Glossary of Terms

A tattoo style characterized by bold black outlines, iconic imagery, and a limited colour palette (primarily red, yellow, green, and black).

These tattoos tend to age well – and tend to lean towards the more difficult to remove.

A tattoo style using only black ink diluted into various shades of gray, without colour.

These typically respond very well to laser removal – though if white ink is used, that adds complications.

Or Ink Drift

Blow out, or ink drift, refers to the unintended spreading or migration of ink beyond the intended boundaries of the tattoo or permanent makeup design.

A condition – whether medication or medical condition – that doesn’t mix well with laser tattoo removal. These can range from relatively minor (that just require extra care) to absolute (absolute no-go for laser).

The second layer of skin where tattoo ink is deposited.

The dermis lies between the epidermis and above the hypodermis.

The outermost layer of skin. Tattoo needles must penetrate through this layer to reach the dermis where ink is deposited.

The amount of energy delivered per unit area in laser treatment, measured in joules per square centimeter (J/cm²).

Higher fluence = more energy: but this isn’t always better. Appropriate fluence depends on many factors.

When a tattoo artist applies excessive pressure or goes too deep with the needle – potentially causing scarring and ink blowout.

Heavy handed tattoos may reveal scarring as the ink fades.

Hyper-pigmentation refers to the darkening of the skin.

This can be triggered by factors like sun exposure post treatment, hormonal changes, or skin inflammation.

The deepest layer of skin, containing fat and connective tissue.

If tattoo ink reaches this layer instead of staying in the dermis, blowout is more likely.

Hypo-pigmentation refers to the lightening of the skin, which can be permanent.

This can occur due to various factors such as aggressive laser treatments, trauma, certain skin disorders, or as a side effect of certain medications.

Your body’s reaction to foreign materials.

In tattoo removal, microphages engulf shattered ink particles and transport them for elimination.

See blowout.

Some modern tattoo inks are formulated to resist fading from sun exposure, which can also make them more resistant to laser removal.

Also, some organic inks can be harder to remove than traditional inks.

The outlines and defined lines in a tattoo.

Typically tends to be easier for the laser to remove.

The lymphatic system is a network of vessels, nodes, and organs that help maintain fluid balance in the body and support the immune system.

A type of white blood cell that engulfs pathogens, dead cells, and debris to help the body’s internal balance, or homeostasis.

In tattoo removal, these little fellas work overtime: each one grabbing one of the ink particles we shattered apart and flushing it through the body’s lymphatic and renal systems.

Melanocytes are specialized cells found in the skin that produce melanin.

Melanin is responsible for giving colour to our hair, skin, and eyes.

When melanocytes are stimulated, they produce more melanin – leading to hyper-pigmentation.

A permanent makeup technique for eyebrows that, when done well, mimics the look of natural brows.

A measurement of time: one millionth of a second (1 x 10⁻⁹ seconds).

Lasers that use nanosecond pulses use photothermal energy over photoacoustic energy to break apart ink particles, resulting in more heat in the skin.

A tattoo style that builds on American Traditional with an expanded colour palette and subject matter.

When a tattoo artist goes over the same area too many times during application, this can cause excessive trauma to the skin and can result in scarring that becomes apparent as the ink fades during laser tattoo removal.

Oxidation refers to a chemical reaction where a substance combines with oxygen.

For laser tattoo removal, oxidation can cause certain pigments to change hue, resulting in more challenging removal efforts.

Photoacoustic energy refers to the conversion of light energy into sound waves.

In this process, specific wavelengths of light are absorbed by the ink pigments, shattering them into smaller particles that the body removes through its renal system.

The conversion of light into heat. Nanosecond lasers primarily use thermal energy to break up ink.

This can be especially useful in later stage removal.

In contrast, see photoacoustic energy.

A measurement of time: one trillionth of a second (1 x 10⁻¹² seconds).

Lasers using picosecond pulses use photoacoustic energy, rather than photothermal energy to break apart ink pigment.

Tattoos applied in correctional facilities, often using improvised materials such as soot or pen ink.

These often respond well to removal, but, due to the unconventional ink, can respond unexpectedly as well.

Lasers that use nanosecond pulse durations and photothermal energy to break ink particles apart.

Excels at later stage tattoo removal.

A tattoo style aiming for photorealistic accuracy with detailed shading and dimension.

If you’re wanting this style as a cover up tattoo, you’ll likely need more removal.

The renal system, also known as the urinary system, is responsible for filtering waste products from the blood and producing urine.

How densely packed ink is in a tattoo.

Heavily saturated tattoos take longer to remove than lightly saturated pieces.

Scalp Micropigmentation (SMP) is a non-surgical hair loss solution.

It involves depositing tiny pigment dots onto the scalp to mimic the appearance of hair follicles.

The gradients and fills in a tattoo beyond the linework.

Light shading responds really well in laser removal.

The diameter of the laser beam. Different spot sizes are used for different treatment needs.

aka hand-poked

Tattoos applied manually without a machine, typically using a needle dipped in ink.

These often respond well to removal because ink is generally deposited less densely and more shallow than machine tattoos.

A tattoo style featuring bold, black, geometric patterns inspired by indigenous art.

These solid lines tend to take some time to respond to the laser.

The vasoconstrictor is a substance or medication that causes the constriction or narrowing of blood vessels.

This reduces the diameter of blood vessels, leading to a decrease in blood flow through the affected area.

A tattoo style mimicking watercolour painting style with soft edges, colour splashes, and often minimal linework.

The colours in this style tend to create more complicated tattoo removal.

A wavelength of light is a measure of the distance between two consecutive peaks or troughs in a light wave.

For tattoo removal, different wavelengths of light are used to target specific colours.

• 1064nm
  targets blacks and browns (but can see other colours as well)
• 730nm
  targets blues, greens, purples, and browns
• 532nm
  targets reds, oranges, yellows, and purples

Cells of your immune system. Macrophages are the specific type we partner with in the laser tattoo removal process.