What Are The Laser Tattoo Removal Healing Stages
By Michael Svendsenon August 29, 2019
Aftercare is a critical component of a successful tattoo removal. By taking the proper measures following laser tattoo removal sessions, your skin will heal beautifully. Though you can trust your specialist to treat thearea with care and expertise, youll also need to take some of the responsibility home with you. You will receive aftercare instructions following your sessions, though its never unwise to know how to look after your skin beforehand.
What About Home Treatments
Tattoo removal creams and chemical peels are the most widely available and least expensive option. Theres a reason why: Theres no solid evidence that they work.
At best, they might slightly lighten a tattoo, according to anecdotal reports. At worst, they can result in a serious chemical burn .
Due to the high risk of skin irritation and allergic reaction, experts dont recommend using DIY tattoo removal creams to get rid of your tattoo.
Practice Regulation And Health Risk Certification
Tattooing is regulated in many countries because of the associated health risks to client and practitioner, specifically local infections and virus transmission. Disposable plastic aprons and eye protection can be worn depending on the risk of blood or other secretions splashing into the eyes or clothing of the tattooist. Hand hygiene, assessment of risks and appropriate disposal of all sharp objects and materials contaminated with blood are crucial areas. The tattoo artist must wash his or her hands and must also wash the area that will be tattooed. Gloves must be worn at all times and the wound must be wiped frequently with a wet disposable towel of some kind. All equipment must be sterilized in a certified autoclave before and after every use. It is good practice to provide clients with a printed consent form that outlines risks and complications as well as instructions for after care.
Tattoos had negative connotations in historical China, where criminals often had been marked by tattooing. The association of tattoos with criminals was transmitted from China to influence Japan. Today, tattoos have remained a taboo in Chinese society.
Native Americans also used tattoos to represent their tribe.Catholic Croats of Bosnia used religious Christian tattooing, especially of children and women, for protection against conversion to Islam during the Ottoman rule in the Balkans.
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I Want To Remove My Unwanted Tattoo
Clients may seek tattoo removal treatment for a number of reasons allergic reaction, employment requirements, regret, or in preparation for replacing one tattoo with another. At Abington Aesthetic and Laser Medical Center, well walk you through the steps necessary to help you reduce the look of your old tattoo in a clean, comfortable environment.
Getting Started
Treatment begins with a consultation by our cosmetic laser surgeon Dr. Evan Zelinger. He will examine your tattoo for size, ink color, and depth of ink in the tattooed skin, before determining a treatment plan.
The tattoo removal process can take several treatments, all of which are spaced out 12 weeks or more to allow for the skin to heal*. Factors that affect how many treatments are needed include:
- Size and intricacy of the tattoo. A small, simple tattoo can usually take anywhere from 5-9 treatments*.
- Ink colors. Black and red fade much faster than other colors.
- If the tattoo is professionally done, they usually keep ink uniform across the skin, while amateurs tattoos tend to have an unsteady hand, causing varied depth.
- The age of the tattoo. Newer tattoos and inks are usually more difficult to remove than older ones.
Unfortunately, because of the variables in every tattoo, we cannot guarantee full removal*. However, tattoos often fade enough with treatment to be nearly imperceptible, which is the goal of many clients.
What to Expect During and After Treatment
Cost of Laser Tattoo Removal
It Will Take Monthsif Not A Year Or More
Tattoos don’t just disappear after a once-over with the laser. A complete tattoo removal takes a minimum of 2 1/2 years on average, says Bethany Cirlin, tattoo removal specialist and owner of Clean Canvas More Art. Laser treatments should be scheduled three months apart from one another so you get the most out of each treatment. This allows your body to break down as much of the tattoo as it can while also giving your body the opportunity to heal completely before your next session.”
As of writing this, I’ve had six sessions, and I’d wager that I need about five more, despite the fact that my initial estimate was six to eight sessions. It takes a long time to complete because each time the tattoo is lasered, particles are broken down and digested by the body’s immune system. The regeneration period is up to eight weeks, and the next time you go, the laser breaks down new particles of pigment. And so on and so forth.
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Chemical Peel Tattoo Removal
Trichloroacetic acid peels can also be used to remove tattoos. TCA is a mild acid that is applied to the skin to remove the outer layers of the skin, and with them, the tattoo ink.
This type of procedure may be mildly painful, but typically does not require the use of an anesthetic.
Like the other types of tattoo removal, TCA peels will result in an open wound that will need to be cared for after the procedure is completed. Daily cleaning with soap and water, application of an antibiotic ointment and a dressing are all that is necessary. These wounds will typically heal in approximately 5-7 days.
