Tattoo Removal-Solutions and advices

There are probably many reasons for having a tattoo removal. The positive element of tattoo removal is that you are no longer with a tattoo you 
seriously regret. If a tattoo is holding you back from getting a job you want or keeps you nervous, or simply you don't like the tattoo anymore, than 
a little pain and scarring may be worth it to you.

If you have a tattoo that you wish to have partially or completely removed, you should first consider your options and decide which method might be best for you. Nowadays there are a lot of methods. But some of them could even make the things go wrong. You have to make decision by your own, but with a professional help and advice.

Laser Removal

Maybe one of the most wanted and healthy methods. Today, lasers are the most common method of tattoo removal. The medicine has made their progress but we 
can not say that you can walk away with your clean skin, after your firs treatment. It takes time! Mostly it depends of the tattoo you have, how big 
it's, what colors have been used...

The more treatments you have, the more the laser can penetrate to destroy the ink. But, the more treatments you have, the more damage you do to your 
skin, causing painful blisters and scabs that can eventually lead to scarring.

They work by targeting the ink with pulses of highly concentrated light that break the ink into tiny fragments, which are then cleared away the your own 
immune system. 

You are probably asking yourself...

Is  it painful?

Laser tattoo removal can be quite painful. The pain is often described to be similar to that of hot oil on the skin, or a 'slap' from an elastic band; but when one considers the fact that a Q-switch laser can be fired around 10 pulses per second (by skilled laser-removal practitioners), the feeling of hot oil per pulse becomes moderately painful. So given the size and location of the tattoo, the process can be above the threshold of most people.

That depends on your pain threshold. When a lower fluency is used, the degree of pain is often described as comparable to that of a rubber band snapping against the skin. Prescription strength topical anesthetic creams or injections of anesthetic solutions are usually used to manage pain, 
although some patients forgo any type of anesthesia. 

Pre-treatment might include the application of an anesthetic cream under occlusion for 45 to 90 minutes prior to the laser treatment session. If complete anesthesia is desired, it can be administered locally by injections of 1% to 2% lidocaine with epinephrine. Anecdotal reports have noted that patients receiving anesthesia by local injection will require additional treatments as the injection causes mechanical edema, spreading out the tattoo ink, which in turn makes it more difficult for the laser light to act on specific ink particles.

How many treatments are necessary for tattoo removal?

Complete laser tattoo removal requires multiple treatment sessions, typically spaced at least 6 weeks apart. At each session, some but not all of the tattoo pigment particles are effectively fragmented, and the body removes the smallest fragments over the course of several weeks. The result is that the tattoo is lightened over time. Remaining large particles of tattoo pigment are then targeted at subsequent treatment sessions, causing further lightening. The number of sessions and spacing between treatments depends on various parameters, including the area of the body treated and skin color. Forearm and ankle tattoos generally take longest.

Tattoo lightening may continue for several months after the last treatment session. Amateur black tattoos typically respond better than professional 
tattoos. Depending on your tattoo, you may need anywhere from 1-10 sessions.

What to do after the treatment?

You should expect some swelling and blistering during the first day or two after the procedure. Immediately after laser treatment, a slightly elevated, white discoloration with or without the presence of punctuate bleeding is often observed. This white color change is thought to be the result of rapid, heat-formed steam 
or gas, causing dermal and epidermal vacuolization. Pinpoint bleeding represents vascular injury from photo acoustic waves created by the laser's interaction with tattoo pigment. Minimal edema and erythematic of adjacent normal skin usually resolve within 24 hours. Subsequently, a crust appears over the entire tattoo, which sloughs off at approximately 14 days post treatment. 

Fading of the tattoo will be noted over the next 6 to 8 weeks and re-treatment energy levels can be tailored depending on the clinical response observed.

Are there any risks?

It depends on the type of laser that is being used. For the nondestructive lasers, the risk of scarring is generally low, a few percent or less. For 
the destructive lasers, meaning carbon dioxide or erbium or blends of those two, the risk of scarring is higher. The main risks to the other lasers are the pageantry changes, either slightly lighter or darker skin that is usually temporary, swelling for a few days or superficial flaking of the skin or sometimes blistering. For some of the lasers, you will get temporary bruising of the skin and occasionally superficial scabbing. 

