While a tattoo is an obvious individual statement one might outgrow their tattoo, necessitating its removal. A tattoo is created by injecting colored pigments into the skin through small holes punctured in the form of a permanent design. Removing these pigments will erase the tattoo.
The tattoo’s size, location, how long ago it was applied and in what manner and the individual’s healing system influence the choice of method. A wrong choice can result in wounds, scarring or skin diseases.
Laser surgery is currently popular. The area is numbed and pulses of light break up the pigments into tiny pieces washed away by your own immune system. It involves exposure multiple times, which means the more the chances of damage to the skin and resultant scarring. Less painful but exorbitant, Intense Pulse Light therapy is similar to laser treatment.
For small tattoos excision is adopted. A local anesthesia numbs the area to enable surgical removal of the tattoo after which the edges are brought together to be stitched with minimal bleeding. Dermabrasion involves freezing the region with a solution and peeling the skin with an abrasive instrument. The area is then dressed to stop any bleeding.
Salabrasion too involves anesthetizing the area after which salt water solution is applied and the area is rubbed with a wooden block wrapped in gauze till it becomes red. Dressing is applied to avoid bleeding.
Other methods include tattoo removal creams available in the market. They require a long trial and their effectiveness is yet to be proven. Some tattoo artists “tattoo” over the design using saline water that will make the pigments fade.
A more painless and less expensive way is to cover the old tattoo with a new one but this requires care as the procedure cannot be repeated.