Your Immune System Cant Get Rid Of Tattoo Ink On Its Own
Your skin is a complex organ that is regulated by your immune system. Your body can detect foreign substances, such as tattoo ink, and works to get rid of them. In most cases, it can clear these elements with special cells called macrophages. Under normal circumstances, the macrophages absorb potentially dangerous particles and dispose of them.
Tattoo ink poses a problem for the macrophages. While they can absorb it, they cant let it go. If a macrophage that contains tattoo ink ruptures, the ink is absorbed by other macrophages. Thats why tattoos stay in your skin permanently unless you seek cosmetic treatment.
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What Is The Most Effective Tattoo Removal Method
Todays top-of-the-line lasersnamely, PicoWayhave the ability to use every wavelength necessary to target every color of ink. While some lasers used widely in the past, like PicoSure, can only break down certain colors of ink, todays more advanced lasers can handle breaking down a much broader spectrum of colors. Thats why laser removal with PicoWay is far more effective than other tattoo removal methods.
How effective is tattoo removal with other methods? You may have heard about tattoo removal creams or other home remedies like lemon juice. Although these techniques may sound harmless at first glance, they can actually expose your skin to significant damage. Exposing your skin to sunlight after doing a lemon juice treatment can even cause burns!
And tattoo removal creams actually peel away the skin using a powerful acid, which can cause lasting scarring. Furthermore, these treatments dont actually eliminate the ink from the dermis, the deeper layer of skin where it is located. Its not just a matter of wasting time and money on such methodsits a matter of causing permanent damage.
Medermis Laser Clinic Can Help
Your tattoo was made to be permanent so make sure you enlist the help of a pro to guide you through the removal process. Were proud to have been serving clients in Austin and San Antonio longer than any other clinic in the entire southwest region of the U.S. Contact us today to schedule your FREE consultation!
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How The Laser Works
This is a process that utilizes your immune system to remove ink in a safe way, says Cooper. Your body already wants to remove the ink particles in your skin, which are deposited into small pockets in the dermis layer of skin when you get a tattoo. In fact, your immune system has been trying to do that since you first got the tattoo. When you get a tattoo, your body is actively trying to remove it. Its a foreign body in the skin that shouldnt be there, says Cooper. However, the ink particles are about 100 to 200 nanometersfar too big for your immune system to process prior to laser treatment.
The laser directs energy to those ink particles so they shatter and break apart into smaller pieces, allowing your bodys immune system to target and eliminate them. Your white blood cells are able to engulf those smaller ink particles, whereas before, the ink particles were too big for them to engulf, Cooper explains. The white blood cells then carry the ink particles into the bodys lymphatic system. Most is then expelled through the digestive system, although some can also come out in sweat or urine.
What Would Make Healing Take Longer
If the client is picking at blisters or scratching the area, that could potentially prolong the laser tattoo removal healing process by not allowing the skin to heal completely. This can also cause infection or permanent scarring. Simply leave the area alone and allow the body to heal naturally.
Also drink plenty of water, exercise regularly, and avoid smoking, which can prolong the time removal takes because it hinders the immune system.
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Is Laser Tattoo Removal Safe
Thanks to newer technology, treatment of tattoos with laser systems has become much more effective, with very little risk of scarring . Laser treatment is often safer than many methods used previously, such as excision or dermabrasion. Laser treatment works on the pigments. Excision cuts out the tattoos using a surgical knife . Dermabrasion uses tools to sand off the upper layers of skin.
Just remember, that this advice is general, and should not replace your doctors guidance. For details about your specific case, please arrange a meeting with a healthcare provider who is experienced in the use of tattoo lasers.
Browse Through 100+ Successful Before And After Tattoo Removal Photos
Questions you might have when beginning the tattoo removal process are, What will the results actually look like? What can I expect before and after the removal process? And what does it look like when its in progress?
Below, you can see actual before and after photos from real Removery clients. These clients worked with our staff to determine a removal plan that worked for them and their specific artwork.
Laser tattoo removal works by applying concentrated energy to ink particles, breaking the particles into smaller ones. Your immune system is then able to flush out the smaller ink particles. To effectively break up the ink, each laser treatment works at a different skin depth. So multiple sessions are required to target all of the ink in your tattoo.
The number of sessions youll need depends on factors, including depth and density of the tattoo ink, ink composition, and ink location, along with your health and lifestyle choices.
Whether you have a finger tattoo, a back tattoo, it is on your neck, or another area, we can remove it, but we must consider location and other factors. Youll also need to complete some tattoo removal aftercare to keep your skin healthy after treatment.
