The Nitrogen Family Elements at a Glance

Author: Fabio Braghi
Source: isnare.com

Given the progress in inkjet and media technology, demand for printing photographs and art on canvas is growing exponentially. Whether you have a good inkjet printer or you prefer to have your work done by a professional outfit, it is worth to explore this option for any type of image. We constantly receive requests from wedding and portrait photographers who want to print large canvas for their clients.

Artists regularly order limited edition prints on canvas and watercolor papers to sell to collectors. These reproductions usually are signed and are accompanied by a COA (Certificate of authenticity). Buyers are very receptive to purchasing canvas prints they can hang up without a protective glass, without worrying about scratches and water damage.

The texture of a fine art canvas is unparalleled in beauty; a protective coating is applied on top to give the substrate a matte, lustre or glossy look. If you prefer to experiment with this material to see the results, canvas sheets are available at many stores that carry inkjet products.

The differences between a home desktop printer and a professional one are many but I will focus on the most important. First, commercial machines can be outfitted with pigmented inks; these inks differ from dye inks commonly found in the cheap home printers because they are archival and will not fade for decades. Dyes on the other hand will start losing brilliance in a matter of months. There are some home use printers now that offer a form of hybrid dye/pigment system. The second difference is the nozzle quality; pro level systems have extremely sophisticated nozzles that can render a very fine dot and exceptional tonal rendition.

The process of printing on fine art materials such as canvas and watercolor papers is referred to as “giclee”. Giclee is a french term that loosely translated means “sprayed on”. It refers to the nozzles which spray ink onto the paper. Giclee printing involves some of the characteristics described above and it is usually performed by professional shops.

You can read more about giclee and fine art canvas printing on our website: http://www.allpconline.com/canvas_printing.htm

Author: John Burton
Source: articlesbase.com

Firstly, there are the pastels themselves. They are made from pure powdered pigment bound with a small quantity of gum binder (low quality pastels have chalk added). Pastels come in many varieties (hard, soft, sticks, pencils, etc.) but they are essentially all the same: the final choice is largely a matter of personal preference. What’s probably more important is the type of paper you use with pastels. When pastel is drawn across a surface, the pigment crumbles, and so deposits on that surface. Using the right type of paper ensures that the deposited pastel sticks to the paper, and doesn’t just lounge on the surface. In other words, a good pastel paper will have a “tooth”, or grab. Tooth and texture are not the same things. Velour paper has a sumptuous soft texture, but not much tooth. Art Spectrum Colourfix type papers have little texture, but a fantastic tooth

Author: Victor Epand
Source: articlerich.com

The many different themes of the miniature paintings are generally inspired by paintings that were commissioned centuries ago by Indian Emperors. At first, the sketch is prepared by the artist on a smooth surface of a paper in either light blue or reddish brown ink.

This primary sketch is drawn in soft lines that suggests only the outlines of the figures. These are later corrected, and then are made bold when the accurate and hard lines are drawn. A thin coat of white pigment is then applied to obliterate the incorrect lines. Once the master sketch is drawn, it is then copied or pounced, which is known as tracing.

Traditionally, tracing was done with a piece of transparent deer skin, which was placed on top of the drawing. The the outlines of the drawing were then pierced. The deer skin has then been replaced by tracing paper. Then the stencil is prepared, which is then placed over a fresh paper and then black pigment is passed through the pin holes. This process will leave soft outlines, which are later reinforced by brush.

The pigments are first blended and laid flat on the paper, but no consideration is made of tonality, instead contrasting colors are used. The tendency to represent the minutest details, which is when the principles of maximum visibility and love for ornamentation were possible only when the colors are laid flat. The floors, carpets, arms, armor, utensils, etc., are depicted with profuse embellishment. The draperies, however, are left comparatively plain.

