How to remove tattoos

Still when it’s known that tattoos are a permanent kind of body art, many people have no conscience of the final decision that this represents, being a commitment for life practically. Also there are cases of people who suffer body transformations because of a pregnancy, increase or decrease of body weight, surgeries, and scars, among others; that made them wish to remove their tattoos because it just doesn’t look good anymore. Of course we have also those whom didn’t have the best artist for making their tattoo and does not feel comfortable with the final result; well their expectations were not fulfilled or that unfortunately they got low quality work.

Next we describe below, the procedure to remove tattoos and the main considerations to keep in mind for this purpose.

Removing the tattoo through laser

The new technique used to eliminate the tattoos has minor secondary effects on the skin. Generally, this technique consists in applying laser rays that manage to penetrate through the skin breaking the pigment molecules (inked) with a high intensity shaft of light; when ink particles absorbed the laser light they break in minimum fragments and this are reabsorbed  by skin (in its natural body cleaning mechanism); fading and finally eliminating the tattoo.

The tattoos made only with black ink are easier to eliminate because pigment absorbs the complete intensity of the laser waves, while other colored tattoos, and must be removed using other specific lasers for those pigments. The advantages of the most recent treatments are that don’t cause any damage to the skin cells around the area that in perfect condition.

Where to attend to removing the tattoos.

In first place, the most recommendable is finding a respectable dermatologist and with knowledge and experience in removing tattoos; likewise, is ideal that the procedure is performed in a cosmetic surgery center where it’s guaranteed the use of the right equipment and rightful conditions hygiene standard for those procedures. You obtain family, friends and online review sites specialized recommendations.

Treatment duration

The applications amount of laser treatment for removing tattoos might vary according to the color and the size of these. Some of the tattoos can be removed in two o four sessions; however, many of these require ten sessions or more. This information will be indicated in the first visit to the dermatologist or specialized center, after examining the tattoo and giving the diagnostic, where is also considered the skin age, size and type of tattoo (amateur or professional), patient skin color and the deepness of the pigmentation.

What to expect during the tattoo removing procedure

Passed the regular administrative formalities, the patient gets a pair of glasses for eye protection, then subsequently is done a sensitivity test in a non visible body place, this for evaluate the skin reaction to the laser impact and for determine how much power can be used. At the beginning of the treatment the piece gets placed the piece that allows to apply the laser on the tattoo area and is activate the light pulse, it’s a painful procedure, but it depends of each person, tends to get the description of as burning oil splash or the rubber band snapping against the skin. The smallest tattoos require less pulsation and bigger ones need much more, however the tattoo must appear lighter from the first session. When the session finishes, an ice compress its applied on the treated area for relieve and the patient gets the instructions for applying the antibiotic cream afterwards, also the treated area gets protected by a bandage or a patch and it must be taken care of the sunlight with sunscreen if its exposed to the sun.

Most of the patients don’t require anesthetics; however, depending of the location area and pain tolerance of the person, it can be applied topic anesthesia or localized by shots.

Side effects that can occur.

 

The tattoo elimination procedure does not tend to have major risks of side effects; there risk of infection in the treated area (reason which you protect the zone and apply cream antibiotics); risk that the pigment can’t be completely removed and gets a permanent scar. Also changes can occur like hyper pigmentation, where the treated area will look darker than the rest of the skin or hypo pigmentation when the skin would appear lighter than the surrounding zone.

Likewise, in the cosmetic tattoos case (lip, eyes and eyebrows lined), its elimination through laser treatment may cause some darkening in the affected zones…

Recommendations

You could follow this previous suggestions, that only look to make easier the tattoo removing process causing the minor discomfort for patients.

• In first place, to attend to the procedure its recommended to use clothes that don’t cause any repercussion if gets be stained with the products applied to skin and still if we try to prevent it from happening in the consulting room, when we undress it might get dirty with the bandages.
• If possible, the best is to take the day off, even with the anesthesics applied, the laser application can burn the skin and leave the patients sore and the need of resting and reposing.
• If its the first sesión or treatment, the reccomemdation would be to take the next two days off, this may appear exaggerated or like you are taking drastic measures, but considering that the pain gets more and more notorious in the next few days of the procedure (blisters and sores get formed in the treated area, you could resent feeling the fatigue of the immune system working for healing the wound) it’s a good idea to take a day or two.
• Although the removing the tattoo has become a simple procedure, no because of this its less painful (or economic); so when you attend to the first appointment, it is convenient prepare yourself mentally, that this is not a precisely a walk in the park, but in time, you will get a clean new canvas.