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Comparison of picosecond versus nanosecond Nd:YAG lasers for the removal of cosmetic tattoos in an animal model

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Abstract

Cosmetic tattoos are difficult to remove, and their response to picosecond laser treatment has seldom been investigated. We compared the efficacy and adverse effects of picosecond versus Q-switched lasers for the removal of cosmetic tattoos. White, flesh-colored, and brown inks were irradiated using 532/1064 nm picosecond and Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers, and their absorption spectra before and after laser irradiation were analyzed. Nine rats were tattooed with all three inks. Each tattoo was divided into three sections and treated at 1064 nm with a picosecond laser or Q-switched laser, or left untreated, in four sessions at 1-month intervals. Skin biopsies were taken from treated and untreated sites. In vitro study showed the 1064 nm picosecond laser caused the least paradoxical color shift. In vivo study showed that all white tattoos achieved poor response scores, six flesh-colored tattoos achieved fair to good response scores, and seven brown tattoos achieved good to excellent response scores with the picosecond laser. The picosecond laser was superior to the Q-switched laser for removing flesh-colored tattoos (P < 0.05), but the effectiveness for white and brown tattoos was similar for both lasers. The degree of paradoxical darkening when removing the white and flesh-colored tattoos was significantly lower with the picosecond than that with the Q-switched laser (P < 0.01). Transmission electron microscopy showed that many tattoo ink particles had decreased in size after irradiations with both pulse durations. The 1064 nm picosecond Nd:YAG laser causes mild paradoxical darkening and might be more appropriate for removal of flesh-colored and brown cosmetic tattoos.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Miss Yu-Ting Fu, MS, Departments of Dermatology and Medical Research Center, Cardinal Tien Hospital, for the assistance in the animal study.

Funding

Supported by grant CTH-109A-2217 from Cardinal Tien Hospital.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, Cardinal Tien Hospital, 362 Chung Cheng Rd, Hsin Tien District, New Taipei City, Taiwan

    Fur-Jiang Leu

  2. School of Medicine, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan

    Fur-Jiang Leu & Chia-Chen Wang

  3. Department of Medical Research, Cardinal Tien Hospital, 362 Chung Cheng Rd, Hsin Tien District, New Taipei City, 231, Taiwan

    Chuen-Lin Huang & Chia-Chen Wang

  4. Graduate Institute of Physiology & Department of Physiology and Biophysics, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan

    Chuen-Lin Huang

  5. Electron Microscope Laboratory of Tzong Jwo Jang, Collage of Medicine, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan

    Yen-Sheng Wu

  6. Department of Dermatology, Cardinal Tien Hospital, 362 Chung Cheng Rd, Hsin Tien District, New Taipei City, Taiwan

    Chia-Chen Wang

Authors
  1. Fur-Jiang Leu
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  2. Chuen-Lin Huang
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  3. Yen-Sheng Wu
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  4. Chia-Chen Wang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chia-Chen Wang.

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Ethics approval

This study was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Cardinal Tien Hospital (approval No. IACUC-108A-004).

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Leu, FJ., Huang, CL., Wu, YS. et al. Comparison of picosecond versus nanosecond Nd:YAG lasers for the removal of cosmetic tattoos in an animal model. Lasers Med Sci 37, 1343–1350 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-021-03400-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-021-03400-3

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