Now, the three dimensional effect is achieved by two methods of shading. The first method is when the original color is spread on the surface, then darker colors are applied. The second method is when the shading pigment is gradually mixed with the original pigment while it is still wet. The ground colors are not necessarily light, but they are lighter than those to be applied in subsequent fillings. Human figures are painted first, with the animal figures being next, and then the background is colored last of all. After coloring and shading, the outlines of the object, as delineated in the primary sketch, are reconfirmed by a darker tone and the figures given a well finished form.

Gold high lights are the last step before the burnishing. The burnishing process involves laying the miniature face down on a hard, but smooth surface and then gently and firmly stroking it back and forth with a polished piece of agate stone. Burnishing will provided a protective hardening and will give an overall unity of texture to the paintings.

Once the painter or the artist has finished, then the picture is passed on to other artists, who will do the trimming or given to a wasligar for mounting. Then beautiful borders, also known as hashiyas, are made and the calligrapher, who is also known as a naqshanavis, is asked to write part of the text or inscribe the name of the artist at the lower part of the new painting.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for Krishna art, religious gifts from India, and Hare Krishna books. Please visit these sites for indian paintings, religious gifts from India, and Hare Krishna books.

Author: Trevor A Jones
Source: ezinearticles.com

The operation of tattooing requires needles that move at very quick speeds to penetrate the outer layers of the skin. The needles break the skin, and put in dots of ink into the 3rd layer, producing the image of the tattoo design under the skin.Anytime you are having a tattoo, good sense and a bit of safety are invariably the most essential considerations.

An HIV infection is one thing some people fear about having a tattoo as it can result in the development of aids. While numerous fear HIV, it is just one of the numerous viruses that can come from tattoos. Other infections range from tuberculosis, to Syphilis and naturally Hepatitis. As it is in the world of drug taking, these infections can be caused by the application of un-sterile equipment – primarily needles.

Just like other pursuits, tattooing can be very hazardous. Although tattooing is indeed dangerous, there are ways that you can reduce or get rid of the potential dangers. Tattoo artists have to be certified and ensure they conform to strict regulations involving the sterility of their equipment and place of work.

The equipment a qualified tattoo artist uses should be sterilized each time it is employed. They employ a steam pressure autoclave when sterilizing their tattoo guns and needles. To prepare the equipment, bleach and alcohol are employed as they are not capable of completely sterilizing a tattoo artists equipment. He (or she) will first use the bleach or alcohol to cleanse the equipment and then use the autoclave to ultimately sterilize it.

Throwaway rubber gloves should also be used when any tattooing is being carried out. Any rags or ointment spreaders should also be thrown away after each use. When you walk into the tattoo studio, the floors should be spick-and-span. In the rooms where the tattoos are completed, the working area ought to invariably be clean and sanitary.

Before the tattooist begins the tattoo, he should always give each customer a fresh set of needles. Then, he should invariably dip the needle in a small cap of pigment that he just withdrew from a large squeezable bottle. If the artist dips the needle into the big bottle, you might very well be sharing fluids with those who have had tattoos from that corresponding big bottle.

Whenever you choose to get a tattoo you ought to always put safety at the forefront. Safety is very important with tattoos, as you could otherwise get a disease or a serious viral infection. Before you decide on a tattoo studio, you ought to always make sure that they are clean and hygienic. If you get a tattoo from a studio that is dirty or unsanitary, you could end up on a constant spiral of infections and viruses.

To See Your Favorite Celebrity Tattoos, Body Art, Body Piercings, Celtic Tattoos, Sexy Tattoos, Visit http://bodyartezine.com.

Author: Netgeek Mamun
Source: articlerich.com

A giclee canvas print is coated with a degree of proofing against water and UV damage. The canvas printing method combines the use of professional grade large format printers and archival pigment inks, acid free watercolor papers and canvas. A giclee canvas print is ideal as a gift item. The printing is done on high resolution large format digital inkjet printers using fade resistant inks and dyes. The finished prints will be as elegant as the original.

