Prior to the development of laser tattoo removal methods, common techniques included dermabrasion, TCA (Trichloroacetic acid, an acid that removes the top layers of skin, reaching as deep as the layer in which the tattoo ink resides), Sal abrasion (scrubbing the skin with salt), cryosurgery, and excision, which is ...
Dermabrasion The oldest form of tattoo removal was primitive dermabrasion; rubbing at the skin using some sort of rough surface like sandpaper until the layers peeled off.
Common techniques used for tattoo removal include laser surgery, surgical removal and dermabrasion. Tattoo ink is placed beneath the top layer of the skin. That makes tattoo removal more complicated — and expensive — than the original tattoo application.
Older tattoos have already had enough sun exposure that caused the original colors to fade. The sun has already managed to destroy some of the ink particles on the patient's skin, which is why laser tattoo removal procedures for older tattoos take a lot less time and effort.
Older tattoos generally fade more easily with laser treatments than newer ones. For instance, a black tattoo that is ten years old may take one or two treatments less than a one year old black tattoo. Why? Because the body has already absorbed some of the tattoo's pigment throughout the years, making it easier to fade.
Specifically, lighter colors like white, yellow, light blue, and pink are the most difficult to remove, as are green, red, and neon colors. White ink (and light colors that were made by combining darker ink with white ink) sometimes turns darker before it begins to fade.
These include things like metallic ink, light greens, light blues, and permanent makeup. Newer tattoos can sometimes pose a problem as well. It doesn't hurt to try. Whether a tattoo can be removed or not can really only be decided on a case-by-case basis.
Tattoo Ink
Green is the hardest color to remove followed by light blue. Neon colors are also incredibly difficult to remove, and typically require multiple treatments with the Ruby laser. As a general rule, the greater the contrast between the color of the tattoo pigment and your skin, the better the result.
Tattoo removal: Tips for recovery
Tattoos used to be considered permanent, but thanks to advances in laser technology, today's lasers can get rid of tattoos more safely and effectively, including removing tattoo ink with fewer treatments and treating ink colors that were once difficult to remove.
Remove Colored Tattoos
Surprisingly, black ink is easier to remove than colored ink. This is true even when the colored ink is in a light tone. This is because the lasers used are designed to target the black ink specifically. However, this does not mean that colors other than black cannot be removed.
Prior to the development of laser tattoo removal methods, common techniques included dermabrasion, TCA (Trichloroacetic acid, an acid that removes the top layers of skin, reaching as deep as the layer in which the tattoo ink resides), Sal abrasion (scrubbing the skin with salt), cryosurgery, and excision, which is ...
The average tattoo can be removed in between five and eight laser sessions. Dark, old tattoos may only require three or four removal sessions. New, dense, fluorescent tattoos may take 10 or more treatment sessions before full removal is realized.
If you have some ink that you no longer want or like, we have good news. Today's treatments can completely remove a tattoo and give you back the skin that you thought you might have lost forever.
Guess how tattoos stay there forever, even as your skin cells die and are replaced? French researchers say they have found the answer, and it's a little bit surprising. They found that immune system cells called macrophages eat the ink, and then pass it to their replacements when they die.
How you treat your skin, and its condition, affects tattoo removal as much as when you got the tattoo. Though most people find that there's little to no scarring from the process, it does happen. More frequently occurring in those with darker skin tones, scarring can come about due to a loss of pigmentation.
What makes tattoos permanent is the fact that the ink penetrates the second layer of skin – the dermis – which is then protected by the epidermis, the outer layer. The further into the dermis the ink has penetrated, the harder it is to remove.
Another recent advancement in laser tattoo removal technology is the use of multiple wavelengths. Different ink colors absorb different wavelengths of light, so using multiple wavelengths can target a wider range of ink colors.
Popular Tattoo Removal Devices
An outdated heat laser can cause scarring and burns on the skin. Utilizing the new tattoo removal technology of 2021 can help to avoid this unsavory side-effect. The three most common tattoo removal devices are PicoWay lasers, PicoSure lasers, and Enlighten lasers.
ART®️ is The Fastest Laser Tattoo Removal in the World!
Zapatat®️'s Accelerated Removal Technique, which we call “ART®️,” is the world's fastest laser method for removing most tattoos. ART®️ is based the R20 concept of 4 laser treatments (“Passes”) in 20-minute intervals.
Below is a pain chart from Tattoos-Hurt.com that explains it all using color, with yellow being the least painful to purple being excruciatingly painful. It's not surprising that the most painful areas are also considered the most vulnerable areas of the body.
* If you really want to get a permanent tattoo, stick with the basics. Black remains safest.
Everyone has their own reason for wanting to remove a tattoo. Some of the most common reasons include: You don't like your tattoo anymore. Your job doesn't allow visible tattoos.
The most common method for removing a tattoo is with a laser, but this technique can still leave a ghost image of the tattoo behind, never truly eliminating its appearance. For complete tattoo removal, a more effective method is to surgically remove the section of skin that is inked and suture the area back together.