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The Cleveland Clinic

Laser Tattoo Removal

It is estimated that close to 10% of the U.S. population has some sort of tattoo. Eventually, as many as 50% of then want to have laser tattoo removal.

There is good news for those who have an unwanted body design. Newer laser tattoo removal techniques can eliminate your tattoo with minimal side effects. Here's how it works: lasers remove tattoos by breaking up the pigment colors of the tattoo with a high-intensity light beam.

Black tattoo pigment absorbs all laser wavelengths, making it the easiest to treat. Other colors, such as red, selectively absorb green laser light. Various colors can only be treated by selected lasers based upon the pigment color.

Who Can Benefit From Laser Tattoo Removal?

Because each tattoo is unique, removal techniques must be tailored to suit each individual case. In the past, tattoos could be removed by a wide variety of methods but, in many cases, the scars were more unsightly than the tattoo itself.

Patients with previously treated tattoos may also be candidates for laser therapy. Tattoos that have not been effectively removed by other treatments or through home remedies may respond well to laser therapy providing the prior treatments did not result in excessive scarring.



Next: How Do I Find a Reputable Doctor to Do Laser Tattoo Removal? »



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Last Editorial Review: 1/31/2005 7:05:52 AM





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