We’ve all heard about loving couples who got matching tattoos with each other’s names – only to eventually break up, causing an awkward situation with their future significant others.
Nearly 30 percent of all Americans, including half of all millennials, have at least one tattoo. However, as many as 25 percent of them say they regret committing ink to skin.
Fortunately, there are laser tattoo removal techniques that can get rid of unwanted tattoos with minimal – if any – side effects.
Here’s how the process works:
A trained technician uses lasers with a high-intensity light beam to break up the pigment colors of the tattoo. Since black and blue pigments absorb all laser wavelengths, they’re the easiest colors to remove, while other colors can only be treated with selected lasers based on the pigment color.
The number of treatments it will take to remove your tattoo will depend on how old the tattoo is, its size, and color. Other factors that affect the removal technique include the color of your skin, the location of the tattoo on your body, and how deep the tattoo pigment goes.
Before starting the laser tattoo removal session, you will be furnished with protective eyewear. The technician will then test your skin’s reaction to the laser to determine the most effective energy level for treatment. Once the session gets underway, the laser will send intense light over the top layers of your skin that will be absorbed by the tattoo pigment.
Smaller tattoos may require fewer pulses of laser light. But big or small, most tattoos will require several treatments. However, your tattoo will become progressively lighter with each session.
Laser tattoo removal is not a comfortable process, but most patients tolerate it without the need for anesthesia. It is often safer than other tattoo removal methods like excision, dermabrasion, or salabrasion (scrubbing salt into the tattoo ink) since the laser light beam selectively treats the pigment in the tattoo.
Nevertheless, there is a risk of infection at the tattoo removal site and a small chance that you will sustain a permanent scar. There’s also the risk of hypopigmentation, in which the skin being treated may become paler than the skin surrounding it. Conversely, there’s the risk of hyperpigmentation, which would leave the affected skin darker than the skin surrounding it.
Should you decide to remove a tattoo, be sure to consult a reputable dermatology or cosmetic surgery center that specializes in tattoo removal to make sure you get proper treatment and care. Bear in mind that tattoo removal is usually a personal option, so most insurance providers won’t cover the process unless it’s medically necessary and physicians providing this service may require payment in full at the time of the procedure.
At the Vein Institute & MediSpa in Kingwood, Texas, we offer state-of-the-art laser tattoo removal, providing smooth, clear skin without damage to surrounding tissues. There is no downtime with this minimally invasive, safe and effective procedure. For more information on your treatment options, call us today at (281) 312-0208 to request an appointment, or request an appointment online.