Giclee canvas prints give emphasis to versatility. These prints are acid free, use pigmented ink and are highly durable, thereby extending the life of the canvas prints. There is no doubt that abstract giclee printing is the foremost option for customers who are looking for better-quality fine art prints at a very reasonable cost.
To ensure the production of quality posters, you will need to use efficient tools. These tools will help you make wonderful posters that will help you with your marketing, advertising or/and promotional campaigns. The first tool used for poster production is design software. This tool will help you create layouts for your posters.
A user can also get digital files of famous works of art in the internet and use these files to create an attractive poster. With the help of design software, a user can create posters that will serve not only business tools but also as decorations for offices and other rooms.

Now, the second tool in producing high quality posters is a printing process. Now, a printing process will help users to justify their posters layout. There are many types of processes and among them includes digital printing. This process is among the newest processes used today. It can provide fast results and also very detailed copies of your posters. Large format posters can be usually produced using this process.
Another process used is offset printing, which is known as a traditional but is tested to be very effective. Although this printing process takes a longer time to perform, it can ensure the production of higher quality prints. When it comes to color production, offset printing can provide posters with excellent color accuracy. This poster printing process is also used for printing large numbers of prints.
If you have an abstract photograph and you do not want to hang it as a picture then you have the option of getting it printed on a canvas and using that for decorating your home. Similarly, you can get attractive prints on canvas which would add to its beauty and would be appreciated by all your friends and guests.
Many people make use of their family pictures and photographs to decorate their homes in the form of canvas prints. There are many companies that can provide you with prints on canvas in different sizes. When choosing the company, make sure that it provides you with good quality canvas art prints. Some of them may also provide you with existing designs that can be modified as per your requirement.
If you want to change the colors of the canvas pictures then re-colouring option is also provided by some of the companies. One of the best companies that can help you to get such prints on canvas is Canvas Design.
Only a creative mind can think beautiful designs to print it on the canvas. A beautiful canvas print catches onlooker’s eye and helps to distract as well as deviate an individual’s mind from other tedious aspects of life too. In other words, a fine and wonderful print can

Canvas prints has taken the world by storm. People display such printings in their offices for advertisement purposes, trade shows and even at homes. Nevertheless, what is this canvas printing? Printing on canvas refers to the procedure used to print fine art as well as printing photos onto canvas.
This method of printing photos onto canvas is very similar to obtaining prints through printer, but in canvas printing, images are processed in huge format. Printers used here print images well within the deep frame of canvas. In fact, this type of printing is a modern form of conventional photo printing.

To print Photos onto canvas, individuals need to shoot photo using a digital camera. Always take the photo with highest camera setting. Giclee canvas prints will enable you to use images and texts and lets the user combine these visual features to make an attractive work of art.

Author: Marc Hardey
Source: isnare.com

Once upon a time, you had no need for furniture. You sat before campfires with friends and family and debated how best to cook that mammoth you caught. However, as you moved from cave to huts, and eventually into apartments and even Park Avenue co-ops, you discovered the wonders of furniture. The murals discovered at Pompeii, the sculptures excavated in Egypt, and the shards of objects from tombs in Ghiordes all point to one incontrovertible fact: humankind cannot live with an empty house alone. So, you buy truckloads of furniture – armoires, dining tables, couches, and yes, brown leather bar stools.

In recent years, brown leather bar stools have experienced a surge in popularity. Not only are they great space-savers, they are also highly moveable and trendy. With brown leather bar stools instead of a chunky couch or divan, you can change your living room’s look any time you want.

The best thing about brown leather bar stools is the material its made of. Where look and style are concerned, leather furniture is royalty. It makes you room appear elegant and classy simply because it’s there.

Leather Factory

Leather comes from all over the world, but furniture leather, in particular, is brought to our homes from the tanneries in South American, Germany, and Italy. Those brown leather bar stools hogging the limelight in your kitchen went through a four-step process. To make the transition from rawhide to finished ready-to-upholster leather, your brown leather bar stools went through processes known as splitting, tanning, coloring, and finishing.

