Health and Life

What are Different Methods to Remove Tattoos

Types of Tattoo Removal

Tattoos are a form of artwork done with special inks onto the skin and can vary from tiny little beauty marks to huge pictures of just about anything a person could think of. While many people love tattoos and would never think of removing them, many others regret their tattoos and want them removed.

Tattoos can be removed via different methods, including: laser, cutting it out,or dermabrasion, with varying costs and time frames to totally get rid of them. It usually takes anywhere on average of between five and 20 visits to completely remove a tattoo and could end up costing the patient upwards of several thousand dollars in the end.

In most cases it is considered to be cosmetic surgery and so it usually isn’t covered by insurance. The costs depend on the size, colors, and location on the body, as well as if the removal is done by a doctor or other person. Patients should get a tattoo removed by a certified person for safety and so they have the proper skill sets.

Laser Tattoo Removal

With laser tattoo removal, the dermatologist breaks apart the ink pigment into tiny pieces with a high intensity laser beam and the particles then dispel into the body. They used differing kinds of lasers depending on the colors that are in the tattoo. Some patients say it is very painful and feels somewhat like being sprayed with hot oil, so normally a local anesthetic is applied prior to each session.

If the tattoo contains the colors yellow or turquoise, these are very hard to get rid of and sometimes can’t be totally removed. In addition, some colors may turn dark due to a bad reaction to the laser treatment and this can’t be repaired.

Dermabrasion Tattoo Removal

In dermabrasion tattoo removal, the dermatologist uses a rotating brush to and off the skin, thus the tattoo is removed along with the removed skin. Dermabrasion removes the top couple of layers of skin, so it is somewhat painful and may feel a little like a bad sunburn. It can also cause side effects of bruising, bleeding and swelling and is often a last resort method.

Excision Tattoo Removal

Excision, which involves cutting out the tattoo can only be used for small ones. The doctor will literally cut off the tattoo and then sew up the skin so it can heal. Sometimes a skin graft may be needed depending on the size of the tattoo.

Cryosurgery

This is a method of freezing the tattoo skin and taking it off. It is sometimes combined with dermabrasion to make sure to get all of the tattoo. This is similar to when someone has warts or skin tags frozen and taken off.

All in all, there are several ways to get rid of a tattoo that is no longer wanted, and all of these methods have varying levels of success, with varying costs. Tattoo removal can be very painful, so in most cases pain medications are given, as well as antibiotics to prevent infection.