Treatment of tattoos by Q-switched ruby laser. A dose-response study
- 1 July 1990
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Medical Association (AMA) in Archives of Dermatology
- Vol. 126 (7) , 893-899
- https://doi.org/10.1001/archderm.126.7.893
Abstract
Tattoo treatment with Q-switched ruby laser pulses (694 nm, 40 to 80 nanoseconds) was studied by clinical assessment and light and electron microscopy. Fifty-seven blue-black tattoos or portions thereof (35 amateur and 22 professional) were irradiated with 1.5 to 8.0 J/cm2 at a mean interval of 3 weeks. Substantial lightening or total clearing occurred in 18 (78%) of 23 amateur tattoos and 3 (23%) of 13 professional tattoos in which the protocol was completed. Response was related to exposure dose. Scarring occurred in one case, and persistent confettilike hypopigmentation was frequent. Optimal fluence was 4 to 8 J/cm2. Clinicohistologic correlation was poor. Q-switched ruby laser pulses can provide an effective treatment for tattoos.This publication has 7 references indexed in Scilit:
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