From Hide to Home

Finish is a very important step in the creation of brown leather bar stools. From hide to upholstery, every tanned hide has to be “finished.” Finishing is responsible for giving leather its inimitable appearance and texture. In general, brown leather bar stools, and any leather furniture for that matter, have the following finish:

Pigment: This is the most durable, stain-resistant furniture finish. It is cool to the touch, and has a protective opaque color, which covers the grain with consistency.

Aniline: This is less stain-resistant than pigment. However, it leaves the hide more pliable and warmer to the touch. Moreover, you can see the natural surface grain and markings on your leather.

Semi-aniline: This is a hybrid of aniline and pigment. The result is a finish that has uniformity of color, is resistant to stain, and is soft to touch.

Color Conundrum

Many homeowners agonize over their choice of leather color. Here’s the rule of thumb when it comes to leather pigments. The heavier the pigment and the more corrected the grain, the easier it is to care for your leather. Brown leather bar stools are a perfect example of furniture with heavy pigment. They can hide dirt, stains, and aging far better than white leather, for example.

Questioning Quality

Good leather is no different from its owner. It bears the tell-tale signs of a life well lived. In other furniture, nicks and wrinkles are a no-no. In leather, however, natural marks such as veining, wrinkling, grain differences, and healed scars, are highly valued because they prove the leather is genuine and has survived for a long time. So, don’t be horrified by the natural marks on your brown leather bar stools. Each wrinkle increases the leather’s value.

There is no doubt furniture will always be a part of human existence. It’s everywhere, from parks to rest rooms. Brown leather bar stools, in particular, let us sit in comfort and high style.

Author: Neil J. Francis
Source: ezinearticles.com

Many people assume that once a tattoo is made, it stays forever. It is rather true, but over the years, the vibrancy, color, brightness and attractiveness of a tattoo may fade due to reasons like natural aging process of the body, use of low quality inks, aftercare, and exposure to sun etc. This article gives you a few tips to retain your colorful and attractive tattoo from fading. It requires only a little effort but it is worth.

Quality of the tattoo

Placement of a tattoo in your body and the inks used decide its quality. The pigments in the ink penetrate into the middle layer if skin. If the tattoo ink remains near the upper layer of skin, the pigments gradually wears off as the skin’s topmost layer sheds its dead skin cells constantly and new cells take their place. With the pigments slowly wearing off, the brightness will diminish and the attractiveness is lost. Therefore, it is advised to get a tattoo done by an experienced tattoo artist. An experienced person will have complete knowledge of how to place the ink enough deep into the skin. Experienced artists may charge a little higher, but it is worth as the tattoo stays for a lifetime. There are many tattoo fraternities, which will help you find a good tattoo artist or parlor.

Aftercare for a new tattoo

Once the tattoo is designed on the skin, the care that should be taken for the next few weeks is very crucial as it decides its fading nature. The skin area where the tattoo is placed must not be scratched, as it may pull up some of the ink’s pigments. The area must be properly moisturized with aftercare lotions and ointments for the first two weeks. Cleanliness is very important to protect yourself from any possible infection.

Avoid exposure to sun

Sun’s ultraviolet rays are powerful and they can break down the color pigments in the tattoo ink. Whenever you go out in the sun, sunscreen should be applied to your tattoo, irrespective of if it is a sunny or a cloudy day. This helps you in protecting your skin from premature aging. A sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 30 must be used.

Color of tattoo ink

Choice of proper color determines the fading of a tattoo. The pigments used in the inks must be stable. Common stable colors are black and blue, while colors based on red pigments such as orange, yellow, magenta and purple require more maintenance as they are prone to fading. Remember this while deciding your tattoo colors.

Following healthy habits

One cannot stop the natural aging process of skin as it degenerates gradually. However, you can delay the aging process by following some healthier habits. Supply of essential minerals, vitamins and antioxidants help your skin to remain youthful. Smoking and drinking can cause irreversible damage to healthy skin cells.

