YAG Laser Treatment for Red Tattoo Reactions: A Comprehensive Guide

Red tattoo ink can cause granulomas, light sensitivity on the skin, redness, and dry, itchy skin. Pseudolymphomatous reactions may occur later, causing red nodules and plaque. Q-switched Nd:YAG, or YAG, lasers emit wavelengths of light to aid in the removal of tattoos by breaking down the pigment in the ink so it can be absorbed in the blood stream. YAG lasers treat red tattoo ink reactions by breaking down the ink in the skin. The body absorbs it over several treatments, and the reaction to the red ink should diminish over time.

Things You'll Need

• Anesthetic, if desired
• Goggles

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Instructions

• 1

  Contact a dermatologist about your skin condition. Most tattoo reactions can be clearly traced back to the date of the tattoo, but some later onset symptoms (such as the nodes associated with pseudolymphoma) may be malignant nodes from a different source. The only way to determine this is with a dermatologist's advice.

• 2

  Discuss the risks of using a YAG laser with the cosmetic surgeon doing the tattoo removal. YAG lasers work best on dark-skinned individuals. Discuss the number of treatments they think it will take to get rid of the red ink from your tattoo, usually five to 12.

• 3

  Ask the technician to apply local anesthetic or a localized freezing spray, if desired, to dull some of the pain. Laser treatment at 532 nm, the best frequency for red tattoos, is comparable to the feeling of being snapped repeatedly by a rubber band. Wear goggles during the treatment and do not look directly into the laser light as this may cause eye damage.

• 4

  Undergo the laser tattoo removal treatment. The doctor will sweep the laser across your tattoo, dispersing the ink. The tattoo should become lighter as the ink breaks up and is absorbed into the bloodstream.

• 5

  Repeat the above steps at subsequent appointments until the tattoo has completely disappeared. The wait between treatments is usually six to eight weeks. It will take longer for professional inks to denigrate than amateur inks because of the superior materials used in their composition. About 60 percent to 70 percent of the ink should be removed after four treatments. As the amount of red ink in your body decreases, the reaction to the ink should be alleviated and eventually disappear.