While tattoo removal may seem straightforward, it’s actually a nuanced process that doesn’t respond well to a “one size fits all” approach. At Aesthetic Solutions, Dr. Lisa Ishii developed TripleFade FX, a multi-laser treatment that combines three advanced lasers to effectively target a wide range of ink colors and depths. In this blog, Dr. Ishii reviews TripleFade FX and explains why this approach is a game changer for anyone considering tattoo removal.
How Does Laser Tattoo Removal Work?
Laser Tattoo Removal is a unique process in which the laser energy breaks apart the tattoo ink particles into smaller pieces underneath the skin to allow for your body’s own immune response to help clear up the particles more readily. These particles are taken up by your cells, taken into the lymph nodes, and cleared from your body.
Are Some Tattoos Easier to Remove than Others?
Yes. Tattoos that are darker in color tend to respond to the lasers more easily. Black or blue ink-tattoos are easiest to clear and can safely be treated in all skin types. Other colors, such as red and orange, can be removed but typically take more treatment sessions and tend to respond to lasers less robustly. Importantly, red and orange ink tattoos must be approached carefully in skin of color or more melanated skin types, as the laser setting used for these ink colors are more likely to affect your native melanin in darker skin types. Yellow tattoos are notoriously the most difficult to remove.
Other considerations include density of ink, location of the tattoo on the body, whether or not the tattoo was an amateur or professional tattoo, or if a second tattoo was placed over the initial one as a “cover up.”
If you have had an allergic reaction to tattoo removal in the past, unfortunately TripleFade FX is contraindicated.
What Makes TripleFade FX Different?
TripleFadeFX combines a multimodal approach to fade tattoos more quickly or to kickstart a tattoo that has plateaued to conventional treatment measures. Depending on the colors involved in your tattoo, the Picosure 755nm laser, Picosure 1064nm laser, Picosure 532nm laser, and/or the Q-switched 755nm/532nm lasers are applied sequentially to target different depths of the tattoo ink. As the last step, a fractionated CO2 laser is applied to the entire tattoo to help induce transepidermal pigment expulsion as an additional modality to clear the pigment.
What to Expect During and After Treatment?
For most patients, injectable lidocaine is used to numb the treatment area for a more comfortable experience. Once the numbing is in place, you will feel a mild rubber-band snapping sensation over the skin. After treatment, a topical steroid ointment and bandage is applied.
Depending on the location of the tattoo, the treated area will develop some mild crusting and bruising that may last 1-3 weeks. During this time, covering the area with petroleum jelly can aid with the healing process. Occasionally, a fluid-filled blister will appear over the treatment area, which is normal. Patients can come back into the office for a follow up for sterile drainage of the blister if desired.
According to Dr. Ishii, treatment of any tattoo always requires a series of treatments. It is best to wait at least 6 weeks before continuing your treatment course, as it does take time for your body to start clearing the tattoo ink. Especially for more involved tattoos or larger tattoos, patients elect to wait months in between treatments to allow their body to clear as much of the tattoo as possible before coming in for further treatment.
Who is a Good Candidate for TripleFade FX?
Patients who have undergone tattoo removal in the past and have hit a plateau are typically the most common candidates. Removal of stubborn tattoos that are taking more sessions than expected can also be hastened. Finally, patients who want the “full court press” from the get-go are also always welcome to use TripleFade FX as their first step.
Tattoo removal is a journey that benefits from careful planning and the right technology. TripleFade FX offers a comprehensive multi-laser approach designed to address a variety of tattoo colors and depths for more effective results. If you’re considering tattoo removal in the Raleigh, Durham, or Chapel Hill areas, reach out to our team for more information.
