Skin Optical Clearing for Improvement of Laser Tattoo Removal

摘要

The removal of tattoo pigments by laser energy is effected through a process of selective photothermolysis. Dehydration and optical immersion based on refractive index matching of scattering centers with that of surrounding matter through introduction of an exogenous index-matching agent can improve laser tattoo removal by providing increased efficiency of laser delivery to embedded ink particles and enabling the use of shorter wavelength visible lasers more effective on certain inks. Effectiveness of a method of accelerating penetration of the index-matching compounds by enhancing skin permeability through creating a lattice of micro-zones of limited thermal damage in the stratum corneum was studied. As optical clearing agents 100% and 88%-aqueous glycerol solutions were used. The effect of stratum corneum perforation on the rate of the immersion clearing of skin was studied. Dynamics of refractive index alteration of glycerol solution during its interaction with skin samples was monitored. Improvement of tattoo visualization was observed. The results of the experiments have shown that the lattice of island damage method the is effective for transepidermal delivery of optical clearing agents and could be used successfully in in vivo conditions for the enhancement of optical clearing of treated skin area and as enabling improvement of laser tattoo removal.