Intense pulsed light
- What is intense pulsed light?
As more and more people start to regret being tattooed, tattoo removal technology such as intense pulsed light has gradually matured to a point where the chance of complications is reduced to minimum. Intense pulsed light is one of the newest and most advanced technologies in the hand of tattoo removal specialists. Comparing with the standard “laser tattoo removal” technique, it is reported that intense pulsed light therapy is more effective and less painful.
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How does Intense Pulsed Light work?
Intense pulsed light (IPL) is different from laser tattoo removal. Although both of them utilize light as a way to break down ink particles, the light pulse from IPL is different from the light emitted by laser. In contrast with laser treatment where one single wavelength is used in the process, IPL emits short bursts of high energy light with various colors based on the nature of the tattoo. Intense Pulsed Light gives specialists the freedom to adjust the wavelength of the light according to the situation of the patient. Switching between long wavelength and short wavelength can avoid unnecessary damage to surrounding skin, thus minimize the chance of scarring and blister formation. Furthermore, depending on the size, color and depth of the tattoo, IPL treatment can deliver different number of pulses at one time. In fact, longer duration pulse is ideal for large tattoos, whereas small tattoos tend to be removed easily with short duration pulse.
- Price Tag
What made intense pulsed light therapy so much better than laser therapy is its ability to customize treatment method based on the nature of tattoos. Instead of being confined with laser therapy, specialists nowadays have more flexibility when it comes down to tattoo removal. With each set of light pulses designed to treat a particular tattoo, the risk of complications is about as low as it can get. However, the only disadvantage of using IPL is its price tag of around $10 per pulse. It is not much if you have a very tiny tattoo that can be erased with just a few pulses. Unfortunately, most of people have tattoos with a size well exceeds 1 square inch, and it is almost certain that it will take numerous session to fully remove it. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that you consult with your specialist first before trying this method. Yet you do need to know that it is very hard to rid your tattoo completely in just one session, even if it’s just the size of a coin. Therefore, you need to be prepared to cover the cost of several treatments. Otherwise, intense pulsed light therapy will surely put you on a tight financial spot.
- Caution and Side Effects
Before making up your mind, you should know that not everybody is suitable for intense pulsed light therapy. Anyone with history of excess scarring, hyper-pigmentation or hypo-pigmentation is advised to seek alternatives. Moreover, if your skin cannot handle well with burns or you have diabetes, your body will have trouble healing itself. You are strongly encouraged to make an appointment with your physician first and find out if you are a candidate for intense pulsed light therapy. If you are considered appropriate for IPL treatment, your physician will tell you what to prepare weeks prior to the date of treatment. During the operation, a small amount of pain might occur among different individuals. Depending on the setting of the instrument and the spot being treated, performing the operation on sensitive places like the neck and chest will often inflict temporary pain but the discomfort will soon dissipate.
With a reputation of being faster and cheaper than laser method, intense pulsed light is prevalent and recommended in both areas of tattoo removal and hair removal.