Tattoo Removal Tips

Laser Tattoo Removal

In Western and modern cultures, tattoos have become a form of youthful self-expression. Many people, especially young ones, decide to get a tattoo for no compelling reason and at times due to peer pressure. It is not surprising that many people who have tattoos eventually resent getting those permanent skin markings. The unfortunate fact is that it is harder, more expensive, and more painful to have any tattoo removed. However, through laser tattoo removal, many people could now opt to get rid of those tattoos for good at less cost, less pain, and less difficulty.

It is estimated that in the United States alone, about 10 million adults have one tattoo at least. No wonder, there are currently about 4,000 different tattoo studios that are scattered nationwide. Worldwide, the number is also increasing. According to experts, up to about 50% of all people who have tattoos eventually regret getting one for many reasons: the design has become inappropriate (especially if the tattoo bears the name of an ex-lover), the tattoo has blurred, or the society is incriminating people who have such skin markings.

Prior to the popularity of laser tattoo removal, several painful and scar-inducing surgeries were the only options. That was the reason why many people simply decide to live with their tattoos, no matter how they despise and dislike them. Dermabrasion is the process wherein skin is practically ‘sanded’ to eliminate middle and surface layers. Cryosurgery gets the tattooed area frozen before the surgical removal. Excision is the most common and most dreadful wherein a surgeon removes the marking using a scalpel and then stitches the resulting wound to close it.

Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation or laser has instantly turned into a standard tattoo removal option since the later part of the 1980s. This is because it facilitates bloodless, non-invasive, low risk, and definitely more effective alternative for removal of skin markings. Aside from having no adverse side effects, laser tattoo removal could be conducted on an outpatient basis within several sessions and without requiring topical or even local anesthesia.

To simplify how laser tattoo removal works, it makes use of intense light pulses that could pass harmlessly through the skin’s top layers. Through that, it could selectively absorb tattoo pigments. The laser energy immediately causes tattoo pigments to breakdown into smaller fragments that could eventually be removed naturally by the body’s own immune system. There is no need to worry about the accuracy and precision of laser tattoo removal as the laser could selectively and accurately target tattoo pigments without incurring any possible damage to the surrounding skin area.

Black tattoo pigments are easiest to remove because they could absorb all laser light wavelengths. Other colors like green could selectively absorb applied laser light so expect the process to be longer and more complex than removing a purely black tattoo. Selected laser light with specific wavelengths are applied to specific pigment colors. As for the pain, laser tattoo removal, as mentioned is not as painful as the conventional tattoo removal options, but you could still feel it, which is actually similar to having hot bacon grease specks on your skin (still very tolerable and bearable).

Tagged as: Laser Tattoo Removal, Tattoo removal