Intense Pulsed Light Therapy

For those of you who have not the time to recover from nor the epidermal capacity to withstand lasers -- High Intensity Pulsed Light Therapy may be for you. Intense Pulsed Light Therapy, or IPL, is a dermal enhancer currently being used in some spas. Instead of laser light, it uses high intensity light in pretty much the same manner. A gel is applied to the skin and then a wand is used to emit pulses of light onto the skin area being treated. This method is said to be less painful than laser therapy, and more effective, resulting in less total treatment sessions.

Are You a Candidate For HI Pulsed Light Therapy?

If you are prone to keloids, hyper or hypo pigmentation, are dark-skinned, darkly tanned or do not react well to burns you may not be an ideal candidate for High Pulsed Light Therapy.

Are there any risks?

Although rare, blistering or slight bleeding is possible as is hypo- or hyper-pigmentation (lightened or darkened areas of skin). If pigmentation 
problems occur, it may be anywhere from 3 to 12 months before normal skin tone returns. This is especially so with hypo-pigmentation (lack of color). 
Be aware that some patients may experience permanent skin pigmentation changes. Scarring is possible although it too is a rare occurrence. 

Do-It-Yourself Cream Removals

Nowadays, there are so much advertised. In fact, it has become an industry all it's own. There are several different creams that will promise you a much less livid tattoo, if not one that has been erased entirely. If you are thinking about trying a tattoo removal cream, there are a few things to keep in mind. First remember that black and red inks will be significantly easier to remove than blues or green. The biggest advantage that tattoo creams have over other methods of tattoo removal is that it is painless and does not risk scarring as you can simply apply directly over the tattoo. Do keep in mind that many tattoo creams will contain Hydroquinone which is used to bleach the skin and has been accused of causing cancer and skin problems. While this ingredient is banned in several countries, there is still no 
conclusive proof that it causes a health problem.

Trichloroacetic Acid (TCA)

Is a common skin peeling agent used by dermatologists, cosmeticians and plastic surgeons to help remove fine lines, wrinkles and acne scars. TCA therapy can be combined with Laser Tattoo Removal. In order to save money, TCA may be used at home to fade the tattoo. After a few treatments, laser tattoo removal treatments can begin which ultimately costs less overall due to fewer required treatments. In some cases, TCA may remove the tattoo completely without a need for laser tattoo removal but this depends on the tattoo. Review of data from the past 3 decades indicates that TCA is quite successful in lightening up tattoos in many cases. However, it does not necessarily remove all tattoos. It promotes skin cell turnover which causes skin to peel. As this occurs, new skin forms and the tattoo is gradually covered over with new skin. Eventually, the tattoo is lightened or completely removed.

This is a treatment that will invariably take several repetitions before any progress can be seen, but it is effective.
Approximately 10-20% of individuals who use TCA for tattoo removal may notice some adverse skin reaction. TCA does not cause scarring but may cause blistering, pain and severe discoloration of the surrounding skin. Each skin type is unique and testing a small area of skin prior to the onset of treatment is a great way to determine if there is any skin allergy. TCA may not work for everyone.
This process is recommended, at a lesser concentrations, for blacks, Asians, Hispanics or of Middle Eastern descent, due to the fact that it can cause 
complications regarding pigmentation.

Cover-up

Many tattoo artists are becoming quite skilled in doing cover-up jobs, and can help you come up with a design that you will be much happier to live with.
Remember, not every tattoo can be covered nicely! It depends of how big is your tattoo, what colors have been used, and what kind tattoo you want to cover with.

When you are considering getting rid of ink that you have come regret, you will find that there are a few things that you should keep in mind. The first thing is that you should figure out what factors are involved that might affect the success of your tattoo removal. In the first place, think about the size of the tattoo and the vibrancy that it retains. Remember that an older tattoo that is already looking fairly faded will be much more difficult to remove than one that is still fresh and bright. Similarly, keep in mind that some colors are significantly easier to remove at home than others.