How is tattoo ink affected by laser treatments?

Tattoo ink is primarily altered through the process of fragmentation by acoustic shock during laser treatments. When a laser is directed at the tattoo, it emits light energy that is absorbed by the ink. This absorption creates a rapid rise in temperature, causing the ink particles to be fragmented into smaller pieces.

The critical aspect of acoustic shock during this process is that it generates pressure waves, which help to shatter the larger ink particles into much smaller fragments. These smaller fragments are more easily processed and eliminated by the body’s immune system, leading to effective fading or removal of the tattoo over time.

While vaporization, thermal energy destruction, and expansion of fibers may describe various phenomena that occur in laser physics or different types of interactions, they do not capture the primary mechanism utilized in laser tattoo removal. In particular, the fragmentation method uniquely focuses on how the tattoo ink responds to the specific energy and pressure changes generated by the laser.