How to choose a tattoo removal laser: simmer vs non-simmer

People often ask me how one laser differs from another.

What is the difference between lasers costing 60–70 thousand and 200–300 thousand roubles? And what about 3 million? Or 5? Good equipment can cost as much as 17 million roubles.

There is a difference between devices. Let's go through the slides so that you understand how cheap lasers differ from expensive ones.

The picture below shows the architecture of lasers that are cheap and sold everywhere. Why that price? See for yourself!

Sad: inside a cheap laser

A cheap tattoo removal laser

Devices that look the same from the outside can have completely different "insides". The second slide shows an expensive laser that looks very similar to the first, cheap one. But inside, the difference between them is enormous. Look at this image yourself. Can you see it? The form factor of the lasers is almost identical.

Good: inside a quality laser

A quality laser

It is not just that the second device looks neater inside than the first. It also has, for example, a cooling radiator that lowers the temperature of the liquid passing through it. In the cheap laser this process is only imitated — a fan simply blows air into the case.

There is another big difference. Look again at the layout of the second, expensive laser. In the centre there is a large simmer board. Go back to the first slide and find the same board. It is small and puny. This is exactly the difference between how simmer and non-simmer devices work.

Flash lamps

There are two ways to ignite a flash lamp: from a warmed-up state and from a cold state.

Cheap lasers save on everything, including cutting back the simmer board, i.e. the ignition board. What does this lead to? The laser will certainly work. But every time you press the pedal or the trigger of your laser, the lamp will flash. Non-simmer lasers flash from a cold state every time. This speeds up the wear of the device.

Non-simmer laser

If the laser system has a simmer board, the lamp is kept in a warmed-up state all the time. Each flash is fired from a standby (simmer) arc. This greatly reduces wear on the device, extends its service life and increases its efficiency.

Simmer laser

So do not think that all lasers are the same. Cheap non-simmer devices have a shorter service life and lower efficiency, while expensive simmer lasers have a long service life and higher efficiency overall.

Before buying a laser, try to find out everything about it and look at what is inside — the electronics, the units, the board and the architecture as a whole — so that you can be confident in the quality of the laser system you are buying.

Choose your devices wisely and come and learn! We run training in laser tattoo and PMU removal.