How Does Laser Tattoo Removal Work
To understand how a laser can remove a tattoo, it helps to understand what a tattoo is in the first place. When you get a tattoo, the artist embeds ink inside your skin. When the skin heals, it traps the ink inside the skin cells. The process of getting a tattoo is physically invasive.
Traditional tattoo removal methods such as dermabrasion or surgical removal required painful physical methods to literally remove the ink from your skin.
Why Choose Laser Tattoo Removal
If youre considering tattoo removal in Melbourne, chances are you already know why you want your tattoo removed. And if this is something on your mind, it will be worth it. Your body should look the way you want it, and you should be able to feel confident and comfortable in your own skin. Common reasons people want a tattoo removed include:
- It brings back bad memories
- You simply regret it
- The tattoo artist didnt do a great job, or not exactly what you expected
- It hinders your career or makes you feel judged by the people around you
- It doesnt feel like you anymore
- It represents something that you longer stand for or believe in
- You want to fade it instead of completely removing it, to cover it up with an updated or completely different design in the same location
What Affects Tattoo Removal Results
Modern tattoo removal has advanced a long way and almost all tattoos can be removed. However, some tattoos will have better results than others. The age, color, and placement can all affect the removal.
Ink particles weaken over time, so the older the tattoo, the easier it is to break down and remove. This is one of the main reasons that old tattoos are great candidates for tattoo removal.
No single laser can remove every color. Each color has its own laser, and they have different results.
Black ink is the easiest color to remove because it absorbs light better than other shades. Yellow, purple, and blue colors are more difficult. If your tattoo has a lot of colors or is very bold, your results will take more time than if your tattoo is just black.
In addition, darker skin types have higher levels of melanin, which impacts the colors that can be treated. Black ink is always safe to treat, but other colors will be more difficult to remove.
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Laser Tattoo Removal Will Leave Scars
Permanent scarring is something often assumed when it comes to tattoo removal by laser, and unfortunately was a common occurrence throughout the early introduction of laser tattoo removal. A professional should allow enough time between your treatment and any follow-ups to enable proper healing of your skin, which means the risk of a visible scar is small, particularly when your tattoo is being treated by the right technology.
While nanosecond technology was once considered to be the most viable option for tattoo removal, picosecond technology has now become the gold standard for it. A picosecond pulse operates at a much faster speed, minimising the time that the laser is interacting with your skin and often within the thermal relaxation time that skin needs to recover from the laser beam hitting your skin. This leads to a faster recovery time and a significantly reduced risk of scarring.
Give Yourself A Blank Slate
No matter what kind of tattoo you have, removal is always an option. Get yourself a blank slate and wipe the past away with laser tattoo removal. The results are unbeatable, and what you thought was a permanent mistake doesnt have to be!
If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to us at Better Off. Weve seen everything, so our experts can give you guidance, answer your questions, and book your first appointment!
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Can Tattoo Removal Be Performed On Any Skin Type
Tattoos can be removed from all skin types, but the darker the skin, there is greater attraction of the laser to the melanin or pigment in the skin. This makes tattoos more difficult to remove on darker skin. Risk of hypopigmentation is more likely on darker skin types. When appropriate to the colour of the tattoo being removed, using longer laser wavelengths such as 1064nm, which are less attracted to melanin than shorter wavelengths, can help reduce this risk of hypopigmentation.
No Longer Reflects Their Values
This is by far the most common reason why people get their tattoos removed. Tattoos that no longer reflect our values can make us seem like strangers in our own skin. Its completely common for people to get tattoos that they think they want when theyre younger, only to find that they no longer care for them twenty years later. One of the best aspects of getting a tattoo removed that no longer reflects your values is that the ink tends to be a little bit older and easier to remove.
Your reason for getting a tattoo removed might even be a combination of all of these or something entirely different. Whatever it is, talk to our team for a no-pressure consultation and an overview of all of your options.
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It Hurts But It’s Bearable
When discussing pain with patients, it’s important to share that while they may experience some level of discomfort, the pain is relatively manageable and tolerable. It may take some tough love to encourage patients concerned about sensitivity.
The vast majority of tattoo removal providers offer some form of soothing to the skin during the treatment. Offering skin numbing during the procedure allows your practice to stay competitive, provide better patient care, and have higher patient satisfaction.
All Patients Should Expect Some Level Of Side Effects
We encourage practitioners to not gloss over side effects during the initial consultation explain the various side effects in full detail. This way, when your patients commit to the tattoo removal process, they’re informed and aren’t shocked the next day when their skin is sensitive and they are potentially limited from their normal activities or clothing.
