Getting a tattoo removed is much simpler now that modern medicine has introduced various types of skin lasers to help break down the stubborn tattoo ink that causes their permanency. Laser tattoo removal is an invention that many individuals who wish to have tattoos removed are thankful for. After a few treatments, the tattoo’s obvious fading makes the tattoo less visible and obvious. Of all other tattoo removal treatments, laser treatments offer the most effective removal possible as of today.
With concentrated and high-frequency lights, laser treatments help to break down tattoo ink so that the body’s immune system can then move in to expel it from the body. Not all tattoos can be removed and depending on the size, complexity, and colours of the tattoo, the tattoo may be easier or more difficult to remove. It is important to remember that a tattoo specialist can help you to determine what the prognosis is for your particular case of laser tattoo removal. Each type of laser is specially designed to assist with the removal of certain types of inks. Individuals with fair skin and tattoos on the arms, legs, chest, buttocks, and other fleshy areas of the body are easier to treat and usually see the best results. Typically, the less skin and the more boney the area (finger, ankles, toes, etc.) the harder it is to remove a tattoo.
Laser tattoo removal is usually just as painful as getting a tattoo. There are ways to help alleviate this pain by taking Tylenol or by applying a cream which can help ease the pain as well. After the treatment, ice is often applied for about a half hour to ease and prevent swelling while an antibiotic ointment and sterile dressing can be placed on thereafter. Since the laser acts as a source of very high-frequency light breaking through the dermal layer, the treatment site is just like sunburn and should be treated as such. Laser tattoo removal, aside from the initial pain and the healing process, is well worth the time and energy, not to mention the financial commitment. It is the leading way to remove a tattoo in a way that does not force chemicals or acids onto the skin which can be potentially harmful and irritating.
Most people imagine that laser tattoo removal involves ‘burning’ the tattoo out of the skin. The reality is much simpler in method and far less painful than most people think. Laser tattoo removal is carried out using a simple process of employing short bursts from a laser, which create intense pulses of light. Each pulse passes through the top layers of the skin and is absorbed into the tattoo pigments that sit below. The energy created by the laser breaks up the pigments, which are later removed naturally by the body’s immune system, with the white blood cells ‘flushing out’ the fragments. Thanks to intensive research carried out over the last few years into the optimum frequency to carry out this operation, the original and natural pigment of the skin remains untouched, minimizing scarring.
Laser tattoo removal will not remove the entire tattoo in one go. Because the pigments break up at different intensities, several sessions may be required to remove a tattoo completely. Usually the black pigments clear first because black absorbs all types of laser wavelengths. Other colours only absorb certain wavelengths for example red tattoo ink absorbs the green laser light and consequently, those specific wavelengths have to be used to remove other colours. There is usually a minimum four-week gap between each treatment to allow the immune system to absorb and remove the pigment, so laser surgery isn’t instantaneous – it may take many months for the treatment to be completed.
Laser tattoo removal sessions are relatively short, usually only lasting a matter of a few minutes. Once the procedure has finished the doctor may dress the area worked on with an antibacterial ointment and sterile dressing to protect the skin against the risk of infection. The area should then be kept clean but not bathed until at least 24 hours after the procedure.
As with all laser surgery, laser tattoo removal can result in hyperpigmentation, which causes the skin to darken, or hypo-pigmentation where the skin whitens. With tattoos that have been in place for a considerable time, incomplete pigmentation removal may leave some traces of the original tattoo. There is also the possibility of scarring as a result of the procedure, particularly if the treated area becomes infected.
Laser tattoo removal doesn’t usually hurt as such, but may be considered to be an uncomfortable procedure. It has been likened to being repeatedly snapped by a thin rubber band or having hot drops of wax or fat dropped onto the surface of the skin. In comparison to the original pain felt during the tattoo’s placement on the skin, it is about parable.
The tattoo is an expression of one’s personality, and the best course of action is to think very carefully about having a tattoo in the first place. If you feel that you will still be happy with it in 20 years’ time, then it can be a worthwhile and meaningful addition to your body. If, however, you fall out of love with your body art, laser tattoo removal offers you the opportunity to reverse what was previously considered to be a permanent alteration of the skin surface.
Conclusion
Deciding where to get laser treatments performed is simple and should involve making sure that the tattoo removal clinic in question uses lasers which will successfully remove the different colours in the tattoo.
Since certain lasers work better for certain colours, it is important to make sure that you can find a place which can effectively remove your tattoo. Researching the laser and the options available to you is obviously important so that you are fully aware of what to expect if laser tattoo removal is your primary choice to have your tattoo removed.
Additionally, you can be sure that a tattoo removal specialist would be glad to go over your options and consult with you. Often, during initial consultations, a fee may or may not be assessed, yet if you decide to follow up with the treatment, you can often apply the initial fee to the first treatment. Various clinics offer different deals, but either way, it is worth it to look into laser tattoo removal as an option for your tattoo removal.