Discover the unknown tips of choosing the correct name tattoos at this best tattoo gallery. Find the Best Tattoo Designs and check out the largest selection of Award Winning Tattoo Designs!

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Author: Dwain Berlin
Source: isnare.com

Leather Care

When buying leather, the best thing you can do is ask the people who you buy it from, what the manufacturer recommends for leather care and cleaning. Don’t forget to ask what other products may work well for leather care too, as there may be something you’re more comfortable using. Also ask what the product does to and for the leather.

While still alive, leather on the animal, fish, or fowl is maintained in situ. (It’s their skin) The oils that keep leather conditioned and help remove dirt and grime from the skin of the animal are produced naturally by their body.

Once leather is processed, these “living” components cease to exist although they do retain many of their physical characteristics such as leather’s porous nature and chemical reactivity. Leather is naturally acidic so anything alkaline is bad. For proper leather care, you want to mimic some of these natural processes. If you sift through all of the mythology, home recipes, and good ol’ folk lore about leather care, you are left with the two basic tasks that all those natural processes accomplished: cleaning and conditioning.

Any leather care enthusiast will tell you that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and if you want to protect your investment keep it in top form. Leather care is relatively easy but you need to be consistent. Leather can be restored, but regular maintenance is highly recommended. If cared for properly, your leather will last and stay in good shape for years.

You want to know the type of leather you have, as well as the way it was processed during tanning. For example, were any anti-mold finishes applied or was a sealant used, and how was it colored, if it was. Keep in mind that aniline, suede, and nubuck are not as robust as pigmented leather because they do not usually have a protective surface coating.

Pigmented leather is the most durable, full grain pigmented leather has intact grain, and corrected grain pigmented leather refers to whether or not the leather has been sanded to remove imperfections.

Aniline

This top-grain or full-top grain leather is not pigmented, just dyed whereas semi-aniline treatments combine pigment with dye, usually to even out the grain because the leather has some imperfections. The result is that the leather has a more consistent color and some stain resistance qualities.

If you lightly scratch the surface of aniline, it will turn a lighter color. Some nubuck leather will do the same thing. To correct the problem, wet your finger lightly and rub it into the leather. It should darken slightly, but dry the same color.

Antiqued / Marbled / Two-Tone

A second pigment may be rubbed over the original pigment to give the leather an aged or antique appearance.

Nubuck

This is aniline leather that has been brushed to give it the texture of velvet. In fact, nubuck is often mistaken for suede. Nubuck is stronger because it is brushed on the grain side, which is the side where the animal’s hair was, where suede is made from the flesh side. If you apply the wet finger test to nubuck, it will darken slightly and dry darker so be sure if you do this that it is done in an inconspicuous area.

Pull-Up

Pull-up, also referred to as waxy or oil pull-up is leather that lightens in color when stretched during wearing, creating a broken-in appearance.

Suede

Suede leather is made from the fleshy side of hide. For leather care of suede, it is important you make sure any product you use won’t damage it. Find out as much as you can about the active ingredients in the products you buy and the action involved. You might want to bring your jacket with you or a swatch if you can, and ask what would work best for it.

If you schedule leather care and cleaning you won’t end up with a jacket that looks like someones cast off. I suggest scheduling a cleaning at least once a year or so. (Mark it in your daytimer)

