Laser Tattoo Removal

When that tat just has to go...

Tattoo removal is the fastest growing segment of the tattoo industry. With a sucky tattoo like mine, I sure can believe that! Thankfully, tattoo removal isn't nearly the traumatic event that it used to be, especially with awesome new methods like laser tattoo removal. However,keep in mind that tattoo removal is still a significant medical procedure that should be entered into with all necessary precautions and responsible research.

Tattoo removal is far from an exact science, and just about any doctor will tell you that there is no guarantee that a tattoo can be removed completely. There most likely will be some scarring or pigment change in the area where your tattoo used to be.

The Truth about Laser Tattoo Removal

Another misconception is that laser tattoo removal is an over-night type fix to erase a tattoo. This is far from the truth. Fact is, laser tattoo removal is not performed all in one single treatment. Laser removal of your tattoo requires many sessions of laser treatment and each session requires breaks of four weeks or more between each laser treatment session. Slowly, throughout these spaced out laser treatments, your tattoo will be removed with final results being based on the color of the tattoo, the pigment type and the depth.

Don't forget, tattoos are meant to be permanent! All tattoo aftercare advice is designed to help prolong the life of your tattoo and keep it as perfect as the day you got it, right? To make things even more challenging, all the recent advancements in ink technology and in the skill level of professional tattoo artists, tattoos received in the last decade or so are very difficult to remove. Tattoos are permanent because the needle used penetrates below the epidermis and places ink into the dermis layer of your skin.

Fact is, all tattoos are meant to be permanent, and that is why tattoos are so difficult to remove. Difficult, but not impossible! The good news is, tattoos CAN be removed from all areas of the body. Better yet, tattoos given by very experienced tattoo artists are the easiest to remove because the pigment has been evenly injected into your skin.

Laser Tattoo Removal - How Does It Work?

Laser tattoo removal targets the pigment of the tattoo with short bursts of high-intensity light from a laser. While the laser penetrates the skin, it is also is a direct target to the pigment of the tattoo and leaves the surrounding tissue free from damage. The laser itself does not actually remove anything; it simply disrupts the pigment of a tattoo. Laser tattoo removal breaks up the pigments for the body to absorb. Basically, laser tattoo removal makes your body into an "eraser".

What About Scarring and Other Risks of Laser Tattoo Removal?

The risks that could occur following laser tattoo removal include infection, sunburn-type burns of the area, scarring (from heavy scarring to minor), and an itching sensation around the treated area. In the past, tattoo removal was done using various undeveloped surgery techniques, all of which left tattoo removal patients with a lot of scarring and empty pockets. These days, laser technology is more refined. While there is still the chance of scarring from multiple laser treatments, doctors have developed their treatments to minimize scarring. Keep in mind, that no matter what form of tattoo removal you choose, some scarring or color variations of your skin are likely to remain.

Laser Tattoo Removal - The Bottom Line

Laser tattoo removal is a booming business and the fastest growing area of the tattoo industry. The most popular form of tattoo removal is laser treatment. Using laser treatment for tattoo removal is the preferred medical technique by both patients and practitioners. Although most dermatological practitioners will caution that the complete removal of a tattoo is not fully possible, using laser surgery for tattoo removal has been proven to be highly-effective. Regardless of each persons personal reason to have a tattoo removed, laser tattoo removal is a popular and effective way of getting rid of an unwanted tattoo.

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