Guide to Tattoo Removal

It was a terrific thought at the time.  You thought you’d always love Adam and tattooing his name on your back seemed like a great way to stay united forever.  Then you met Sean and suddenly your old 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.

You are not the only one who feels that way.Recent estimates suggest that more than 10 millions 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. humiliation, 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 frequently chosen 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 usually 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 process of tattoo removal uses high intensity light in a similar 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 procedure 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 massaged into the tattooed area numerous times before it is absorbed by the skin to the layer where the tattoo ink is located.  The cream creates a chemical reaction that basically destroys the chemical bond the ink has produced 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.  Regardless of the method you chose to remove your tattoo, some scarring or variations of the skin can be expected.  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.