Author: Dagfinn Rognerud
Source: download

Tattooing is a widely practiced method of body decoration in which markings such as signs, symbols and letters are applied to the body by puncturing the skin’s outer layer and inserting color into it. Whether ancient or modern techniques are used, the skin is punctured with a sharp instrument, now usually an electric moved needle. In earlier times and other cultures, Tattooing required one or more needles fixed to a stick and driven into the skin by slight tapping, the very process that has led to the term Tattoo via the early Polynesian sound – equivalent of the tapping action: Tau Tau.
A variety of methods were used to create tattoos. In a classic example of tribal tattoo evolution, among the Sioux, for example, women would draw a circle or line on a person’s skin with clay, punch the design with an awl, and then rub the blue clay over it. By the time the clay was dry it would have penetrated beneath the awl holes. Among California natives, an old woman would scratch the skin of a subject and rub charcoal dust or plant juice into the scratches for color. Following the contact with Europeans, the Ojibwas drew on the skin with a stick dipped in gunpowder dissolved in water. The figure was then pricked with needle dipped in vermillion and the skin was seared with punk wood to prevent festering. The area would then be treated with an antiseptic herbal wash. These processes often took number of days.
Concerning all tribal tattoo styles, the division in black and white is important. Not only of what has been tattooed must have a good shape but also the parts that have been left Blanc must also be well shaped. Besides, it is more beautiful that the shapes follow your body contours. The balance with tribal and Ornamentals are very important. For this reason, it is important to have a tattoo done by someone who understands the different styles.
In technical terms, tattooing is micro-pigment implantation. Tattoos are a type of body modification. A tattoo is a design in ink or some other pigment, usually decorative or symbolic, placed permanently under the skin.
The origin of the word Tattoo is usually traced to the Tahitian taut or tatau, which means to mark or strike. The term tattoo is now universally used, even if it is referred to, in any specific language by some other word.
The most popular scientist Thomas Edison designed the pioneering electric engraving pen, which was developed further by Samuel O’Reilly in 1891. Today, the most common method of tattooing is with an electric tattoo machine. In this procedure, ink is inserted into the skin via a group of needles that are soldered onto a bar, which is attached to an oscillating unit. The unit rapidly and repeatedly drives the needles in and out of the skin, usually 50 to 3,000 times a minute. Tattoo machines operate on an electromagnetic principle.
All these forms of tattooing are generally of permanent type.
Henna tattooing is a temporary form of tattooing. Henna, a type of herbal plant is made into a paste along with coffee or tea, lemon Juice and sugar and applied on to the skin in various areas. These applications may stay for a few days or months – depending on the Henna quality and the application followed.
This article is written by Dagfinn Rognerud, former Norwegian officer. This article may be reproduced as long as all Live links are included. Dagfinn has several pages about tattoos: http://www.flower-tattoo.info/ http://www.henna-tattoosite.com/ http://www.lower-back-tattoo.com/

Author: Barry Lycka
Source: ezinearticles.com

Tattooing, which is defined as the permanent insertion of ink or other pigments below the skin using a sharp instrument, has been used for cosmetic and ritual purposes since the Neolithic era. It has been used to identify criminals, invoke magical powers and, most recently, to adorn the skin with colorful designs in what has become a major trend.

Indeed, a recent telephone survey done by the American Academy of Dermatology reports that 36 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 29 are tattooed, and 24 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 50 have been inked. This represents a 16 percent increase over a similar survey done in 2003!

But what happens when that tattoo you thought was so cool 20 years ago just isn’t cool anymore?

Yes, tattooing has been around a long time, and something that has always gone along with tattoos since the very beginning is the desire to remove them. Whether the desire to remove the tattoo is a result of social, cultural, or physical reasons, people go to great lengths to get the job done.

Early techniques for removing tattoos included painful and scarring procedures such as sanding, cutting, and burning the skin. Unless you were willing to go to these lengths, tattoos were seen as permanent and irreversible. However, thanks to medical advances in the field of dermatology, surgeons are now able to remove tattoos safely and effectively.

Methods for tattoo removal today include dermabrasion, surgical excision, salabrasion, chemical peels, and laser surgery. Let’s examine how tattoos are removed with each of these methods.

Dermabrasion

With dermabrasion, the surface and middle layers of the skin are “sanded” away with a hand-held scraping or sanding tool. This process removes the pigmented skin and encourages the growth of new skin.

Dermabrasion is not for everyone. If the tattoo is old, or if the ink has been injected into the subcutaneous fat, dermabrasion may not work. Also, if the tattoo was done by an amateur and the ink is deposited at varying depths in the skin, complete removal may be difficult.

