PicoSure, by CynoSure, uses PicoSecond technology to achieve greater clearance of tattoo ink from the skin in fewer treatments.
The PicoSure laser produces energy in the shortest time interval that has ever been available on the commercial market.
Ten years ago the tattoo industry was booming. Now, enough time has passed for regret to kick in or, for afficionados to have a new tattoo where an old one used to be. So, tattoo removal is reaching unprecedented levels of popularity in Australia and globally.
According to research recently released by IBISWorld, the tattoo removal industry is expected to hit $83.2 million in net worth over the next four years – keeping pace with the tattoo industry itself. In the past decade, the market has surged by 440 per cent to an estimated $75.5 million.
For practitioners hoping to take advantage of the surge in tattoo regret, it’s imperative to stay across the latest technologies to deliver optimum results in a relatively new, consumer-driven market. PicoSure, distributed in Australia by Cynosure, is at the forefront of ink-clearing technology.
Last year, Cynosure released the PicoSure as the first and only laser with picosecond technology in a commercial setting at that time. It was touted to shift dark, stubborn green inks, as well as previously-treated recalcitrant tattoos. Since it’s launch, PicoSure has proven effective in achieving unprecedented results in ink-clearance and has rendered treatable patients who previously would have struggled to achieve significant results.
“The addition of the PicoSure has enhanced my tattoo-removal business, with patients literally travelling hundreds of miles to be treated with this device,” says US dermatologist and laser specialist Dr Emil Tanghetti. “By and large, patients are very pleased with their tattoo treatments. This is particularly true for patients who experienced previous treatments with Q-switched devices. These patients remark how much more clearance they see with each PicoSure treatment compared with Q-switched lasers.”
Picosecond technology
PicoSure changed the game in tattoo removal by using picosecond technology to clear ink pigment from the skin. As light energy is delivered at picosecond pulses to the treatment site, an intense photomechanical reaction is created – this is patented the PressureWave.
Unlike traditional lasers, which typically induce a photothermal reaction, PicoSure’s photo- mechanical impact achieves greater disruption of the ink pigment with fewer treatments, less fluence and without injuring the surrounding tissue.
“The PicoSure produces energy in the shortest time interval that has ever been available on the commercial market,” Dr Tanghetti explains. “I have witnessed dramatic clearing of green and blue ink, and a significant reduction in the number of treatment sessions required to achieve tattoo clearance.”
The PicoSure works at a nominal wavelength of 755 nanometres and comes with two handpieces for tattoo removal. The Zoom handpiece features an adjustable spot size of 0.1mm increments, from 2mm to 6mm, and the Fixed handpiece addresses 6, 8 and 10mm spot sizes.
PicoSure now FDA approved for treatment of wrinkles and acne scarring
Cynosure has created a system that delivers 20 times the power of the original PicoSure, using the FOCUS Lens Array handpiece. This handpiece microscopically concentrates the PicoSure pulse to a precise depth, delivering that photomechanical effect to kick-start skin rejuvenation.
Recently, the Food and Drug Administration in America approved this device for the treatment of wrinkles and acne scarring. The technology is also registered.
‘The FOCUS optic creates a high-energy spatially confined injury to the epidermis, which we refer to as an area of Laser Induced Optical Breakdown (LIOB),’ Dr Tanghetti explains. ‘This results in skin lightening and treatment of acne scars by a unique mechanism that most likely represents an epidermally-driven collagen remodelling and possibly fibroblast stimulation, caused by the very short laser pulse.’
The FOCUS Lens Array combines low and high fluencies, delivered in a controlled manner. This is designed to boost both the efficacy and safety of treatment.
‘I can now treat acne scars in virtually all skin types, with minimal downtime and minimal pain, not requiring any topical anaesthesia,’ Dr Tanghetti says. ‘In the past, I did not treat Fitzpatrick skin type V and VI with my non-ablative devices. However, now I feel comfortable treating them with the PicoSure FOCUS optic.’ AMP
For more information
visit www.cynosureaustralia.com and www.picosure.com.au
Dr Tanghetti on the PicoSure investment:Whether its for professional, romantic or purely personal reasons, tattoo removal can help improve self-image and restore confidence in people living with regret. For this reason, as Dr Tanghetti explains, patients can go to great lengths to find the most effective treatment for clearing the skin. “This device, while expensive, paid for itself over a one-year period,” Dr Tanghetti says. “This direct ROI came from a dramatic increase in our tattoo-removal population and from the ability to treat abnormalities of pigmentation and acne scars in populations previously untreatable. The positive feedback from my patients to the community has grown my entire practice.” “Additionally, there has been considerable indirect ROI from owning the PicoSure system. I strive to stay on the cutting edge of new devices and therapies, and owning a machine like the PicoSure sends the message to my patients that I am committed to bringing them quality, innovative treatments,” he says. |
Tat Stats in AustraliaThese are the latest statistics on tattoos in Australia, according to the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council and a 2013 McCrindle Research study:
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