Tattoo removal that actually works
Tattoo Removal The Woodlands
Do you have a tattoo that you don’t want anymore? Permanent makeup and tattoo removal the Woodlands can help! Above all, we customize each treatment based on your needs for complete tattoo removal.
Anatomy of a regrettable tattoo
More than 10% of people who have a tattoo regret getting it…regret based in embarrassment, difficulty getting a job, and changing relationships that end and leave behind a tattoo. It is easy to believe when getting a tattoo that it will always appeal to you in the future. But their appeal is not nearly as permanent as the tattoo itself! Tattoos consist of thousands of particles of tattoo pigment suspended in the skin. While normal human growth and healing processes will remove small foreign particles from the skin, tattoo pigment particles are too big to be removed automatically. And keep in mind that professional tattoos are not as easy to remove as amateur tattoos. An alternative to removing a tattoo is to cover it with a new tattoo.
Tattoos, an ancient body decoration
Tattoo removal has been performed since the start of tattooing. But no matter why you want to remove your tattoos, non-invasive laser tattoo removal is far better than physical methods like dermabrasion, acid, and scrubbing the skin with salt.
Modern tattoos, applied via tattoo needle, differ from Maori tattoos, which are applied using a chisel-shaped instrument dipped in ink. These moko decorations have scarred ridges and grooves, and are not removable in the same way as modern, needle tattoos.
Lasers and tattoo removal
Tattoos last a long time without breaking down naturally because of the ink particles’ large size. Lasers break down ink particles in the tattoo while your immune system “fights off the ink.” This mimics natural fading by time or sun exposure. In each session, the laser fragments more ink particles.
Vedas introduces the all-new, safe, and painless treatment for removing tattoos and permanent makeup, our Ellman Multi-Platform Laser Platform. This laser targets the coloring of the tattoo ink without hurting the surrounding healthy skin. The tattoo needs to absorb more laser light than the surrounding skin. A many-color tattoo may require different laser colors.
Darker blacks and blues can be easily removed. Some colors, like yellows and fluorescent inks, absorb light that the tattoo removal laser can’t touch, and pastel-color inks are highly-reflective. Unless the ink can absorb the laser light, the ink won’t break down, and the tattoo lingers on!
The laser must also deliver enough energy to break up the color pigment. Its bursts must be short to avoid burning surrounding skin. The treatment itself creates inflammation. As a result, your immune response removes the tattoo ink.
Getting technical…
Selective photothermolysis (SPTL), the primary principle behind tattoo removal, matches a specific wavelength of light and pulse duration to obtain optimal effect on a targeted tissue with minimal effect on surrounding tissue. The very same principle is what makes laser hair removal work. But in the case of tattoo ink, the mechanism is a photomechanical effect. Ink particles absorb the energy in a very short time, nanoseconds. The surface temperature of the ink particles rises to thousands of degrees, but the temperature rapidly collapses into a shock wave. The shock wave propagates through the local tissue and causes brittle structures to fragment. Tissues simply vibrate as the shock wave passes. If the energy is insufficient during each laser pulse, the pigment will not fragment and no removal will take place.
How long will it take?
Removing your tattoo takes several treatments, spaced at least seven weeks apart. Treating more frequently does not necessarily increase the rate of ink absorption, and may increase the risk of adverse effects. Tattoos on the extremities like ankles, wrists, and hands usually take the most sessions. Spacing treatments allows your immune system to heal the affected area each time. Your immune response is also a key factor; a weak immune system will slow tattoo removal.
Age of tattoo, ink density, color, and location of the tattoo all play an important role in how many treatments will be needed for complete removal. But your immune response is key. The normal process of tattoo removal is fragmentation of the ink particles followed by phagocytosis, products drained away via your lymphatic system. So, inflammation from the actual laser treatment and natural stimulation of your immune response ultimately result in removal of tattoo ink.
Pain management during and after tattoo removal
Laser tattoo removal is uncomfortable, and you will probably require some form of local anesthesia. Anesthetic cream or cooling by ice or cold air may be used, but complete local anesthesia with lidocaine with epinephrine may be better. Ask your aesthetician what kind of anesthesia will be used.
Immediately after laser treatment, you may see white discoloration and pinpoint bleeding. Swelling usually resolves within 24 hours. Subsequently, a crust forms over the entire tattoo that falls off about two weeks after treatment. Do not remove the crust early; it may leave a scar! Post-operatively, follow simple wound care and a porous dressing that is not waterproof. Avoid antibiotic ointments; laser light is sterile. You will see the tattoo fade over the next eight weeks.
It’s up to you and your immune system
Factors influencing success and amount of time required to remove a tattoo include your skin type, location of the tattoo, colors and amounts of ink, scarring or tissue change, layers of ink, immune system function, and circulation. Most of these are not under your control! But you can control the length of time between treatments, your nutrition, amount of stress, sleep, exercise, and fluid levels.
You, our client, are our top priority here at Vedas. Located in The Woodlands, Texas, our North Houston office is conveniently located only minutes from I-45 (Houston’s North Freeway) in The Woodlands.
We offer you a free consultation for personalized information on tattoo removal The Woodlands. Come get acquainted with Dr. Nangrani, our board-certified Medical Director. She has practiced for over 15 years. Please call our office to schedule your consultation (281) 298-5476.
Photo: istock.com and results vary
