Posts Tagged ‘tattoo removal’
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.
Here is the most current on laser tattoo removal. Discussed here will be how it works, how effective it is, what it will cost and the side effects and pain.
As a method for removing tattoos, the use of lasers has been around for a number of years and is becoming more and more effective each year. It is considered today to be the best choice for tattoo removal.
Other removal methods involve the use of creams or acid-but their effectiveness is very questionable.
Laser tattoo removal works by using high intensity light beams that pulsate into the tattoo. The laser light breaks down the ink pigment and it rises to the top layer of skin which peels away. This type of treatment can take many. There are many factors that will cause the number of visits and treatments to vary those include: the tattoo ink color, depth of the ink, size and age of the tattoo and the person’s skin type.
The black inks respond best to the lasers and dissolves the quickest. Some ink colors like green and red are more difficult and can take several more treatments.
In most cases laser tattoo removal does not involve anesthesia and the treatments are done in just a few short minutes. It is done in an outpatient setting and there is no overnight hospital stay required.
After a laser treatment the patient applies ice and antibiotic ointment to the treated area for a day or so. Soon after, the top layer of skin will peel away and it will be time to return for another treatment. The number of treatments required to completelyremove a tattoo will vary, as discussed above, but it can take from just a 2-3 to 8-10 or longer.
For the first several days following the laser procedure it is advised to keep the treated area away from direct sunlight.
The pain associated with laser tattoo removal is similar to being pricked by many pins at the same time. Every patient responds differently to the pain. It is not unbearable, but it is also not very comfortable. If the patient has a low threshold of pain a topical anesthesia cream can be applied to numb the area.
The cost for laser treatments can be expensive. It can range from several hundred dollars to over a thousand or more.
There can be side effects from this choice of treatment that may include: scarring, infection, and skin discoloration. By having the work done by a certified medical profession the side effects will be minimized.
It is best advised to consult with a medical professional that has experience with all the latest technology for laser tattoo removal. Consult with one or more professionals to be certain you are comfortable with their advice before moving forward.
This is provided as general information only and should never take the place of a medical professional.
TCA (trichloroacetic acid) is a non-prescription skin peeling product used for dermatology conditions to remove wrinkles, acne scars and fine lines on the face. But does it work for tattoo removal?
Like all tattoo removal solutions that are available there seems to be no shortage on the varying results. There are many different methods for the removal of tattoos today including: pulsed light, laser, fade creams, cryosurgery, salabrasion and skin peel with acids. Every single one of these claim to be the best.
It should not come as a shock, that results will vary with each person and their tattoos, because so many factors are involved. How well a tattoo fadesare affected by factors like: color and types of skin, how quickly a person’s body heals, age of the tattoo, what colors are in the tattoo, the type of ink used, depth of the ink, location of the tattoo on the body and more.
TCA however, does have two medical studies that have been published in the British Journal of Plastic Surgery and the South African Medical Journal. In both of these studies positive results were observed. Each study reported similar results that TCA as a treatment for tattoo removal was found to be safe, simple and an effective tattoo removal agent with an 85% success rate for either removing or fading the tested tattoos.
When using TCA it creates a controlled inflammation on the surface of the skin. It is applied directly on the tattoo with a q-tip. The pigments breaks apart as the TCA works its way into the skin and rise to the top. Eventually, the top layer of skin peels away. The body will naturally re-grow the skin. This process is repeated as often as it takes to get the desired removal or fade of the tattoo. Depending on how fast a person heals—it usually is repeated at .
It is advised to keep the area awayfrom the sun during the complete process. Because new skin is photo-sensitive, it is vulnerable to damage by the sun.
Surprisingly, TCA is reported to work very well on every type of ink color. Even the colors that do not work well with laser treatments seem to fade with TCA.
One final thought, some people seeking the ultimate solution for tattoo removal will use the cream products or undergo the TCA skin peel process as a first choice to fade the tattoo, and then have the laser treatment done. That way the laser procedure, which seems to be the best overall solution, is not as expensive and time consuming.
Are your tattoos preventing you from getting hired today? It’s valid question you should be asking yourself.
