The reasons why people remove tattoos can be very different: tastes have changed; the beloved, whose name was inscribed on her hand, turned out to be an unfaithful woman; instead of a snake, the master managed to draw a worm; it turned out that the hieroglyph, which flaunts all over the back, does not mean at all what its owner thought, etc.
However, everything is fixable – Nowadays, there are several ways to remove tattoos: masking (i.e. applying skin color pigment over an existing tattoo), excision (i.e. surgical removal of a skin area), cryosurgery (i.e. removing a tattoo with liquid nitrogen), electrocoagulation (i.e., cauterization using high-frequency current), dermabrasion (i.e., grinding or scraping off an area of skin with a tattoo) and laser tattoo removal. However, most of the above tattoo removal methods in most cases can lead to unwanted scarring on the treated area. Unlike them, laser tattoo removal is considered to be more advanced due to the continuous development of laser technology.
Laser tattoo removal process
Laser tattoo removal occurs by destroying the pigment ink of the tattoo with high-intensity light radiation. At the same time, black pigments absorb any wavelength of light emitted by a laser, so they are easier to remove. Removing tattoos of other colors is more problematic.
The number of sessions required to remove a tattoo depends on the size and color of the tattoo itself, from 2-4 sessions to 10 or more. The exact number of required sessions will be determined by the specialist during a preliminary consultation, taking into account factors such as the patient's skin color, size, type of tattoo, its color, ink penetration depth and the length of time the tattoo stays on the body.
The process of laser tattoo removal itself is as follows:
- protective goggles are put on the patient;
- they check the reaction of the patient's skin to the laser in order to select the most suitable power for work (in this case, the laser acts on a small area of the skin);
- after laser skin treatment, an ice pack is applied to the treated area to calm the treated area, and for further application, the patient is prescribed a local cream or ointment;
- to protect the treated skin area, a bandage or patch is applied to it.
Anesthesia is not required for this procedure in most cases. However, depending on the location of the tattoo and the pain threshold of the patient, a local anesthetic or injection of painkillers may be used.
Types of lasers for tattoo removal
The ruby laser operates on the principle of selective photocavitation. This type of laser is mainly used to remove blue, green and black tattoos. However, the disadvantages of such a laser are: the inability to remove deep and multi-colored tattoos, as well as slow operation.
Alexandrite laser is also used to remove blue, green and black tattoos that do not penetrate deep into the skin. Its difference from the ruby laser is faster operation.
The neodymium laser works on the principle of laser photocavitation. Thanks to the use of light waves of different lengths, it can be used to remove multi-colored and deeply penetrating tattoos.
TheCO2 or Erbium laser is based on the principle of laser vaporization and is therefore well suited for removing superficial, shallow tattoos of various colors. As for deeper tattoos, in this case, the use of such a laser can lead to scarring.
Does laser tattoo removal hurt
Remember how painful (or not) it was for you to get a tattoo. The pain when removing it with a laser will be about the same. Laser tattoo removal is less painful compared to chemical or mechanical effects for the same purpose. In addition, do not forget that the location of the tattoo and the individual pain threshold of a person also play a role in the degree of pain of this procedure.
Benefits of laser tattoo removal
Due to the continuous improvement of technology, laser tattoo removal has become more effective, while the risk of scarring remains minimal.
Laser tattoo removal is safer than other methods of tattoo removal (surgical removal, dermabrasion, salabrasion, electrocoagulation) due to the unique ability to treat different colored areas of the skin with different wavelengths of light that effectively destroy certain colors.
Side effects of laser tattoo removal Despite the fact that laser tattoo removal is considered the most effective and has minimal side effects, their occurrence is not completely excluded.
Among the side effects of laser tattoo removal are the following:
- infection;
- burns (in case of misuse of the laser);
- redness, swelling, bruising;
- hair loss on the treated area of the skin;
- incomplete tattoo removal;
- small chance of scarring;
- hypopigmentation or hyperpigmentation (the treated area may be lighter or darker than the surrounding skin).
Contraindications for laser tattoo removal
- inflammatory diseases of the skin;
- mechanical damage to the skin;
- pregnancy (breastfeeding);
- diabetes type 1 and 2;
- allergic reactions;
- malignant tumors of the skin;
- skin after sun;
- systemic blood diseases.
Estet-portal.com reminds that the interval between sessions of laser tattoo removal should be at least 28 days. Tattoo removal – The process is gradual, so you should not expect instant results. To remove black tattoos, you will need to go through 2 to 8 sessions, the removal of colored tattoos can take up to 15 sessions. The deeper the pigment has been injected under the skin, the more difficult it will be to remove the tattoo.
More detailed information based on the characteristics of your tattoo, skin and other important features should be provided by a qualified specialist.
Source: estet-portal.com.
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