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Laser Removal

A laser is used to send pulses of highly concentrated light to break up the ink underneath the top layers of your skin. The laser goes right through the top layers because skin cells are made up of mostly water and melanin, but the larger ink particles absorb the laser’s energy and break into smaller pieces. Your immune system sends scavenger cells to carry off the ink particles, which are now small enough to be dealt with in this way.

Laser removal can be quite painful, and most patients are treated with a local anesthetic gel before the procedure. Blisters and scabs appear on the skin after treatment, and scarring is a possibility. Sessions are scheduled anywhere from three weeks to three months apart, depending on the clinic and how quickly your skin heals afterward. Most tattoos require from one to ten treatments; the average is one to four for home-done tattoos and five to ten for professional tattoos. Treatment session cost anywhere from $250 to $850, and a large and colorful tattoo may cost thousands of dollars to get rid of.

Intense Pulsed Light Therapy

Intense Light Pulse Therapy is the newest and most effective technology used for tattoo removal. IPL works in the same way as laser removal, except a special gel is rubbed on the skin and a wand is used to emit the light pulses. It is also less painful and requires fewer treatments. Unfortunately, it carries a much heftier price tag than laser removal, which is why IPL has not yet replaced traditional lasers. Prices vary, but one clinic charges ten dollars per pulse of light used.

Dermabrasion

Dermabrasion is exactly what it sounds like. The tattooed area is sprayed with a numbing solution, and a grinding tool is used to create abrasive friction that takes off the top layers of skin. Not only does the procedure cause the skin to peel and bleed, it is also very painful and often proves ineffective. Plus, there is always the risk of infection.

Salabrasion

Salabrasion is a centuries-old technique and is just like dermabrasion, except a salt-water solution is applied to the skin before it is abraded.

Excision

Excision is the surgical removal of a tattoo. A local anesthetic is injected, and the tattoo is cut out of the skin. The surrounding skin is then sewn back together. While this would obviously work best for small tattoos, large tattoos can also be excised. The middle part of the tattoo is removed first. After the skin heals, the surrounding areas are cut out until the tattoo is completely gone. Skin grafts are often needed for large tattoo removal. This procedure carries a risk of infection and a very high risk of scarring.