Tips on getting a tattoo removed

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 29 Dec 2003 - 0:00 PDT


If you can't afford the expensive laser procedure - usually $400 per session that medical insurance often won't cover - there are cheaper ways to get a tattoo removed professionally. The type of procedure also depends on the size of the tattoo, its location on the body and the patient's ability to heal.

Excision removes the skin affected by the tattoo with a knife and closes it with sutures.

Dermabrasion freezes the skin and then uses a rotary sander to peel off the skin.

Salabrasion uses anesthesia to numb the skin. A solution of salt water is applied and then the process becomes similar to dermabrasion.

Laser treatment breaks up the pigment, allowing the body to carry the ink away to the lymph nodes.

Source: www.patient-info.com/tattoo.htm

Dr. Sky Connolly of Albuquerque Dermatology Associates (USA) offers tips on getting tattoos removed by laser:

If your tattoo was done by a nonprofessional, the ink is likely to take longer to remove because the elements in the ink are mostly metallic.

If the tattoo is on your chest, back or below the knee, be prepared for a difficult healing process. The face and the arms heal best.

Are you black or a dark-skinned Hispanic or American Indian? The laser might destroy the layer of melanin above the tattoo layer, leaving a patch of light skin.

After each session, apply ointment to the area and place a bandage over it. Clean lightly with soap and water for the next week.

Don't schedule the next session for a few months. The body needs time to remove as much ink as possible.

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