As we on the verge of the end of the second decade of the 21st Century, there are so many evolutions stepping up into our lives each day, that sometimes they end up making a difference in our personalities. Such is the influence of Tattoo Making. People used to get tattooed in the past, and even our ancestors knew the art of tattoo making, but this knowledge was only limited to tattoo making and not Tattoo Removal. But since ‘Necessity is the mother of all invention’, our growing regrets for tattoo making got us as humans to develop this technology of Tattoo Removal, to get rid of something which we presumed as permanent and that is going to be with us even after we are put into our graves.
Literally, 30% of the world’s population today has a tattoo and 15% of them do regret getting it done, probably for various reasons. Before we go in depth of the Tattoo Removal Procedure let’s learn the kinds and types of procedure available for Tattoos Removal:
1. Tattoo Removal Cream– This is kind of cost-effective technique but the results take time to show up and it’s a long process. Moreover, the results aren’t 100% effective as it only lightens the tattoo and does leave a scare.
2. Laser Tattoo Removal– This procedure is really effective and uses different wavelengths of beam light to disperse the color of the tattoo and later the body’s immune system working on it to disperse the scattered color particles.
3. Intense Pulsed Light– This technique is a combination of the previous two techniques together. A gel is applied to the tattooed area and a high-intensity light is passed through it. This one is comparatively more expensive than the above two.
Since our main focus is on Laser Tattoo Removal our experts present to you a detailed case-study on the procedure, the after-effects, and cost of Tattoo Removal.
Laser Tattoo Removal Procedure
The procedure for tattoo removal isn’t easy as it sounds. Laser Tattoo Removal is based on the old theory of selective photothermolysis (SPTL). The mechanism for this tattoo removal is better understood as a photomechanical theory, whereby the ink particles of the tattoo are first heated up by the laser light. Being bigger in size they need to be broken down into smaller particles. Due to this laser heating up a shock wave is produced which passes these ink particles to the dermis layer of the skin making sure that the tissues remain unaffected during the trespassing of such shock waves.
Next, these dispersed ink particles then come in contact with WBC’s i.e. white blood cells, that act on this dispersed ink particles just like a foreign object is attacked by our immune system and finally dispensed and killed. The body’s immune system acts on these dispersed ink particles and finally, they start to fade over time.
Following Factors are responsible for the dispersing of the tattoo pigment:
• Sufficient light should enter deep into the tattoo pigment.
• Differently, colored tattoo requires different colors of light rays of different wavelengths.
• The time duration for passing such beam of light should be very short, cause it takes nanoseconds for the pigment to heat up. If the longer duration of such light beam exposure takes place then it might cause a scare.
Time Interval between each Sitting
There should be not less than 7 weeks time gap between two sittings. More frequent sitting would only cause scarring or dyschromia. The time interval between such sitting also depends on the skin type, body texture, and immune strength.
Pain-o-Meter
The amount of pain or suffering level is quite high as compared to the pain you feel while getting tattooed. The level of pain also depends on the size and placement of the tattoo.
Risk Factors Involved
There are certain risk factors involved in the process of Tattoos Removal. If you aren’t the fortunate one you might even suffer some kind of micro-bacterial infection or disease or some other problems are typically minor and would fade with time.
Considering the Microbe Infections first, these include:
Viral Diseases: Hepatitis B and C, Human Papillomavirus (HPV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) etc.
Bacterial Infections: Impetigo, Erysipelas, Septicaemia and in rare cases leprosy.
Other than these severe diseases there can also be problems like:
Frosting: White fog like pigmentation of the skin.
Scabbing– This one is a positive yet irritative problem. Where the skin starts to peel off it’s a great sign that the Laser Tattoo Removal technique is showing results, but if you peel off this skin it would probably leave a scare.
Blistering– Blistering is a probable reaction due to excessive heat-up.
Scarring– Permanent scarring can only happen in the rarest of the cases.
Hyperpigmentation and Hypopigmentation-
Hyperpigmentation means darkening of the skin tone, where the tattoo was originally placed.
Hypopigmentation is a lightening of the skin tone, where the tattoo was originally placed.
Tattoo Removal Cost
You cannot precisely say, that this kind of tattoo removal would cause this much amount or that kind would cost that much. At the end of the day, it’s at the doctor’s discretion, how much he charges from you. The better the doctor, the better he is paid. But according to some sources, the initial cost per sitting can be as low as $50 per inch and last up to $10000 at the end of the treatment.
Hope now you are well versed with all the things relating to Laser Tattoo Removal. Just in case you want to learn more about tattoos or are interested in getting one, feel free to check our Tattoo Guide, where we present to you all possible information you need as a beginner.
