Tattoo Removal
Due to the growth in popularity of tattoos, the tattoo removal industry has also grown rapidly over recent years. These days, tattoos are more socially acceptable and the ever growing number of body art options is seen as a legitimate way for people to express themselves and customize their body. People of all ages are getting tattoos for all sorts of reason.
However, there are also many reasons why people want tattoos removed. The design may include reference to a stage of their life that has passed, such as a former partner. They may have grown out of what the design used to represent or they may just have grown tired of the design. But whatever the reason, due to the cost and the uncertainty of success, tattoo removal is a decision that much not be taken lightly.
During the early days of tattoos, the most successful form of tattoo removal was surgical excision which involved cutting off the dyed area and using a skin graft to repair the damage.
However, as you can imagine this can be a painful process, especially for larger tattoos, requires a substantial recovery time and can leave significant scarring in both the treated area and the location where the skin graft was obtained.
Of the older methods of tattoo removal, the main alternative to surgery was Dermabrasion, which uses a sanding technique to abrade the skin down to a level below where the tattoo existed. This method was moderately successful but often caused scarring especially for tattoos located deeper in the skin. Alternatively, based on a similar principle, various acids have been used to remove tattoos, but often resulted in scarring caused by a chemical burn.
When laser tattoo removal was first performed, a CO2 laser was used to burn off a thin layel of superficial skin each time it passed over the tattooed area. The ink was then wiped off gradually after each pass of the laser. The major advantage was that a CO2 laser could remove a tattoo in just one treatment. However, this method was quickly rejected due to the amount of superficial scarring that it caused.
At present, the most up to date method of tattoo removal relies upon Q-switched lasers. This involves blasting the tattoo using an extremely short, high energy burst of laser light.
Due to a process known as selective photothermolysis, the tattoo ink absorbs the light which causes it to expand. However, due to the speed of the light burst, the ink doesn't have time to adjust to the expansion causing it to shatter. Over time this process causes the ink to break up into tiny particles which are flushed from the body by the immune system.
Further refinements of the treatment include using different laser colors and light frequencies to treat different colors of tattoo ink. So if you have a tattoo that uses a variety of color, a combination of laser treatments may be required to achieve the best results.
The main disadvantage of tattoo removal using Q switched laser is that many treatments are required until the tattoo ink becomes so faint that it can't be seen. If the ink is too deep the light may not penetrate deep enough to make the treatment effective. Yellow ink is hard to remove as it doesn't absorb the laser light to the same extent as other colors. And finally, the whole process depends upon a healthy immune system to remove the blasted ink particles, so people with an impaired immune system may not respond to the treatment.
However, despite the cost and the inconvenience of multiple treatments, q-switched laser represents the best chance of achieving scar-free tattoo removal. You may experience a slight lightening or darkening of skin pigmentation in the treated area, but that will normally improve and often disappear completely in time.
So if you're considering having a tattoo removed, the first step is to make an appointment with a qualified physician or dermatologist to discuss the implications. After they examine your tattoo they'll be able to advise you on the best method of removal. They'll also be able to answer your questions and give you further information about the procedure, the number of treatments it will take, and the cost of the process.
Due to the need for multiple treatments Q-switched laser tattoo removal is an expensive process, especially if the tattoo covers a large area. And in most cases your health insurance won't cover the cost of tattoo removal unless you can show that it has to be removed for medical reasons. The only other alternatives are to finance the treatment yourself, borrow the money or take out a payment plan from the hospital where you have the treatment.
Please Note: This article is for information purposes only. The information it contains is not intended to replace or supplement medical advice from a qualified medical practitioner. Before you decide to have a tattoo removed, please consult a qualified doctor for medical advice on the best tattoo removal method for your circumstances.
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Tattoo Removal Methods
However, there are also many reasons why people want tattoos removed. The design may include reference to a stage of their life that has passed, such as a former partner. They may have grown out of what the design used to represent or they may just have grown tired of the design. But whatever the reason, due to the cost and the uncertainty of success, tattoo removal is a decision that much not be taken lightly.
During the early days of tattoos, the most successful form of tattoo removal was surgical excision which involved cutting off the dyed area and using a skin graft to repair the damage.
However, as you can imagine this can be a painful process, especially for larger tattoos, requires a substantial recovery time and can leave significant scarring in both the treated area and the location where the skin graft was obtained.
Of the older methods of tattoo removal, the main alternative to surgery was Dermabrasion, which uses a sanding technique to abrade the skin down to a level below where the tattoo existed. This method was moderately successful but often caused scarring especially for tattoos located deeper in the skin. Alternatively, based on a similar principle, various acids have been used to remove tattoos, but often resulted in scarring caused by a chemical burn.
When laser tattoo removal was first performed, a CO2 laser was used to burn off a thin layel of superficial skin each time it passed over the tattooed area. The ink was then wiped off gradually after each pass of the laser. The major advantage was that a CO2 laser could remove a tattoo in just one treatment. However, this method was quickly rejected due to the amount of superficial scarring that it caused.
At present, the most up to date method of tattoo removal relies upon Q-switched lasers. This involves blasting the tattoo using an extremely short, high energy burst of laser light.
Due to a process known as selective photothermolysis, the tattoo ink absorbs the light which causes it to expand. However, due to the speed of the light burst, the ink doesn't have time to adjust to the expansion causing it to shatter. Over time this process causes the ink to break up into tiny particles which are flushed from the body by the immune system.
Further refinements of the treatment include using different laser colors and light frequencies to treat different colors of tattoo ink. So if you have a tattoo that uses a variety of color, a combination of laser treatments may be required to achieve the best results.
The main disadvantage of tattoo removal using Q switched laser is that many treatments are required until the tattoo ink becomes so faint that it can't be seen. If the ink is too deep the light may not penetrate deep enough to make the treatment effective. Yellow ink is hard to remove as it doesn't absorb the laser light to the same extent as other colors. And finally, the whole process depends upon a healthy immune system to remove the blasted ink particles, so people with an impaired immune system may not respond to the treatment.
However, despite the cost and the inconvenience of multiple treatments, q-switched laser represents the best chance of achieving scar-free tattoo removal. You may experience a slight lightening or darkening of skin pigmentation in the treated area, but that will normally improve and often disappear completely in time.
So if you're considering having a tattoo removed, the first step is to make an appointment with a qualified physician or dermatologist to discuss the implications. After they examine your tattoo they'll be able to advise you on the best method of removal. They'll also be able to answer your questions and give you further information about the procedure, the number of treatments it will take, and the cost of the process.
Due to the need for multiple treatments Q-switched laser tattoo removal is an expensive process, especially if the tattoo covers a large area. And in most cases your health insurance won't cover the cost of tattoo removal unless you can show that it has to be removed for medical reasons. The only other alternatives are to finance the treatment yourself, borrow the money or take out a payment plan from the hospital where you have the treatment.
Please Note: This article is for information purposes only. The information it contains is not intended to replace or supplement medical advice from a qualified medical practitioner. Before you decide to have a tattoo removed, please consult a qualified doctor for medical advice on the best tattoo removal method for your circumstances.
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