Laser Tattoo Removal

There are many reasons to have a tattoo removed. For example, tattoos can:

• Lose their meaning as you mature and circumstances in your life change
• Brand or align you with organizations or people with which you no longer want to associate
• Prevent you from getting a job
• Fade and become less attractive as skin ages and wrinkles

Until more recently, tattoos have been removed with dermabrasion (sanding the skin) and salabrasion (rubbing the tattoo with a high-salt solution that removes overlying skin and leeches out the dye). Color-tuned lasers are now commonly used to remove most or all of the ink from under the skin. The laser works by delivering highly concentrated light that breaks the ink into tiny fragments. Your system then clears the fragments away.

Newer laser technologies have made it possible to remove tattoos with minimal or no scarring; however, scarring depends on the type of skin and tattoo you have.

Consultation
Consultation includes a thorough discussion of your desires, expectations, and concerns as well as limits and risks of the procedure. The surgeon will review your medical history, carefully examine your skin and tattoo, and recommend an approach that will be suitable for you.

Candidates
The best candidates for laser tattoo removal are men and women of any age who no longer wish to have a tattoo on any part of the body.

If you would like to have laser tattoo removal, be sure to let your doctor know if you have iron or dye allergies. Breaking up the tattoo might release pigments that can cause an allergic reaction.

The Procedure
During the procedure, a laser is applied to the tattoo to break up the ink in the tattoo.

Repeated laser treatments that are performed over a period of months are typically necessary to remove a tattoo. The more treatments, the more effective the removal. Your surgeon will be able to estimate how many treatments you might need to partially or completely remove your tattoo.

Laser tattoo removal is usually performed under local anesthesia in our outpatient surgery suite. The duration of the procedure depends on the extent of the tattoo, but usually lasts 90 minutes or less.

Recovery and Results
If you undergo laser tattoo removal, you will receive thorough written instructions to prepare for and recover from your procedure. The instructions will include aftercare instructions and when to follow up with your surgeon.

Patients are generally advised to:

• Gently cleanse the treated area with a mild soap and pat it dry
• Apply antibiotic ointment and a nonstick bandage
• Apply a cool mask or pack to reduce inflammation
• Avoid exposing the treated area to the sun
• Return to normal activities immediately, taking care not to disrupt the treated area

The speed with which your tattoo fades depends on your skin type, extent of your tattoo, and frequency of laser treatments.

Patients who have had laser tattoo removal generally suggest they experience some discomfort after the procedure; however, oral, over-the-counter medications are useful if the treated area is bothersome.
These pictures here represent typical tattoo removal results seen with laser devices (source: device manufacturer).