It was a great idea at the time. You thought you’d always love Joe and tattooing his name on your neck seemed like a great way to stay connected forever. Then you met Hank and suddenly your previous lover’s tattoo feels more like a ball and chain around your backrather than a few letters and the sooner that tattoo is gone, the better.
If you feel that way, you are not alone.It is estimated that more than 10 million people have at least 1 tattoo and a busy physician who specializes in tattoo removal says that about 50% of those who get a tattoo later regret doing so. Embarrassment, poor self-image or potential loss of a job are just a few of the reasons people opt for tattoo removal.
Regardless of the reason, the good news is you don’t have to wear a tattoo you no longer want and you do have options for getting it removed. If you are willing to pay the price, both in dollars, pain and perhaps less than optimum results.
Laser Tattoo Removal: This is the most common process of tattoo removal today. It works by focusing on the ink with pulses of highly concentrated laser light that breaks the ink into tiny pieces which are then cleared away by the body’s immune system. It often requires several treatments depending on the size, color of inks used and whether or not the tattoo has been covered up with another at some point.
Light Therapy through Intense Pulses or ILP: This method of tattoo removal uses high intensity light in a way that is comparable to the way laser light is used but with less trauma to the skin. It is less painful than laser treatments and may be more effective with fewer treatments. Unfortunately, it is also more expensive.
Dermabrasion: For this tattoo removal process, a small portion of the tattoo is sprayed with a solution that freezes the area and then the skin is actually sanded to remove the surface as well as the middle layers.
Excision: This is a surgical tattoo removal method where the tattoo is cut out from the body. Prior to the surgical procedure, a local anesthetic is injected into the skin, around the tattoo to numb the area.
Tattoo Removal Cream: This is rubbed into the tattooed area several times before it is absorbed by the skin to the layer where the tattoo ink has been injected. The cream creates a chemical reaction that basically destroys the chemical bond the ink has formed with your skin. The reaction causes the ink to be busted into small particles – foreign bodies – which stimulates the immune system to remove them.
Expected Results: Tattoo removal is a viable option today. No one who has a tattoo removed ends up with skin that looks like it did prior to receiving the tattoo. Some scarring or variations of the skin will occur regardless of the method chosen to remove the tattoo. The success of the process is dependent upon a variety of factors such as age of tattoo, colors of ink used, depth of the tattoo and health of the individual getting it removed.
The healing time will depend upon the size and depth of the tattoo, the procedure used and the individual themselves.
