Laser tattoo removal, a permanent tattoo removal procedure.

Skin Improvement Plastic surgery laser tattoo removal

Laser Tattoo Removal

Laser Tattoo Removal - Definition

The removal of tattoos by selectively applying laser light to the tattoo pigments is called laser tattoo removal. It works by a simple principle. The laser energy causes the tattoo pigment to fragment into smaller particles that are then removed by the body's immune system. The laser selectively targets the pigment of the tattoo without damaging the surrounding skin.

The Need for Laser Tattoo Removal - Definition

Cosmetic surgery is used to help a patient feel better about his or her appearance. And sometimes, it also helps to correct things that were meant to be self-improvements, but turned out to be errors in judgment. And this is not to say that all tattoos are mistakes. Many people enjoy their tattoos and do not have any need for laser tattoo removal. But as Hollywood has shown, tattooing another person’s name onto the body may not keep the relationship intact, thus the need for laser tattoo removal.

Laser Tattoo Removal - The Big Picture

With over ten million people in the United States alone admitting to having a tattoo and more than four thousand tattoo studios in operation, it’s no wonder that there is a demand to remove a previous tattoo with laser tattoo removal. Some polls have suggested that nearly half of those that get a tattoo will regret their decision; many of which will have the tattoo removed. For a while, the methods of removal were painful and invasive; thankfully, the invention of laser tattoo removal has lessened the severity of the removal process.

Laser Tattoo Removal - Procedure

First of all, to understand how laser tattoo removal works, one must understand the process by which a person receives the tattoo. When a pigment is inserted into the dermal layer of the skin by a tattoo machine—an instrument that has multiple needles that insert the pigment into the skin, much like a sewing machine would stitch thread into a fabric—a permanent mark is created on the skin. Over time, many tattoos will fade, but the skin is permanently colored from the initial tattoo. With laser tattoo removal, the tattoo can be essentially erased in most cases.

So, can all tattoos be removed? That is a good question to ask of laser tattoo removal. Like other cosmetic procedures, the answer varies as to the patient and the extent of the tattoo. Some tattoos are harder to remove as they were implanted deeper into the skin by unconventional methods or unskilled tattoo artists, or even by the patient themselves. Most dermatologists will admit that laser tattoo removal will not completely remove a tattoo. The best candidates for laser tattoo removal are those that have smaller tattoos with less coloring. Patients with a propensity to heal quickly will also be better suited for laser tattoo removal. If the tattoo was recently placed upon the patient, then laser tattoo removal may be able to remove the majority of the design. Patients who received their tattoos from an experienced artist will have the coloring placed in the skin at an even level, making the tattoo easier to remove.

There are many ways to remove a tattoo, including laser tattoo removal. Dermabrasion, cryosurgery, and excision are other methods that can be used to remove a tattoo. And although the other methods are still being used today, the more widely used method is laser tattoo removal. Laser tattoo removal is a bloodless and effective solution to tattoo removal that is low risk and absent of major side effects. With a lower risk of scarring as compared to other treatments, laser tattoo removal works by using laser light in short, high energy pulses.

There are three different lasers that are used in laser tattoo removal—and the choosing of these lasers is dependent on the specific case and the preference of the dermatologist. The Q-switched Ruby, the Q-switched Alexandrite, and the Q-switched Nd:YAG are the names of the lasers most often used for laser tattoo removal. Q-switched refers to the short and high energy pulses that are made by the laser.

And how does laser tattoo removal work? By pulsing intense light into the layers of the skin where the tattoo is located, the pigment is broken up into smaller particles that are reabsorbed by the patient and then removed by the patient’s immune system. Because the laser tattoo removal is precise in the length of laser needed to remove the pigment, the surrounding layers of skin pigmentation are not affected. The length of the laser tattoo removal is determined by the size of the tattoo and the depth at which the pigment sits in the skin. The longer a tattoo has been on the patient, the longer the laser tattoo removal might take.

In some cases, repeated sessions of laser tattoo removal are needed. Again, the necessity of this will depend on the complexity of the tattoo and the area where the tattoo is. The area should be kept clean after the laser tattoo removal treatment and most patients will be instructed to apply an antibiotic ointment to the area. The area may appear to have the appearance of sunburn and will remain red for several weeks. Some patients report scabbing following laser tattoo removal.

Laser Tattoo Removal - Side Effects

In terms of side effected associated with laser tattoo removal, these are very similar to receiving the initial tattoo. A laser is very concentrated light, so it can cause burns on the skin, so the patient may feel some discomfort during the procedure. Afterwards, an over-the-counter pain medication can be used as directed by the dermatologist. An anesthetic cream may be used before and after the laser tattoo removal in order to reduce the amount of pain felt by the patient. Other patients opt to have a local anesthetic applied to the area, while others find that laser tattoo removal is nearly painless. After the laser has broken up the pigments, the coloring will fade over the following weeks.

Possible risks that laser tattoo removal entails are the inability to remove a tattoo entirely, burning, permanent scarring, infection, skin discoloration, and bleeding. Many of these effects can be avoided by the proper care prior to and following the laser tattoo removal.