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Before And After Laser Tattoo Removal Treatment
While your tattoo may seem â and it was intended to be â permanent, the wide variety of photos shown in our Before and After laser tattoo removal gallery show that the experts at MEDermis Laser Clinic are able to completely remove the pigment, giving you fresh and clean skin.
Looking through our before and after tattoo removal photos, youâll receive a glimpse of many peopleâs stories and see firsthand how laser tattoo removal works. You will learn:
- How successful laser tattoo removal is at removing various types of tattoos
- How the laser tattoo process works from start to finish
- How tattoo removal not only removes old ink but also doesnât leave scarring
- How different tattoo placements on the body react to the laser tattoo removal process
- What the tattoo looks like after successful laser tattoo removal sessions
What Tattoo Ink Colours Are The Easiest To Remove
The ink colour in your tattoo determines how many treatments youll need. Certain colours need more treatments than others.
If you think about the colour spectrum, black absorbs all wavelengths. And absorbs the most heat. Whereas white retracts all wavelengths of light. And absorbs the least heat.
Therefore black and darker ink tattoos are easiest to remove. In this video, I will be discussing this in a bit more detail.
Important to understand that everyone is different and reacts differently and every tattoo is different.
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This Is What A Laser Tattoo Removal Treatment Looks Like
Are you looking to get rid of that unwanted tattoo?
Have you ever wondered what a laser tattoo removal treatment looks like. In this video, this client has allowed us to film his first treatment.
The frosting or whitening of the tattoo pigment you can see there means this is a great first treatment.
Frosting is the immediate reaction, and means the laser has effectively penetrated the ink and the body has already started the healing process.
How Do Lasers Get Rid Of A Tattoo
In order to understand exactly how lasers are used to fade away those embarrassing tattoos from a previous life, we first need to take a moment to talk about what a tattoo is and how it leaves a permanent mark in the skin.
Archaeological evidence shows that tattooing has been a part of human cultures going back thousands of years. While the methods may have changed to incorporate high-tech electronic tools, the essence of tattooing has remained largely the same: using some sort of needle or other implement to implant pigmentation permanently into the skin.
More Like a Fountain Pen Than a Syringe
While many people envision a modern tattoo artist using something akin to a needle and syringe to inject tattoo pigmentation in the skin, in fact, a tattoo needle is more similar to a fountain pen. The tattoo artist dips the tip of the tattoo needle into the ink, which then dangles from the tip as the needle is used to pierce the epidermis and dermis layers of the skin. A physical process known as capillary action then settles the ink into the dermis, meaning your skin actually sucks up the ink.
Lasers Break Up the Pigmentation
So how do lasers clear up unwanted tattoos? First, the process utilizes a specially designed laser that targets the ink but leaves the skin unphased. As the laser passes over the tattoo, it penetrates the skin, finding and fracturing the tattoos pigmentation. All the while, the laser has no effect on the surrounding skin.
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What Does Tattoo Removal Feel Like
The topical anesthetic does help with skin discomfort during the treatment, but patients may experience some redness and sensitivity afterward. Many people compare the sensation with having a light sunburn. We will stress the importance of keeping the area protected and covered after each appointment. Dr. Saxena, Dr. Kasper, or a member of our team will give you aftercare instructions to speed up the recovery process between treatments. We can also help you schedule your next session at our office in the Greater Philadelphia, PA, area.
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What Happens In The First Week
After the laser has done its work, the body will continue to carry away and digest the ink throughout the first week. Your skin will begin to heal during this stage of tattoo removal. Still, it will likely continue to look red and swollen through much of the first week, which is absolutely normal. The body carries away a significant portion of the affected inkthe ink that the laser has broken down during that treatment sessionduring this time, even though you probably wont immediately see a difference. In each week that follows , the body will continue to carry away some ink, but the amount will decrease incrementally each week until your next laser session.
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Erase Your Ink With Laser Tattoo Removal
Getting rid of your unwanted tattoos has never been faster or easier. Depending on how you respond to the treatment, our lasers can deliver visible results within a few months. After one or two years, most people are clear of their unwanted ink for good. Thats all the time it takes to achieve a lifetime of freedom from your old tattoo.
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My Tattoo Was Treated With A Laser In The Past And Didnt Clear Why Would I Try Again Now
Until the launch of PicoSure, Q-Switched lasers had been considered the gold standard for removing tattoos. Q-Switched laser treatments use thermal energy to heat up and break apart the ink particles. Now with PicoSure, ultra-short pulses hit the ink particle with a pressure so great, the ink shatters into tiny dust-like particles. Because the particles are so small, they are more readily absorbed and eliminated by the body.
PicoSure has been proven success in treating even dark, stubborn blue and green inks, as well as previously-treated, stubborn tattoos that were not successfully cleared in the past.
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