Tattoo Ink Removal

Some people are concerned about the future of their career, since many employers avoid hiring candidates with visible tattoos. Some may opt for removal due to ink allergies. There are even some people who clear the old tattoo because they want to get a new one in its place.

So far, laser removal is considered as the most effective method. But there is no guarantee that the tattoo will be removed completely with this process. The technique is quite simple. Light rays disintegrate the ink pigments, and then the white cells in the body carry away these pigments from the body.

Q-switched Nd:YAG, Q-switched Alexandrite, and Q-switched Ruby are some of the frequently used lasers. Remember that laser removal will require more than one session for the ink to completely disappear.

Moreover, the result of the laser method depends upon the type of ink colors used. Colors like black are very easy to remove since they absorb all the light rays. However, other colors like green, blue, and red are cleared only by certain rays of light.

Red is effectively eliminated by a green laser light, while blue and green are eliminated by a red laser light. Laser removal can show side effects like scarring and scabbing of the treated skin. It is quite costly, and you will have to pay for every session.

Dermabrasion is a very painful process where the inked skin is literally sanded. In this method, the area is anesthetized and then the skin is sloughed away with either sandpaper, salt, or caustic soda. Sometimes rotary equipment with sharp edged wheels are also used to peel off the skin.

Such methods are not recommended for facial tattoos and ink on other sensitive parts of the body. Very old tattoos are not usually cleared by this method since the ink pigments might have migrated deeper into the skin and are much harder to get rid of.

Immediate dressing of the treated area is necessary to stop the bleeding and scarring. The scars heal very slowly and may take several months. The treated skin is prone to infection and you will have to take proper care of it.

Salabrasion is a form of dermabrasion, which was used in ancient times. In this method, a piece of cloth is dipped in salt and rubbed vigorously on the tattooed skin until the skin becomes red and the ink peels off.

Excision is especially effective for small tattoos. In this method, the ink is completely cleared by surgical methods. This is done by a dermatologic surgeon by numbing the inked skin. The surgeon removes the first and second layer of the skin and then stitches back the wound. This procedure works well for smaller areas.

But if the tattoo is large, then the surgeon will have to graft skin from another part of the body and implant it on the inked area. Large tattoos, therefore, require more than one session with this method. This process is quite easy and safe.

If you want to go for an inexpensive method, then tattoo removal creams are your best bet. You do not require the help of a professional for this method. All you need to do is apply the cream topically over the inked area.

The ingredients of the cream draw the ink to the surface, and it eventually fades away. However, this method can take several months and the result is not guaranteed.

Whichever method you use, the results depend on how the tattoo is inked. The ones drawn by expert tattoo artists are easy to clear, because they ensure that the tattoo ink spreads evenly through the skin layers.

This makes removal easy, while unevenly spread ink is difficult to eliminate. Moreover, the quality and color of the ink also decides the results of the removal process.