The most common side effects are:
- Hyperpigmentation
- Hypopigmentation
If all of the proper protocols are used based on the tattoo and the patient’s skin tone, all of these side effects are temporary. Redness, tenderness, and swelling typically subside within a day or two following treatment. Blisters usually appear within 24 hours of treatment sometimes the blisters are very large and may look alarming this is completely normal. Scabs, bruising, and blistering may take up to a week or longer to heal.
For patients with pigmentation issues, do not treat at the regular treatment intervals wait until the area has returned to its normal skin tone before treating again. The main risk for permanent pigmentation changes is if the practitioner continues to treat an affected area too aggressively. Even from the start, it is important to treat darker skin tones conservatively using wavelengths that have less absorption by melanin and reduced fluence levels.
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How Is Picoway Tattoo Removal Performed
PicoWay® has the adaptability to treat ink with a broad spectrum of color due to the three wavelengths. More traditional and obsolete tattoo removal lasers will only operate on a single wavelength, diminishing the return of the results and making it more difficult for the patient to remove diverse colors. PicoWay® is engineered to uniquely and successfully treat multi-pigmented tattoos with fewer treatments, all while causing little to no damage to the surrounding skin.
Will The Tattoo Be Completely Gone
With the advent of newer, more powerful and combined nanosecond and picosecond lasers such as the PiQo4 laser, it is possible to remove tattoos in fewer sessions than the previous generation of lasers. The exact number of sessions cannot be determined in advance. On average, 3 to 10 sessions are required. We recommend 2 months or more between sessions to allow for the immune system to remove the ink that has been broken down by the laser. This also allows enough time for the skin to fully heal prior to retreating.
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Factors Contributing To The Success Of Laser Tattoo Removal
There are a number of factors that determine how many treatments will be needed and the level of success one might experience. Age of tattoo, ink density, color and even where the tattoo is located on the body, and whether the tattoo was professional, or not, all play an important role in how many treatments will be needed for complete removal. However, a rarely recognized factor of tattoo removal is the role of the patient’s immune response. The normal process of tattoo removal is fragmentation followed by phagocytosis, which is then drained away via the lymphatics. Consequently, it is the inflammation resulting from the actual laser treatment and the natural stimulation of the hosts immune response that ultimately results in removal of tattoo ink. Because of this, the effectiveness of laser tattoo removal varies widely.
A Rise In Tattoo Removal
According to a Harris Interactive poll conducted in January 2012, 1 in 8 of American adults who have tattoos regret getting one. In addition, many people who get a tattoo will want to update or modify their tattoos.
The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery reports that in 2011, its doctors performed nearly 100,000 tattoo removal procedures, up from the 86,000 performed in 2010. And, from 2012 to 2013, the number of tattoo removals increased by 52 percent.
Unfortunately, removing a tattoo is not as simple as changing your mind.
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Who Is A Good Candidate For Laser Tattoo Removal
Most people with tattoos are good candidates for tattoo removal. Technology has evolved so that it is relatively risk-free and there is minimum pain involved in the treatment.
There are certain factors that will make some people better candidates than others. If you have fair skin and a dark or black tattoo, your results will usually be better and faster. This is because the lasers will only have to erase one color of the pigment.
The density of your tattoo will also determine the process. If the tattoo is just a singular piece it will be easier to remove than one with many elements or styles that each need to be erased. If its a trickier piece, you may have to come in for a few more treatments.
Laser tattoo removal is not an exact science, but like with any other health treatment, those who are in better health to start with will ultimately have more positive results from the treatment. This is because their laser treatments work with your immune system to break own the tattoo. If you are relatively healthy, it will be easier for your body to complete this process.
Informed Patients Are Happy Patients
We’ve seen that if a patient is informed, they’re more likely to continue with treatment until completion, handle side effects properly, and be satisfied with their tattoo removal experience.
When patients understand the basics of laser-skin interaction, they know that you are a knowledgeable practitioner with a powerful tool but not a magician. Expectations are realistic so patients are encouraged by the fading along the way and pleased with the end result.
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Book Your Laser Tattoo Removal Treatment Today
We utilise a Quanta Q-Plus EVO laser for all treatments. This is one of the best instruments available in the industry and can be used to safely remove even stubborn tattoo colours. The built-in Fractional ResurFACE® technology is unique to our clinic and promotes collagen, which means it makes the recovery period shorter and the risk of scarring smaller. With equipment like this and highly qualified personnel, we make tattoo removal treatment safe and effective. If you have any more questions or concerns, feel free to consult the FAQ on our website or contact the team. Book a consultation with us without obligating yourself to go through with the treatment, using our website or by calling 91908979. Read Less
How Effective Is Laser Tattoo Removal
Our parents always taught us that tattoos were forever, but thats no longer true. Modern laser tattoo removal technology means that we really can erase the past. If you find yourself thinking about getting a tattoo removed, Verve Weight Loss and Laser Aesthetics in Upland, CA has the answer for you.
