Best Tattoo Removal

by Tattoo Removal on June 9, 2010

There are several ways to remove a tattoo. Prior to considering that, however, you have to know if you’re a candidate for the procedure. For example, you may not want to have a tattoo removal treatment if you have the following conditions:

• Warts
• Undiagnosed lesions
• Active acne
• Active rosacea
• Unstable diabetes
• Pigmentation problems
• Auto-immune system disorders

At the very least, consult with a physician about the wisdom of having the tattoo removed if you have any of the above tendencies.

If you’re a candidate for tattoo removal, the question becomes, what’s the best tattoo removal procedure? Below are four of the most common procedures you can choose from.

The Best Tattoo Removal- Dermabrasion

Dermabrasion is where manual abrasion (usually with a fine grit sandpaper or a tool simulating that) is used on the skin. This removes the skin layer by layer until all of the inked skin is gone.

As you might suspect, prior to the procedure, the area will receive anesthesia to prevent pain. In addition to an IV to keep you hydrated, you may be injected with a solution of lidocaine. The surgeon will then begin to sand away the inked skin, smoothing it along the way.

The process can take from 15 minutes to two hours.

The Best Tattoo Removal- Excision

Excision is a process that works like it sounds. After an anesthetic is administered, the tattoo is cut out of the skin. The remaining skin edges are then sutured together. This is a simple solution that works best for small tattoos.

One reason it’s popular is that that the effects are immediate and it’s inexpensive- sometimes as little as $150 for the outpatient procedure.

The Best Tattoo Removal- Laser

This is the most common and the most effective way to remove tattoos. The way it works is that the inked area is bombarded with rapid, hot, energy packed bursts of colored light. In fact, the light is hot enough to fragment or break up the ink into tiny particles. These bits get absorbed into the skin.

It’s actually a fast forward of what the body’s natural process of ejecting foreign material does over time.

Laser treatment usually takes several sessions and is priced at a cost per session. For example, a two inch square tattoo might take nine treatments at $98 per treatment for a total cost of $882 to totally remove the tattoo.

The Best Tattoo Removal- Creams

Creams or balms are another tattoo removal method. With creams, there are no appointments, no anesthesia, no lasers and no surgery. It’s an at home method. What you do is apply a series of topical creams to the tattooed area each day. The cream sinks deep into the dermis where the tattoo ink is and breaks up the cells where the ink is embedded.

As with lasers, the body eventually absorbs the broken up cells. The size, depth and density of the tattoo determines the number of applications that must be done. The creams are powerful, so the recommendation is that you use them on about 1% of the body’s surface—or a surface the size of a palm.

The cost for creams averages out to about $3.50 to $7.00 per application.

The bottom line is that as individual as your tattoo is, so is the best tattoo removal for your situation. Consider your pain tolerance, the length of time the tattoo has been there, the amount and types of colors (black is the easiest to remove), the size (the smaller, the easier) of the art, the materials that form the ink and the depth of the tattoo. Then see your physician.

After a consultation with your doctor, select the best tattoo removal for your body art.

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