PiQo4 Laser in Chicago, IL
PiQo4 is the latest laser for the treatment of tattoos and unwanted pigment. PiQo4 is a type of technology used to treat tattoos. Traditional lasers such as q-switched lasers use heat to treat the tattoo using nanosecond technology. A picosecond is much shorter than a nanosecond and uses the force of the laser light to mechanically separate the pigment.
SO WHY SHOULD A PATIENT CARE ABOUT A PICOLASER?
In a nutshell, Picolaser have been shown in some studies and early data to offer some advantages over traditional lasers. Some of these advantages include:
- Less treatments required (most traditional tattoo treatments can be 10 or more depending on the color treated)
- Less pain- clinical observation have found Picolasers to be less painful than q-switched lasers
- Efficacy- particularly in greens and blues Picolasers can be highly efficacious in clearance of tattoos.
WHY THE PIQO4 LASER?
The PiQoo4 laser from Lumines is considered the gold standard for PiQo4. This PiQo4 laser is the only 4 Wave-length treatment to use both Pico & Nano energies to remove undesirable pigments. The PiQo4 delivers a safe and quick treatment with noticeable results, minimal downtime, and faster results that not only treats unwanted tattoos but can also treat noticeable pigmentation, age / sunspots, skin texture and appearance. The PiQo4 Laser can also treat ethnic skin types as well
Why Dr. Shah for PiQo4 ?
While there are some Medspas who dabble in aesthetics and lasers, Dr. Shah is a board certified facial plastic surgeon who was specifically trained for plastic surgery of the face and neck. He has experience with a variety of lasers for over 10 years. He has performed research on lasers and facial plastic surgery and his team is dedicated to you.
How much does PiQo4 cost?
PiQo4 cost depends on the area being treated. Tattoo removal requires multiple treatments and early data suggest that patients with PiQo4 require less treatments than traditional lasers. In addition, since PiQo4 is more efficient some patients have reported better clearance by going to a Pico technology early. Some nano lasers have created scarring and made tattoo removal difficult.
Tattoo Removal
Tattoos are commonplace now but many later regret having a tattoo later in life. Never before have so many good choices for tattoo removal been available. Traditional lasers have had some success with tattoo removal but patients often require 10 to 15 treatments, which could be uncomfortable. A newer technology was recently introduced called the Picolaser which has made removing tattoos much easier than ever. A Picolaser allows for tattoo removal to be a faster more efficient process than many q-switched lasers which use nanosecond technology. In Dr. Shah’s office, he uses the PiQo4, the latest in laser tattoo removal technology.
Frequently Asked Questions about PiQo4 Laser
Tattoos are extraordinarily popular, with almost 45 million Americans with tattoos. That would be 1 in 5 Americans that have tattoos. 59% of those Americans with a tattoo are women. While tattoos may have been a good choice for some patients, 20% regret having a tattoo later on. Many patients seek tattoo removal since it may make employment more difficult and can look less professional.
The type of ink and color of the ink can influence how difficult the tattoo is to remove. Darker skin types with darker tattoos are often more difficult than lighter skin types. In some patients, the immune system can play a role as well. Some tattoos that have had previous attempts with lasers can be more resistant to tattoo removal. In addition, some inks are known to be more resistant to laser removal than others.
It is difficult to state for certain how many sessions are required. For some patients, a laser tattoo removal package is often a better pricing advantage than paying as you go.
Ghosting is when the tattoo leaves behind a lighter area where the tattoo was as a result of photothermal changes to the melanocytes. When patients use picosecond technology, less ghosting is present.
The earliest removal options of tattoos were the use of either surgical excision, sanding it off mechanically (i.e. dermabrasion) or using chemical peels. None of these techniques are currently used today as their side effect profile is not acceptable. The first laser used for tattoo removal was a C02 laser which is purely an ablative laser. This technology was also not successful as a stand alone technique for this purpose but can be used in conjunction with other more effective technologies. The q-switched shorter pulsed lasers were used in the 1990s and had less side effects than competing technology. While an older technology, this was the treatment up until the last few years. The latest in tattoo removal laser technology is an even shorter pulse laser called the PiQo4 by Lumines and is the laser offered in Dr. Shah’s office.
If you live near Chicago, IL, Anil Shah Facial Plastic Surgery offers PiQo4 laser among its services and is conveniently located at 200 West Superior St., Suite 200 Chicago, IL 60654
The PiQo4 is the workhorse of tattoo removal in our office. It is effective on all colors. We follow up tattoos which have been faded with either fractional C02 or silicone coated Fractora to fade tattoos which are already faded.
A nanosecond is a billionth of a second while a picosecond is a trillionth of a second.
At Aesthetic Skin Chicago, Dr. Shah uses a topical numbing gel with cool air to make the experience as pleasant as possible.
At Aesthetic Skin Chicago, Dr. Shah uses a topical numbing gel with cool air to make the experience as pleasant as possible.
Initially, the tattoo has a slight frost which turns to a curst. The tattoo takes about a week to recover.
Typically, patients treated with older technologies such as nanosecond technology have a good opportunity to respond to picosecond technology.
Patients should wait about 3 months prior to a new tattoo.