You might still be skeptical, thinking that there is simply no way your skin could go back to how it once was. Up until recently, we would have agreed with you. But now we have PicoSure, a brand new technology that allows us to remove tattoos with more precision and accuracy than ever before. Lets look more at what tattoo removal involves and how Dr. Mantha uses PicoSure to give you the best treatment possible.
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Will I Experience Any Side Effects
You may experience minor bleeding, redness, swelling and blistering for several hours or days following treatment. Over the next several weeks, you may notice the treated area flaking, peeling and scabbing. Handle the treatment site gently. While the site is healing, you should avoid sun exposure and public swimming pools. Tell your medical professional if any side effects bother you and are not subsiding.
Tattoo Removal Is A Natural Immune Response
To correct or remove tattoos, PMU or microblading, the surface of the skin is roughened using a micropigmentation device.
A weak lactic acid solution is then dribbled on and massaged in. The solution seeps through the skin layers to the color pigments. The serum causes the protective covering around the color pigments, which previously would have prevented the skin from recognizing the color as a foreign body and rejecting it , to separate from the pigments. Suddenly, the skin’s immune system recognizes the pigment color as a foreign body and initiates a rejection process that can take several days, depending on the amount of pigment. The rejected color collects on the skin surface in the scab and falls off after a few days.
The redness indicates that the skin is healing and after complete healing, the treated area is usually free of tattoo ink.
Greatly enlarged section through the layers of the skin. The blacks are tattoo color pigments
The FADING-method is an easy-to-learn, very gentle and therefore safe method, with a very low risk of unwanted side effects.
With the DOT-method, several small area of the epidermis will be removed by roughening. The underlying tattoo ink is rejected by the immune system as long as the crust covers the area. This usually happens over a period of one week to 10 days.
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Breaking Down The Ink Not The Skin
Laser methods, on the other hand, avoid this entirely by blasting the ink molecules with a laser. This causes the ink particles to break up and be removed by your bodys internal mechanisms.
The amount of laser energy transferred to your body is minor. You are never exposed to any dangerous radiation or harmful chemicals during the process. A machine simply fires its laser and the ink particles absorb its energy.
We should mention that the laser only breaks up the ink into tinier pieces, it does not actually remove the particles from your body. That is what your bodys immune system is for. Repeated treatments will help to break up particularly dense sections and ensure that the tattoo fades evenly.
Only An Older Faded Tattoo Can Be Removed
What if your tattoo is very new and still very sharp but you want to reverse your decision to get it? No, you dont need to wait until it is much older and already a little faded. With PicoWay technology, as long as your skin has healed from receiving the tattoo and there are no scabs, you can begin the removal process. Newer tattoos may take a little longer to remove than one that already has some fading but the laser removal process is still every bit as effective.
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What Will My Skin Look Like After Tattoo Removal Treatment
The tattoo may appear slightly raised and frosted in appearance immediately after the laser treatment. There may be surrounding skin redness, and there may be some pinpoint bleeding. An antibiotic cream will be applied along with a non-stick dressing after the treatment. This should be worn for 24 hours and the area kept dry. You should not pick at any scabs formed by the treatment, and keep the treated area out of direct sunlight and apply sunscreen if exposed to sunlight. It usually takes 1 to 3 weeks to heal after laser tattoo removal, and the treated skin may appear like a wound/scab during this time. We advise that you keep the dressing applied post tattoo removal on for 1 to 2 days, and then apply Bepanthen ointment on the tattoo regularly until the scabs fall off.
Why Should I Choose Victorian Cosmetic Institute As My Provider Of Laser Tattoo Removal
At Victorian Cosmetic Institute, we use the latest laser technology to perform your treatment. The PiQo4 laser is the class leader for tattoo removal, being able to remove tattoos of any colour with its 4 wavelengths, and also by being the most powerful laser available. Our practitioners are also highly experienced in laser treatments, and will be able to give you the best advice for your treatment. The first step is simply contacting us for your initial laser skin rejuvenation consultation, where we will discuss with you what is a realistic and achievable outcome, and what to expect from your laser treatment.
Making that first phone call about any cosmetic procedure can be a confronting task many of our patients have preferred filling out our online enquiry form. We can then contact you with an understanding of the results you are hopeful of achieving and ensure the treatment is appropriate. Its as easy as clicking either of the buttons below and completing the provided form. Otherwise, you can phone us directly on 1300 863 824.
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