Recently several types of laser therapy have been introduced for the treatment of tattoos. Q-switched red or near-infrared systems have shown excellent results without scar formation nor permanent pigment changes.
  We used an Alexandrite Laser, the advanced Q-switched system for tattoo treatment, to find its treatment effecacy, complications and histological changes before and after the therapy, and its clinical correlation.
  122 patients with tattoo were treated since 1994. The patients were treated with interval of 6 weeks until tattoos were completely removed. Biopsies were performed on 7 out of 122 patients before, immediately after, 4 weeks and 8 weeks after the therapy and observed using a light and electron microscope.
  The complete removal of tattoos was achieved after 7.4 treatments on average, and scar or permanent pigment changes were not observed.
  Histological findings before laser treatment showed that the tattoo pigments were mostly membrane bound structures in fibroblasts and macrophages. Immediately after the tretment the pigments were destroyed and modified physically by the laser. Histological findings 4 weeks post treatment showed that tattoo pigments were markedly reduced and modified to residual pigmentatory gradules in macrophages.
  From these fidings, we understood that Q-switched Alexandrite lasers can treat tattoos without major complications.
  The tattoo pigments are physically altered and redistributed by the laser and then finally removed by the phygocytic systems.