser (picosecond being the duration of the laser pulse) and represents the latest laser tattoo removal technology available in the market.

When compared to nanosecond technology (also known as Q-switch nd:yag lasers) we essentially have two advantages a) we operate from a safer platform (no heat is used), and b) picosecond technology has been shown to be faster in removing ink.

The PicoSure® laser pulses create a pressure wave that shatters the ink into fine dust like particles. The mechanism is mechanical / acoustic and much safer for the epidermis. The dust created is able to be picked up and removed by your lymphatic system. Nanosecond lasers rely on heat to stimulate ink removal. The risk of tissue damage with nanosecond lasers is therefore inherently and significantly higher than picosecond lasers. The ability for the body to remove waste created by a pressure wave as opposed to what is left behind after being heated, is greater and that speeds up ink removal.

On top of being safer you recover quicker from a treatment using picosecond technology and all colours are treated using a fraction of the energy of nanosecond lasers.
The unique make-up of your tattoo matters. Colour, the ink used, depth and density of ink, age of ink, tissue damage, all matter.

“Ink”. Metal based inks are still used in some parts of the world. As opposed to organic inks used here in Australia, metal-based inks are far more resistant to treatment. In addition to the ink base (organic or metal based) recent tattoo ink development worldwide has been moving towards inks that retain colour and form longer. As a consequence, newer tattoos can be more resistant to treatment. While it is slowly changing, generally speaking, tattoos produced here, in Europe and North America under regulated systems are generally more consistent and far easier to remove than those produced in Asia.

“Tissue Damage”. The laser has to penetrate through tissue to get to the ink. If it has to navigate scar tissue or encounters abnormally large amounts of ink, the tattoo will be more resistant to removal. The most common reasons for associated tissue damage that we see, are from, a) novice (over zealous) tattoo operators aka backyard operators, and b) poor or ineffective previous tattoo removal treatments including scaring or tissue thickening caused by agressive over treatment by non-picosecond lasers in an effort to achieve clearance that was, in effect, technically not possible.