Ink Regrets? Laser Tattoo Removal Can Help

Are you rethinking that ink? We all carry regrets for some of the decisions of our youth. Tattoos, unfortunately, can be a life-long reminder of some of those indiscretions. Whether you’re looking to remove an old girlfriend’s name or simply want to remove a piece that you no longer love, you’ll find that laser tattoo removal can offer a solution. 

Many do opt for a larger cover up piece, but that is not always the idea solution for every individual. Perhaps you have professional reasons for removing a tattoo? 

Laser treatments can prove to be very effective at helping you remove that unwanted ink from your body. 

How does laser removal work? 

To best understand all of the Cutera laser tattoo removal details, it’s essential to understand how tattoos themselves work. Tattoos consist of large ink particles that are just beneath the skin. In a healthy body, with a healthy immune system, any foreign particles would be removed by the body. The reason that tattoo ink is not really impacted by this is because the particles are typically too large for the immune system to disperse. 

Laser tattoo removal works by targeted those particles with concentrated beams of light that heat up the ink particles. This results in the ink particles breaking down into much smaller pieces. The healthy immune response is then to remove these smaller ink particles and absorb them into the body. 

This results in the tattoo fading, over time. 

How long does it take to remove a tattoo? 

This question has no one-size answer. A lot of the success of the removal process will depend largely on the size of the tattoo, along with the colors that have been used. Larger and more intricate designs can prove to be much harder to remove and will require more sessions than a smaller simple design would. 

The experience will vary for each person, but it could take anywhere between three and eight sessions to see the desired results of tattoo removal. It’s important that each session is schedule six weeks apart, so that the wound created by the process has adequate time to heal. 

How much will the tattoo removal process hurt?

When laser tattoo removal is done under the supervision of a professional who has been trained for this, the pain should be minimal. A topical numbing solution will be applied to the tattoo being targeted, and over-the-counter pain relievers should be taken to help minimize any discomfort. 

Patients report that, at most, each fire of the laser feels like the snap of an elastic band against their skin, in quick-fire succession. Right after, the area will typically feel like it has been sunburned. 

Who is a candidate for laser tattoo removal? 

In years past, only candidates with lighter pigmentation in their skin could expect to see great results from laser tattoo removal systems. This is because laser removal would often result in deep scarring that could only be partially minimized by additional treatments. The laser targets the pigment that is in the ink on the skin but it can also target the melanin on the skin. 

Today’s laser therapy works well. Even those with darker skin tones can see some of the results that they are hoping for.