As time goes on and our likes and dislikes change, we can end up regretting the tattoos we chose to get decades ago. Thankfully, as technology advances, there is a way to get rid of any old, unwanted art with laser tattoo removal. Choosing the right clinic and preparing for your first appointment means you can take advantage of professional and effective procedures in the safest way. Below, we’ll look at how tattoo removal works, along with a few other factors to consider before booking your appointment!
Choosing a clinic
If you’re looking into tattoo removal whether that’s for an old piece of art or permanent make-up removal, you should begin by researching clinics that can do this for you. However, to get the best and safest results possible, you should consider a few of the following:
- Laser type: Technology is always changing, so you’re going to need to find a clinic that uses an up-to-date method for removal, like a Nanosecond Q-Switched Laser, as this is one of the most powerful on the market currently. Doing a bit of research on the latest tech can also be helpful.
- Certification: You must make sure your clinic is certified to take part in tattoo removal – this should be clearly stated on their website, or around their premises – if in doubt, just ask.
- Specialists: Choosing a clinic that specialises in tattoo removal means you’re more likely to experience the most modern procedure and have access to clinicians that have years of experience, resulting in a more effective removal.
How to prepare
Once you have made your decision and chosen a clinic that you think is best suited to your needs, there are a few things that you can do to prepare for your appointment, to give your body the best chance of expelling the ink. You should make sure that you keep the area covered up and out of the sun, as tanned or even sunburnt skin may prevent the success of your removal. You should make sure you drink plenty of water to help your system flush out the ink, and so that you don’t become dehydrated during the procedure. If you’re a smoker that is choosing to have a tattoo removed, stopping would be advantageous, as smoking can prevent the skin from healing. Before your first appointment, you should make sure that your skin is fresh, with no lotions or moisturisers, as this could affect your treatment.
How the procedure works
Tattoo removal works by breaking up the colours within your unwanted tattoo with a laser that provides a high-intensity beam of light. If your tattoo is all black, it has a better chance of being removed completely, as a black pigment under the skin absorbs all wavelengths and breaks up more easily. If your tattoo is coloured, this may take longer for the laser to break up. The laser breaks up pigments under the top layer of the skin, and your immune system then flushes them out of your body altogether. It can take varying amounts of time for the body to flush away particles from the tattoo, which is why it is beneficial to leave a period between treatments so maximum fading can be seen.
Side effects
Laser tattoo removal is the safest method you can choose and can be highly effective when performed by a professional, however, there are a couple of side effects that you should be aware of. For example, depending on the colours in your tattoo, it may not be completely removable, as well as this, there is always a risk that the site may scar. Hypopigmentation may also happen, which means skin may become paler where the laser has treated it. If you’re hoping to get cosmetic tattoos removed, they tend to be darker after the treatment and fade as time goes on.
