Can an Nd:YAG tattoo laser remove spider veins and couperose?
A Q-switched Nd:YAG tattoo laser does not treat spider veins or couperose: that needs long-pulse mode, a pulse a million times longer that burns tattoos.
I am often asked this question. I understand where it comes from and why! In the instructions or menus of various compact devices there is sometimes an item called "vessel removal"!
Let me say straight away: a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser does not remove blood vessels!
A long-pulse Nd:YAG laser does work on vessels, and the wavelength really is the same! However, the pulse duration in Q-switched and Long Pulse modes differs by a factor of 1 million!
So do not try to use the wrong modes for the wrong targets.
So, the Q-switched mode of an Nd:YAG laser is designed mainly for removing artificial pigment in the skin, i.e. for tattoo and PMU (permanent makeup) removal. You will not be able to remove vessels in this mode. The only way to remove vessels with a Q-switched pulse is to destroy the skin right at the focus by achieving optical breakdown, and destroy the vessels along with it. But that is not the best way to remove capillaries. That is mutilation!
Long-pulse mode is the Nd:YAG laser mode designed for working with vessels and other tasks. However, tattoos and PMU must not be removed in this mode: it will cause burns and a very high risk of scarring. So if your laser has several pulse generation modes, choose carefully which mode you use in which case.
The good news is that you cannot buy an Nd:YAG laser with a long-pulse mode by accident. Compact tattoo removal devices usually have only a Q-switched mode. A long-pulse mode is found on premium stationary devices costing several million roubles and up!
Which device removes a tattoo?
Pick a device and fire a pulse at the pigment particles.
Pigment shatters only when the energy arrives faster than the particle's thermal relaxation time. Based on the article on four devices that cannot remove tattoos.
Frequently asked questions
Can a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser remove blood vessels?
No. The Q-switched mode is designed mainly for removing artificial pigment, i.e. tattoo and PMU removal. The only way it could remove vessels is by destroying the skin at the focus through optical breakdown, which the author calls mutilation.
Can you remove tattoos in long-pulse Nd:YAG mode?
No. Long-pulse mode is designed for vessels and other tasks, and its pulse differs from the Q-switched pulse by a factor of 1 million. Using it on tattoos and PMU will cause burns and a very high risk of scarring.
Do compact tattoo removal lasers have a long-pulse mode?
Usually not: compact tattoo removal devices usually have only a Q-switched mode. A long-pulse mode is found on premium stationary devices costing several million roubles and up.
