Q: Least Common: Improper Laser Use

“It’s not necessarily that it’s any more difficult to remove tattoos on darker skin types—it’s that you need to know what you’re doing when you remove tattoos on darker skin types,” says Chelsea. “Because a darker skin type has a lot more melanin a lot closer to the surface—that’s what gives it color—it means that we have to walk a very fine line between making sure the laser is targeting the ink but not their pigmentation.” Improper operation of a laser could lead to undesired pigmentation changes by accidentally targeting the melanocytes in the skin. Melanocytes are skin cells that produce melanin, which protects the skin from the sun’s rays while darkening the skin. If hypopigmentation occurs, the laser has destroyed the melanocytes in that area, says Chelsea. “Dark skin removal is definitely something that we have to be more careful about,” says Carmen. “There are more melanocytes present in the skin, and we don’t want the lasers to be attracted to those melanocytes and cause hypopigmentation. With a 1064 laser and something that moves at a very rapid pace, you don’t have that issue,” she adds.

Question 1

Most Common: Sun exposure

Accepted Answer

Clients should carefully follow their aftercare instructions by avoiding sun exposure.
Going into the sun before or after laser treatment can cause hypo or hyperpigmentation. 
&ldquo;When that happens, your body&rsquo;s natural healing response is to try and send melanin to the area because melanin is what protects you from UV rays,&rdquo; Chelsea explains. That creates a brown, hazy look in the tattooed area.

MEDICATIONS

Taking a medication that increases photosensitivity without telling the technician can increase the risk of pigmentation changes by making the lasered area even more sensitive to the sun. 

Be sure to tell your technician about any medications you&rsquo;re taking.

Question 2

Least Common: Improper Laser Use

Accepted Answer

&ldquo;It&rsquo;s not necessarily that it&rsquo;s any more difficult to remove tattoos on darker skin types&mdash;it&rsquo;s that you need to know what you&rsquo;re doing when you remove tattoos on darker skin types,&rdquo; says Chelsea. &ldquo;Because a darker skin type has a lot more melanin a lot closer to the surface&mdash;that&rsquo;s what gives it color&mdash;it means that we have to walk a very fine line between making sure the laser is targeting the ink but not their pigmentation.&rdquo; 

Improper operation of a laser could lead to undesired pigmentation changes by accidentally targeting the melanocytes in the skin. Melanocytes are skin cells that produce melanin, which protects the skin from the sun&rsquo;s rays while darkening the skin. If hypopigmentation occurs, the laser has destroyed the melanocytes in that area, says Chelsea.

&ldquo;Dark skin removal is definitely something that we have to be more careful about,&rdquo; says Carmen. &ldquo;There are more melanocytes present in the skin, and we don&rsquo;t want the lasers to be attracted to those melanocytes and cause hypopigmentation. With a 1064 laser and something that moves at a very rapid pace, you don&rsquo;t have that issue,&rdquo; she adds.

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