Structure of a Tattoo

Although there is some evidence that special cells called macrophages absorb some of the pigment, most of the ink particles are too large to be effectively removed by our immune system and simply stay locked into the dermis. This is why tattoos can last forever.

These layers are easy to distinguish under the microscope.

• The image on the left is normal skin. The layer on top is the stratum corneum, the outermost layer of epidermis, comprised primarily of corneocytes (keratin) imbedded in a lipid matrix. The dermis is the thick, stable layer in to which the tattoo ink is inserted.
• The image in the middle is a microscopic view of skin tattooed with black ink. The ink particles are deep within the dermis layer.
• The image on the right is a higher-power view of black tattoo ink in the dermis.

The key to eliminating these large particles of ink is to break them up into smaller pieces that can be carried away by our lymphatic drainage system.

Here are some important concepts:

• The laser does not actually remove the tattoo; it works by making the ink particles smaller.
• Regular ink particles are too large for our lymphatic system to transport them away.
• The smaller the particle – the easier it is for the lymphatic system to remove the debris.
• After a laser treatment, it is our body’s lymphatic system that removes the fragments of tattoo ink.
• The PicoSure laser is the most effective laser on the market to smash ink particles into tiny fragments transportable by the lymphatic system.

Dr. Wetherington is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. He is a member of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. He is a former President of the Georgia Society of Plastic Surgeons.