How to Remove a Tattoo?

Tattoos are a type of body art made by placing dyes, pigments, or inks on the top layer of the skin to form a pattern. The structure formed could be either permanent or temporary. These drawings fall into three categories: illustrative, decorative, and pictorial tattoo. 

How to Remove a Tattoo
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The process of removing a tattoo is risky, complex, and expensive. So, it’s necessary to maintain your tattoo if it is not causing any damage to the body. If you must get it removed, then then keep reading to go over all the different options available. 

Concerns related to tattoo removal 

Before deciding on how to remove an unwated tattoo, it is vital to know some of the risks concerned with this process. It is also advisable to understand the whole procedure before signing a consent form. Tattoo removal may expose the individual to risks such as skin discoloration, infections, and unfavorable marks. 

It also causes prolonged wound healing and substandard aesthetic results. It is therefore advisable to weigh the risks and benefits before undergoing the process. It is also challenging to remove a tattoo if the individual is a smoker. 

Size of the Tattoo 

You can measure the size of a tattoo in square inches by multiplying the height with the width. Full tattoos range between 100 and 160 square inches, while half tattoos are around 50 to 60 inches. There is a need to consider the size of the body’s location you need the tattoo placed. During removal, large tattoos may take more time to remove compared to smaller tattoos. 

Layered Tattoos 

Layered tattoos occur when an individual tries to cover up an original tattoo with another one. In this case, the removal process becomes problematic and requires more treatment. In most cases, tattoo inks are translucent, and therefore you may need a darker type of ink for the second tattoo. 

Amount and Type of Ink Used 

Dark inks such as black, green, and blue are more accessible to remove than red, orange, and yellow inks. The amount of ink used also affects the removal process. It’s difficult to erase deep volumes of inks, and it may require more treatment sessions. 

Skin Tone 

Tattoo removal is easier for people with lighter skin. Lighter skin is known for less absorption of laser energy, and you only require concentrating on the tattoo pigment. At the same time, dark skins absorb a high amount of laser light due to melanin pigment. It, therefore, requires the proper procedure and enough time. 

How to get a tattoo removed? 

A person may remove an unwanted tattoo for specific reasons such as allergic reactions, infections, or if it has blurred or faded. Before removal, it is essential to consult a dermatologist for advice on other options or the method on how to remove a tattoo. You can also erase your tattoos using natural means such as the use of salt and aloe vera. These methods are cheap, easy, and less harmful, but dermabrasion, use of surgery and laser surgery are the most applied methods. 

Dermatologic Surgery 

In surgical removal, you make the skin numb with an injection of a local anesthetic. Then you remove the tattoo using a scalpel. After that, you stitch the edges of the skin together, and the healing process begins. It is advisable to apply an antiseptic ointment to fasten healing. This process leaves a scar, and it is only applicable to small tattoos. 

Laser Removal 

Lasers are Q-switched devices that emit energy in a single, powerful pulse. Most tattoo blogs say it’s the preferred method for tattoo removal. This device removes tattoos by breaking the pigment colors with a high-intensity heat that destroys the tattoo ink. For black tattoos, a particular type of laser Q-switched Nd: YAG should be used to avoid changing the skin color permanently. For varicolored tattoos, you will require various lasers and different wavelengths. 

Dermabrasion 

It is a surgical method where the area is chilled until it gets numb. Then a medicated grinding tool is used to peel the outer layer of the skin that contains the ink particles. This process causes soreness, and it may take two to three weeks to recover. 

Tattoos are permanent, and the process of removal is not easy. Most methods of removal may cause intense damage by discoloring the skin and causing permanent marks on the body. If you do decide to get your tattoo removed, make sure to consult a physician that sp.