The economy is difficult, jobs are very hard to find, but you are interviewing, just not getting invited back for follow up interviews. What’s wrong with this picture?
The problem is your body art that remains visible after you are professionally dressed may be a turnoff to some employers.
We realize that is not something you want to hear, but if you have been going to interview after interview and not getting any invitations to come back for second interviews or job offers—it may be the tattoos.
If a person has tattoos this should not influence an employer one way or another. But companies can have grooming standards. And it’s very possible those visible tattoos might just be causing employers to give higher consideration to candidates less tattooed than you.
It is true society is changing and greater numbers of people are becoming accepting of tattoos in the workplace. But unfortunately there are still some people out there that do not feel body art is appropriate in the work environment.
Here’s the main thing: You will never know if having visible tattoos is keeping you from getting that job-but why take a chance?
With jobs as tough as they are to get these days, perhaps it is time to consider tattoo removal for that visible body art. We are referring to the tattoosaround the face, neck, ears, hands, fingers and lower arm area.
There are many options for tattoo removal to chose from today. Probably, the most popular is laser tattoo removal. This process that can take several visits and several months. At each visit the the tattoo is treated by the laser. Then the wound is given time to heal before you can return for the next treatment. The laser treatment process can be painful and costly, but, it is said to be very effective.
It is also possible to cover up the tattoo for the interview and at work with specially formulated tattoo cover up makeup.
Another popular method involves using creams. It seems to be more a fade process rather than removal. But, it is a lot less costly than the laser method, is virtually painless and can be much quicker. The results seem to vary from one person to the next and a lotdepends on characteristics of the tattoo, the ink used, age of the tattoo, and skin type. However, many people get very good results with this method.
Often referred to as “Wrecking Ball”, the name is actually the Wrecking Balm Company and they make a very effectice tattoo removal cream The company has do-it-yourself process that is 100% guaranteed. It actually makes sense to give it a try before you go with the laser method. It costs a lot less than laser removal. It is faster and guaranteed. If it doesn’t work, then save up and give laser removal a try. If you want to learn more about Wrecking Balm, take a look here.
Tattoo remorse (also called tattoo regret) becomes common as we age. It is estimated that more than 50% of people that have tattoos, for a number of reasons want to have them removed. There are many solutions for tattoo removal today—fade creams and laser treatment being the most common. However, there are varying degrees of success with each method. Because of that, another idea is to think about trying tattoo cover ups.
Tattoo cover ups are especially popular to conceal tattoos you have grown tired of. Sometimes a tattoo that seemed so right at the time years later becomes something you just can’t tolerate any more. Perhaps you have a tattoo that has faded and you feel no longer looks very good. Well there are answers for all of these situations in the form of what is referred to as tattoo cover up.
One method to get rid of tattoos with letters and names is to have the letters changed so they say something else. There is a story that Johnny Depp, the popular character actor, had his tattoo that read “Winona Forever” redone so that it became “Wino Forever”. You can really get creative with tattoo cover ups. Ask your tattoo artist and they willmore than likely have some unique suggestions.
Another solution to cover up tattoos is to use a design as a cover that is filled with much intricate detail. Tribal tattoos are often a good idea. Because of their abundant colors and detail, they can often blend and cover old tattoos quite well. Ask your tattoo artist about placing a tribal tattoo over the tattoo you no longer want. This solution will quite often have great results. There are many good sources for tribal designs and newer unique tattoo patterns that would work well as tattoo cover ups and can be found without much trouble on the Internet.
Sometimes there is the need to just conceal a tattoo temporarily instead of complete tattoo removal. Perhaps you don’t want that tattoo to show for a wedding. Another solution would be to use a special make up designed to cover up tattoos. This is obviously something that would not be permanent, but there are certain make up products that work well for this for temporary situations. If you chose this method make sureyou use a product that has a concealer and neutralizer and is specially formulated for tattoos. That way it won’t run or melt or be seen through until you are ready to take it off.
If these ideas don’t work there is always the more traditional tattoo removal methods involving fade creams or laser treatments.