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Picosecond lasers for tattoo removal: a systematic review
Ofer Reiter1, Lihi Atzmony2, Lehavit Akerman2
1Department of Dermatology, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, 39 Jabotinski St., Petach Tikva, Israel, 49100. Ofer83@gmail.com.
Lasers in Medical Science
|June 18, 2016
Summary
Picosecond lasers show promise for tattoo removal, with most human trials demonstrating over 70% pigment clearance. However, evidence comparing them to nanosecond lasers for tattoo removal is limited.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Laser Medicine
Background:
- Tattoo pigment particles have short relaxation times (<10 ns).
- Picosecond lasers, operating at shorter pulse durations, are theoretically more effective than nanosecond lasers for tattoo removal.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the evidence on the effectiveness and safety of picosecond lasers for tattoo removal.
Main Methods:
- A systematic review of trials from Pubmed, Cochrane CENTRAL, ClinicalTrials.gov, and reference lists.
- Primary outcome: >70% tattoo pigment clearance.
- Secondary outcomes: 90-100% clearance, number of sessions, adverse effects.
Main Results:
- Eight trials were included (6 human, 2 animal).
- Human trials showed 69-100% clearance (>70% pigment removal) after 1-10 picosecond laser treatments for black and blue inks.
- Reported side effects included pain, pigmentary changes, blistering, erythema, edema, and bleeding.
Conclusions:
- Sparse evidence suggests picosecond lasers may be more effective than nanosecond lasers for removing black and blue tattoo inks.
- Minor side effects were reported, but studies had a medium to high risk of bias and varied laser parameters.
