What is the Q-switched ruby laser?
The Q-switched ruby laser uses the body’s own defence mechanism to make tattoo pigment fade away – with great success as already demonstrated in thousands of cases and an editorial in the British Medical Journal stated that Q-switched ruby laser was the treatment of choice for the removal of tattoos. How does it work? Tattoos are made up of clumps of pigment scattered through the dermis, or lower layer of skin. Unable to cast out the larger particles of pigment, the body simply seals them off with a protective collagen wall to isolate them from the surrounding tissue. The Q-switched ruby laser works by breaking up the collagen capsules and dispersing the pigment into smaller fragments. Following treatment, the body’s natural defence mechanisms can then take over to remove the smaller particles gradually, over a number of weeks. Unlike past attempts at tattoo removal, the Q-switched ruby laser does not cause rupturing, burning or lasting damage to the skin, consequently negligible risk
