Are you regretting your Tattoo?
Unwanted and unsightly tattoos for some people can fuel anxiety, depression and other emotional and psychological problems. Self-esteem and quality of life may also suffer. But there are now effective treatments available to treat unwanted tattoos. If you have a tattoo that you now regret and you want to make a fresh start, laser treatment is able to safely fade tattoos and make up of most shapes, sizes and colours.
Laser treatment is one of the most popular and effective techniques for fading and removing unwanted tattoos, although the results depend on the type of tattoo and the colour of the ink.
Here at Define Laser and Cosmetic Clinic, we use a Q-switched Ng:YAG laser which is capable of treating multi-coloured tattoos effectively, with minimal changes to the surrounding skin.
This delivers a short, pulsed light energy which fragments the tattoo particles. A particular wavelength is chosen which is specific for each colour of the tattoo being faded. A laser is a device which is designed to produce one or more specific wavelengths of light. These wavelengths are either absorbed, reflected or simply passed through the skin.
In tattoo removal they are absorbed by the ink, which results in the ink particles being broken into tiny fragments. These fragments are then dispersed via the body’s natural mechanisms; the lymphatic system; over a number of weeks, resulting in the gradual fading of the tattoo.
Tattoos may simply be lightened if further cover-up tattooing is planned; or over a series of treatments the tattoo may, in many cases be removed. Most professional tattoos take at least 8 – 12 laser treatments, spaced 6 weeks apart.
The success of the tattoo removal treatment is dependent on many factors; including the person’s skin type, the amount and type of ink used, the depth of the ink in the skin, the age of the tattoo and location, as well as the colour of the tattoo being faded.
Layered or solid ink tattoos may take more than 10 sessions. The interval between laser sessions is designed to allow the body time to remove the tattoo pigment particles that have been fragmented and to reduce any risk of scarring or hypopigmentation.
Due to these factors and without standardized inks it makes it difficult to predict the degree of removal of any tattoo; or the number of sessions required.Black ink is the fastest colour to remove, while the lighter colours such as yellow are the slowest to respond to treatments.
The discomfort of tattoo removal may be minimised using ice and topical anaesthetic creams. Other pain management options are available and can be discussed with Dr Watson at the initial consultation if requested.
Laser tattoo removal without any anaesthesia can be markedly painful. Common side effects of the tattoo treatment include local swelling, redness and pin-point bleeding. This may take approximately one week to heal.
The laser uses a powerful light beam to damage the ink under the skin. There is no cutting of the skin.
The tattoo ink soaks up the beam’s energy and gets extremely hot for a fraction of a second. This is enough to break up the ink, causing it to fade slowly. Over the next few weeks, the body can clear these small particles of ink. When these are out of the way, the laser beam can shine down to the next layer of ink. Allow at least a month between treatments.
The laser fires in rapid bursts, which feel a bit like the spatter of hot fat from a frying pan. It is uncomfortable, like having the tattoo put on. You may choose to use an anaesthetic cream on the skin one hour before the treatment. < The tattoo will feel hot for a while afterwards, and it will probably be red and swollen for the rest of the day. Very dark, or large professional tattoos, will remain tender and swollen for a few days. Occasionally this is followed by a scab or crust. The tattoo will not look a lot different, but over the next few weeks it will fade a little. This may not be obvious until you return to compare it with the photographs. The laser light can seriously damage eyes, so everyone in the laser suite will have to wear protective goggles. This is an important safety precaution. You risk blindness by attempting to view the treatment without goggles; this also applies to anyone you ask to accompany you during treatment.
Scarring is unlikely but can occur.
If it does occur it is usually in the form of some change in texture of the skin. This is more likely if you pick any scabs. There can also be some loss of natural skin pigment in the treated area, which usually improves with time. The chances of it happening can be reduced by keeping the area as pale as possible throughout the course of treatment.
Not all tattoo inks respond and certain colours can get worse. Heavy professional tattoos in particular may not completely go, with some colour remaining and the rest left very faint. Modern coloured inks are pigment based and made of potentially toxic chemicals; the consequences of treating these with laser light are unknown.
A sun tan gets in the way of the laser light, so avoid the sun, or use a strong sun block, before and during treatment. Keep the area to be treated as pale as possible.
Be gentle with the treated area until it has settled down so as to minimise the risk of scars. After treatment we apply a dressings to protect the treated area.
If blisters form, they should be left to resolve naturally; you may have to protect them with a dressing.
If the treated area does not improve from day to day, then contact the clinic for further advice.
We recommend 6 weeks between treatments to allow the body to do its work.
Schedule a Free Consultation with the Laser Tattoo Removal team at Define Laser to discuss the treatment options that are open to you.
Here we will review the tattoo, the age and colours and determine an optimal number of treatments designed to achieve the results you are seeking.
After laser treatment an ointment and dressing is applied to the area, so as to keep the treated site clean. Sun exposure should be avoided on the treated region after a laser session.
Any discomfort is minimal, and may be minimised if the area is treated with an ice pack.
Common side effects of the tattoo treatment include local swelling, redness and pin-point bleeding. This may take approximately one week to heal.
