Tattoo Removal

That Permanent Reminder of a Temporary Feeling.

Are you saying to yourself, "What was I thinking when I had this put on?!!!" If so, well think no further, because at Dermalase we have the answer for you. Studies show that most people regret their tattoos and later wish they could be removed.

Studies show over half of the people who get tattoos later regret it. But old tattoo removal methods were painful and often left scars. Now, with laser tattoo removal, that fleeting thought doesn't have to be a lifetime commitment.

Tattoo Removal: Which Methods Really Work…And Which Methods Are Guaranteed To Leave You Scarred And In Pain

In the past, the only way to remove the tattoo was to sand or freeze the top layer of skin to get to the tattoo under the skin, or to actually cut the skin open. Any of these three methods had a high risk of infection, often left scars, and had long recovery times. Using the newest technology, we fix that. And there is little recovery time and no down time.

Now there is a non-surgical technique to remove tattoos: the Q-switched YAG laser. This laser effectively and safely removes tattoos without hurting or damaging the top layer of skin while significantly lightening or removing many tattoo inks. The laser causes the dye in the tattoo to break apart, where it is then removed by the body's immune system.

Candid Answers About Tattoo Removal

How Does It Work?
The YAG Laser removes tattoo ink with the energy of light. Just as natural sunlight is made up of sun wavelengths of many colors, a laser is a device which is designed to produce one or more specific wavelengths of light. These wavelengths are absorbed, reflected or simply passed through objects. Tattoo ink is removed by using a specific wavelength which passes through the skin , but is absorbed by the ink. The rapid absorption of the light energy causes the ink to destruct where it is safely and naturally passed through the body's filtering system.

Does It Hurt?
Truthfully, it hurt getting a tattoo; it can hurt removing a tattoo. To minimize discomfort, we numb every tattoo before the laser touches it - nothing is felt be the patient during the laser process. After a treatment, though the skin was not cut or damaged, you may experience some discomfort similar to a slight sunburn.

How many treatment sessions will it take to remove the tattoo?
Tattoo's take multiple treatments to remove the entire tattoo. The number of sessions depends on the amount and type of ink used and how deeply it was injected. In general, professional tattoos require 6+ treatments, while amateur tattoos require 3-4 treatments, all spaced approximately 6-8 weeks apart. Some tattoos may take additional treatments. Also, some colors are more difficult to remove than others. Green and yellow tend to cause the most problems. But the YAG laser is particularly advanced in the removal of blue, black and red inks.

Do all colors of ink disappear equally as well?
No. Blue, black, and red ink fades the best. Oranges and purples usually respond well. Green and yellow inks are the most difficult to remove, although additional treatments can produce significant fading.

Will the tattoo completely disappear?
Because some inks are harder to remove than others, a complete removal of the tattoo cannot be guaranteed. However, greater than 95% fading of the tattoo may be accomplished. It is important to know, over 100 tattoo inks are used worldwide today, none of which are regulated by the FDA. Not knowing which tattoo ink, how deep or how much was used, makes it impossible for the physician to predict the degree of removal on any given tattoo.

Why type of care is necessary after a treatment?
Your doctor will instruct you about the care required where the tattoo used to be. Occasionally there will be pinpoint bleeding associated with the treatment. An antibacterial ointment and a dressing will be applied to the area. The treated area should be clean with continued application of any ointment given to you by your physician. A shower can be taken the next day, although the treated area should not be scrubbed. The area should be kept out of the sun during the healing process.

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