Body Arts

Tattoo Removal

At some point or another or for various reasons, people often make the decision to get their tattoo removed. In some cases, the tattoo will reflect a lost love, and sometimes the tattoo will be something that the individual does not want anymore. Whatever the cause may be, getting a tattoo removed is a decision that takes quite of bit of time and thought. 

If you have been thinking about getting a tattoo removed, you will need to start out by making an appointment with a local doctor, dermatologist, or plastic surgeon, and discuss your options. Your doctor will look over the tattoo, the condition of the tattoo, and which methods he thinks will work best for the removal. 

All methods of tattoo removal do require a medical procedure, which in itself will carry along risks and side effects. Even though you may be getting a simple procedure, there may be complications with it as well. For this very reason, you should always consider getting a tattoo removed very carefully. Its very important that you be extremely sure you want the tattoo removed before you proceed with any type of tattoo removal procedure. 

Your doctor or dermatologist will be able to explain to you step by step how the procedure works, how long it will take to complete, and the type of recovery that you can expect. As you probably already know, the procedure site will be quite tender for a long period of time and will more than likely result in scarring. As time goes by, the scarring will tend to lessen eventually to the point where it is not all that visible. 

The answer to scarring however, all depends on the tattoos size. If you have a large tattoo, the scarring result will be more than that of a smaller tattoo. Depending on where you have the tattoo that you want removed, you may notice quite a bit of pain. Certain areas of the body, such as the chest and elbows, are more sensitive than other areas. 

The costs of getting a tattoo removed can be very expensive. If the tattoo is a large one, the expenses can be outrageous. Most insurance companies will not pay for these costs unless there is a medical or health reason involved. With insurance not paying for the removal of the tattoo, you will need to pay costs out of pocket. You should always talk to your doctor and make payment arrangements beforehand. 

Getting a tattoo removed can be expensive, painful, and impose risks that you will need to think about. Even though you can get a tattoo removed, many wonder if its worth it. The best way to deal with tattoos and their removal, is to avoid getting them in the first place, especially if there is any doubt in your mind that you may not want them later on.

Tattoo Removal Options
Currently, there are two options to remove tattoos that are rapidly becoming more and more popular, laser technology and light based technology.

Both surgeries use light energy to destroy the ink in the tattoo. The ink in the tattoo will absorb the energy of the light, breaking it up. Once the ink starts to break up, it can easily be passed through and out of your body through filtering. In most cases this is extremely safe, as the ink is broken down into micro size to where it can easily pass through the body with no complications.

The process is actually similar to the surgery in which hair is removed. The surgeon or doctor who performs the surgery will hold a wand to the skin that is being treated. As he does this, the pulses of light are aimed at the tattoo, breaking up the ink. The wand is normally held right up against the tattoo, as this makes the pulses of light much more effective.

Normally, the feeling that you will experience is best described as an elastic or rubber band flicking constantly against your skin. If the tattoo is big, the pain could certainly be a bit more intense. The area where the tattoo is at is also important, as sensitive areas may cause you quite a bit of pain and discomfort. If the area in which you have the tattoo does not have a lot of muscle or tissue, you will more than likely want to be numbed as much as possible before starting the procedure.

Both laser and light based treatments are somewhat similar. With both tattoo removal procedures, the doctor that is doing the procedure will always apply a cooling gel to the tattoo area that is being treated to cool the skin and conduct the energy of the light. This cooling gel helps to draw the light, and at the same time protect your skin. The gel will feel cool to the touch and it will help your skin when the light pulses start to break the ink apart.

If you have been thinking about having a tattoo removed, you should consider both light and laser based procedures. Keep in mind that they are both expensive, and both impose risks. Depending on how big your tattoo is, and what the procedure involves, you may need to spend a night or two in the hospital.