Tattoo Removal

Tattoo removal is a process in which a controlled injury is applied to the area with a beam of high intensity light. The laser quickly passes over the tattoo , breaking up pigment colors, while the body’s white blood cells carry the pigment, flushing it through the lymphatic system. Because every person, and every tattoo is unique, even two individuals with the same tattoo would see different results during the fading process. Generally, a tattoo will take two, to ten sessions, depending on the colors and methods used. For example, “home made” tattoos are often harder to remove than ones done with professional tools; this is because of the excessive scaring that can occur from larger needles, and lack of gauging a specific depth. Some synthetic inks, such as fluorescent colors , and bright greens are often the tattoos that take more sessions to remove. Black ink is the easiest to remove because black pigment absorbs all laser wavelengths. Colors must be treated at a different wavelength, as they sit at higher depths in the skin.

Things to know and how to prepare:

Keep the tattooed area covered from sun exposure, or wear proper SPF before your treatment. This will ensure your skin is not photosensitive*, and allows the technician to be more aggressive with the treatments. Treating sun tanned or sunburned skin is like causing a burn, over a burn, therefore, CANNOT be treated until the skins melanin has resided back at a safe level in the skin. **Certian medications, and even some herbal remedies are photosensitive and must be finished, and out of your system before your treatment. If you are on medication, always check with your doctor,or pharmacist to ensure that you are not highly photosensitive. There are a couple of options if you hate pain… Emla cream. Its a little more expensive,(the plush version)OR Lidocaine 4 or 5% . Both are effective and should be applied 40 to 60 minutes before your treatment. You may get either of these topical anesthetics from your local pharmacist.

Cover the area with a thick layer and put plastic wrap over the tattoo so the cream does not absorb. It seems to take the edge off the uncomfortable feeling of the laser. Some people don’t mind the treatment, and some swear by the numbing cream, so its an individual thing. Either way, the skin will be cooled by an ice pack prior to, and after your treatment. Its debatable which hurts more, the removal or the tattoo itself, but the removal session will be exponentially faster than the tattoo session.

Do not shave the area to be treated, (within one week before) You may trim the hair with clippers or scissors, but it is best not to disturb the skin before treatment.

Time For Treatment:

A test patch is performed at the beginning of each treatment to the sterilized sight to test for photosensitivity, and to ensure the proper intensity is chosen. Once this is determined,the treatment will commence. Treatments last only minutes with most tattoos. A quarter size tattoo would take less than one minute, while something the size of a business card may take three minutes, and so on. After, the treatment area will be cooled with sterile water and an ice pack. An antibiotic cream, containing NO ZINC, or petroleum gel,( depending on the skins reaction, and depth of the tattoo), will be applied, followed by a sterile dressing. This should not be disturbed for 24 hours after the treatment. Changing the bandage daily for up to 14 days is recommended for optimal results. In most cases, the surface tissue is healed in seven to ten days. Healing of the sub-containious tissue takes six to eight weeks, at which point the fading process has occurred and you can safely continue treatments until you’ve reached your tattoo removal goal!

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