Here is an interesting article on tattoo removal. A few months ago I remember having an interesting conversation with a Swiss expert who is familiar with Laser Ablation Inductive Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy and Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy. He said that the instruments were not only capable of detecting light elements but also removing tattoos.
Rachael Barron writes:
Laser maker takes stake in ink developer as two pair up on tattoo removal.
There are things in life one can’t help but regret. Like that snake tattoo on a forearm that circles the name of an ex-girlfriend. The options: live with it, or go though a painful and expensive removal process.
Laser maker Candela hopes to change all that. The company said Thursday it will be adding to its arsenal of tattoo removal technology the development of a new light-based device. The device’s design will work in tandem with a specialized ink in development geared for easier tattoo removal.
The news underscores innovations that could benefit from a mess of tattoos going mainstream on Hollywood actors and NBA players in recent years.
It come as part of a deal signed with the ink’s developer, privately held Freedom-2. Candela also said it made an investment in the West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania-based ink maker, but financial details were undisclosed.
If all goes as planned, the combo should allow people with a change of heart the ability to remove a tattoo with a single laser treatment.
Much of the removal ability lies in Freedom-2’s ink. The ink is basically a micro-encapsulation of color pigments within colorless polymer beads. A single laser treatment is expected to break up the beads, allowing the body to naturally expel the dye.
It’s a way better alternative when one considers what’s currently available. The most common technique is laser surgery. Here, doctors pulse light through the top layer of skin, where the light’s energy is absorbed by the tattoo’s pigment and breaks down. The broken-down ink is then absorbed by the body.
But make no mistake, at least at this point, it’s not a one-time deal. Different lasers are more effective at removing certain colors or work better on different skin shades. As well, there is only so much laser energy the skin can tolerate in one sitting. As a result, it can take about six to 12 treatments to achieve removal. And the price can range from about $1,000, to $5,000 and beyond, depending on tattoo size and location.
About a quarter of adults age 18 to 50 in the United States have a tattoo, and almost 20 percent of them have debated removing it or covering it up, according to the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Candela already has one removal device on the market known for its abilities to clean away black, blue, and green tattoo pigments. It also is readying to unveil its next-generation model in February that the company says will remove an even wider palette of colors. The expected price tag is in the range of $85,000 to $150,000, according to equity research firm Maxim Group.
But perhaps such machines will gradually become a thing of the past with such breakthroughs as inks trying to be offered by Freedom-2.
The company has been testing its ink’s removal prowess, including on its CEO Martin Schmeig (now that’s devotion). Freedom-2 said it plans to have its ink on the market this year.
Candela’s stock rose $0.12 to $12.60 in recent trading.
More info @
http://www.redherring.com/Article.aspx?a=20818&hed=Tattoo+Removal%e2%80%99s+Investors
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