Side effects include skin discoloration, infection at the site of the tattoo, and scarring from repeated scraping and sanding. Complete removal of all the ink is not always possible.

Until laser surgery was introduced, dermabrasion was considered one of the most popular and effective ways of removing tattoos.

Surgical Excision

Surgical excision is performed under general anesthesia. During the process, the surgeon literally cuts the tattoo out of the skin, and closes the wound with sutures. This technique is more suitable for smaller tattoos.

This is one of the more invasive tattoo removal procedures, and complications include swelling, infection, and scarring.

Chemical Peel

A chemical peel, during which trichloracetic acid is usually used, progressively removes layers of skin, and eventually the tattoo.

Depending upon the age of the tattoo, and whether the ink is evenly distributed, it is not guaranteed that a chemical peel will completely remove a tattoo. Chemical peels can also cause permanent damage to the skin, such as lightening where the design used to be, or scarring.

Salibrasion

Salibrasion is perhaps one of the oldest methods of tattoo removal, and requires the skin to be “sanded” with salt. A local anesthetic is usually injected around the design, and the skin is aggressively rubbed with salt or a salt sanding block.

Complete tattoo removal can’t be guaranteed, and the procedure can leave the patient with raw, red, burned skin. Scarring is also a possibility with this method.

Laser Treatment

Laser treatment was introduced in the 1980s, and presented the best alternative to tattoo removal. The CO2 laser beam was used to vaporize the ink and the overlying skin, and was less painful, safer, and much easier than other techniques. However, the technique was not perfect. The healing process was long, there was considerable risk of scarring, and in almost all cases a faint image of the tattoo was left behind.

Q-Switched Lasers

Q-Switched Lasers were introduced about 10 years ago, and have been shown to be the most effective way to date to remove tattoos. Q-switched lasers emit light in very short but powerful flashes, which pass through the skin and break up the tattoo pigment.

Because the absorption of the laser light affects the energy’s ability to break up the pigment, different types of q-switched lasers are best used on different colors of pigment.
There are four different types of q-switched lasers:

1.Q-switched ruby lasers have a red light and are effective on most black, blue, and green pigments.

2. Q-switched alexandrite lasers emit a deep red light and are effective for most black, blue, and green pigments.

3. Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers emit an infrared light and are effective on most black and dark blue pigments.

4. Q-switched frequency-doubled Nd:YAG lasers emit a green light and are effective on most red, black, dark blue, and purple pigments.

While tattoo removal with q-switched lasers is completely safe, patients usually experience discomfort on the same scale as receiving the tattoo. A topical anesthetic can be applied one to three hours before treatment. The more treatments the patient has the less pain he or she will feel, as there will be less pigment to absorb the laser energy.

Antibiotic ointment and a light dressing are applied to the area after treatment and normal activity, including showering, can resume the next day. Light blistering or bleeding following the treatment is normal and should subside within a day or two.

All tattoos will require more than one treatment, the average being between five and 10 treatments depending upon the depth of the tattoo, the colors used, the location of the tattoo, and the health of the patient. Fading of the tattoo should be evident about two weeks after treatment, and another treatment can be done as soon as a month later.

While scarring will not occur as a result of q-switched lasers, mild skin texture changes can occur. Darker skinned patients may also experience some skin lightening, though this is usually temporary.

Is it guaranteed that the tattoo will completely disappear when treated with a q-switched laser? Well, because more than 100 tattoo inks are used today, and none of them are regulated by the FDA, it is impossible to predict how a particular ink will respond to laser treatment. However, in most cases the tattoo will completely disappear.

To find a physician board-certified in laser surgery who removes tattoos look in the yellow pages under Cosmetic or Laser Surgery, and/or Tattoo Removal. Or contact the Ethical Cosmetic Surgery Association to find a practitioner in your area.

Dr. Barry Lycka is the President of http://www.LesTout.com and one of the foremost cosmetic dermatologists in North America.