Tattoos have been an important and fixed part of many cultures, around the world, for thousands of years. A five thousand year old mummified body (called Otzi), which was found in the Alps, had tattoos. The popular Celtic and tribal tattoo designs are not just fashionable, but are also very personal to their wearers.
It is an important decision to decide to have a permanent mark on one’s body. Tattoos have always been an issue exactly because they are permanent. What do you do if you one day realize that the tattoo you had done many years ago no longer means anything to you or your life?
Because of the development of laser tattoo removal equipment and procedures, tattoos no longer have to be permanently on the body. Now, cringe-worthy tattoos (ex-boyfriend’s name), tattoos you got when you were drunk, or badly inked tattoos can totally be removed. You no longer have to have a tattoo artist cover and disguise the old one with a new one.
Laser tattoo removal has greatly improved over the past few years and it is now possible to have it done much more affordably then when it was first invented. Lasers operate by creating brief pulses of intense light that safely pass through the exterior layers of the skin, and is absorbed by the tattoo ink. After a period of time and multiple laser treatments, the tattoo begins to fade, and it finally disappears altogether.
Laser tattoo removal can be uncomfortable. But people who have had the procedure done describe it as being similar in pain as the procedure of having a tattoo done. The feeling is often described as having the same sensation as having a rubber band snapped onto the skin. But it is not totally unbearable. Laser tattoo removal only takes a few minutes, but multiple sessions are required in order to fully remove the tattoo.
Before laser tattoo removal is done, an anesthetic cream is applied to the area to reduce the discomfort and sensation of pain. Once the cream is applied, the laser directs the pulses of intense light onto the tattoo, which then break up the ink pigment.
Over the subsequent weeks, the body’s repair cells remove the pigment, and flush it out of your system. The area may redden for a little while, but the condition of the skin is not damaged by laser treatment. But it is important to have the procedure done by a skilled professional.
There is numerous tattoo removal cream products that manufacturers claim to remove tattoos without having to have a tattoo laser removal procedure done. But most of these creams do not really work. The manufacturers of these tattoo removal creams claim that layers of skin cells are exfoliated by the cream. But because tattoo ink pigment is placed deep into the skin when the tattoo is done, the cream does not reach the layer of skin in which the tattoo is placed.
Even the most expensive of these tattoo removal creams have received negative reviews, stating that they failed to remove the tattoos. Other tattoo removal alternatives include Dermabrasion. Extreme measures of tattoo removal include cutting the tattoo from the skin. This measure can lead to permanent damage and scarring of the skin.
Of course, the most important thing is to make sure that the tattoo you get, you will want for the rest of your life. But, if you do find yourself having a tattoo that you no longer want or can relate to, you should discuss it with a trained professional in tattoo laser removal to learn your options, and the laser tattoo removal costs.
Make sure that the professional you use has had sufficient laser tattoo removal training and experience and find out if they use the latest, state-of-the art laser tattoo removal equipment.
