Three Types of Tattoo Removal

So you got a tattoo. Whether it was a rash decision made in your younger years or something you’ve simply grown to dislike, it is possible to have a tattoo removed. Nearly a quarter of adults in the U.S. have at least one tattoo and 22 percent of these suffered some kind of regret over their ink. There are three main options for tattoo removal: laser, surgery, and dermabrasion.

Tattoo Process

Tattoos can be beautiful works of art with sentimental meaning or represent something interesting. While a tattoo artist works, the needle of their machine punches between 50 and 3,000 times per minute through the outer layer of your skin to the dermis, the deeper layer full of nerves and blood vessels. The ink is dispersed as fine granules in the upper dermis and soaked up by cells that keep it suspended within this layer of skin. Around seven to thirteen days after the initial inking, the ink combines into more concentrated areas.

Types of Removal

Many different factors are considered with each type of treatment and can change the process from person to person. A consultation with your dermatologist will help to decide the right choice for you and your body.

How long you’ve had the tattoo
How deeply the ink penetrates your skin
The colors in your tattoo
Where the tattoo appears on your body
Your health
The medicines you take
If you’ve ever had a raised scar

Laser

Due to technological advancements, laser tattoo removal is often the treatment of choice for those regretting their ink. Energy is released in a single, powerful pulse to heat and shatter the tattoo ink into tiny particles. Your body then picks up the next stage of the process and flushes out the ink particles. This treatment requires multiple appointments as well as time in between to allow your skin to heal. Laser tattoo removal safely and effectively removes ink with fewer sessions while addressing colors that were once more difficult to expel.

Surgery

Surgically removing tattoos involves directly cutting out the skin that contains the ink. The edges of the skin are then stitched back together. After the procedure, there are steps to promote healing but a scar will be left on the skin. While effective, this type of treatment may only be practical for small tattoos.

Dermabrasion

Dermabrasion is the process of sanding down numbed skin using a medical grinding device to remove the layers of the skin containing the ink particles. Allowing the ink particles to then leach out of the skin. Dermabrasion has unpredictable and less effective results than laser removal and can involve a recovery process of up to two to three weeks. A painful procedure, dermabrasion is usually forgone for the more effective choice of laser treatments.

How to Improve Results?

When putting in all this work to regain your unblemished skin, you want to be sure your results come out as smooth as possible. There are a few tips to keep in mind to help improve the outcome of your tattoo removal with a reduced risk of side effects.
Go to every appointment for treatment even if you are not seeing immediate results
Follow your dermatologist’s instructions for at-home care
Protect your treated skin from the sun for three months

If you are considering tattoo removal treatment, it is important to consult your dermatologist. Infinity Med-I-Spa can aid you in your journey to reclaim your skin and safely remove tattoo ink from your body.