Abstract text

A method of removing markings, such as a tattoos, from the tissue of a subject that includes steps of generating one or more shock wave pulses external to the subject's body and focusing the one or more shock wave pulses within one or more portions of the tissue, each of the one or more portions of the tissue containing at least a portion of the markings. The markings are typically caused by a plurality of pigment particles contained in the tissue, and the focusing step causes fragmentation of the particles so that they can be eliminated by the body.