How Does Laser Tattoo Removal Work?

Tattoos are very much in vogue and many people, including celebrities, sport tattoos. You should consider carefully before getting a tattoo because it is easy to acquire but difficult to remove. It can be removed by laser but it will require about eight sittings if it is made by a professional and about five sittings if made by an amateur. A rest period of about six weeks is required between two sittings.

More than a hundred types of inks are used to make tattoos and none have been approved by the FDA. This poses a dilemma to the laser specialist as he cannot be sure about what type of ink has been used and how much the ink has penetrated into the skin. So it is difficult for him to judge how long to carry on the therapy to remove the tattoo.

It is true that almost all colors can be removed by laser. Dark colors like red, blue and black can be faded easily. Orange and purple colors are also fairly easy to remove. It is green and yellow colors which pose problems and require more treatment.

Laser tattoos removal has to be carried out in stages. Sometimes people get impatient and want a onetime removal of a tattoo. A large dose of laser can remove a tattoo quickly but it will cause damage to the skin. A keloid may be formed at the spot where the laser is directed and the skin can be burnt.

If done in a gradual manner the skin tissue will be damaged less and more of the color can be removed. However, doctors cannot promise total removal of the components of a tattoo. Some portion of it will remain in the skin. You must be prepared for this and not force the doctor to carry out treatment beyond the level he considers safe.

You should understand what a laser is and how it works. In the hands of a good doctor it is a potent tool. A laser beam is made of light waves having various lengths and different colors. A laser instrument emits some long light waves. This light energy of a particular wavelength is absorbed by the ink present in the skin when the laser beam is directed to the tattoo.

The light energy causes a vibration of the ink particles. As they vibrate, they break into smaller and smaller particles. These particles are then absorbed by the body and expelled by the filtration system of the body in due course. There may be scars and side effects after laser tattoos removal process. The skin will be red and irritated for some time and you should follow the treatment and precautions suggested by the doctor.