Things You Didn’t Know About Laser Tattoo Removal

There’s not a person alive who hasn’t done something they regretted. But in most cases, they find a way to make their peace with it and move on. However, that’s not so easy when the thing they regret is an image, symbol or word inked onto their very skin.

Luckily, that daily discomfort doesn’t have to be permanent. The dangers of laser tattoo removal are fewer than ever, and with costs coming down too, they’re now an accessible option for anyone who can’t live with the offending material any longer.

Whether you offer a tattoo removal service, are considering setting one up, or you’re thinking of having a tattoo removed yourself, there are some things no one tells you about laser tattoo removal. Read on to find out what they are.

It matters where on your body the tattoo is

Laser tattoo removal works by breaking down the ink under the skin so the body can reabsorb it. The closer a tattoo is to the heart, the easier it will be for the body to absorb the ink. Chest tattoos are therefore relatively quick to do away with. Ones on the hands and feet might take more treatments and are likely to leave more of a shadow once treatment has been completed.

The laser doesn’t go all that deep

Another of those things you didn’t know about laser tattoo removal is that the ink sits under the skin’s dermis layer. It means skin can flake without the ink being affected, but the ink itself isn’t so deep that it gets into a person’s wider system.

In other words, the laser used for your tattoo removal won’t need to go all that deep to break the ink down. And because of that…

It’s not as painful as you might think

Laser tattoo removal myths might have you convinced the process is agonising from start to finish. Not so!

Doctors specialising in laser tattoo removal use a local anaesthetic, and patients tend to feel a sensation that’s about as intense as being flicked with an elastic band. It only lasts a few seconds, and then the numbness takes over. The truth about laser tattoo removal is that while the lasers do give off a lot of heat, the pain they cause during treatment is relatively minimal.

It doesn’t take as long as you might expect, either

The truth about laser tattoo removal is the process takes around as long as it would if the operator were using a pen laser to trace a picture carefully. And while a patient is likely to need several treatments (each of which will cost money), they can certainly speed up recovery time between them using special patches like ones from DESCRIBE. So, not only will they get rid of the tattoo faster, they’ll feel sore for less time, too.

The soreness will feel a lot like after you got the tattoo

Of course, the soreness will inevitably happen. But it’s likely to feel much the same as after getting the tattoo to begin with. By using a gel, they can alleviate that somewhat too, and also reduce scarring to the absolute minimum.

There are different kinds of laser treatments

Another laser tattoo removal myth is that there’s only one option when it comes to treatment. In fact, there are two!

The most established kinds of lasers used to remove unwanted tattoos are called Nanosecond lasers, and they’re still used today. However, the latest development in tattoo removal is the Picolaser, which delivers light faster – in a trillionth of a second, in fact. Because of this, Picolaser removal typically takes fewer treatments but is also usually more expensive. The real question then becomes, where would the patient rather feel the discomfort: on their body, or in their wallet?

Laser removal takes longer for smokers

This is definitely one of those things no one tells you about laser tattoo removal. If the cost of tattoo removal is an issue, one solution is to simply stop smoking. Because smoking constricts the blood vessels, it damages the body’s ability to get rid of the ink particles as quickly as it otherwise might. Yet another reason to kick the habit.

The fumes from burning flesh can be harmful

Speaking of smoke, the plume the laser creates when it touches the skin not only gives off an unpleasant burning smell, it’s full of potentially harmful chemicals that need to be guarded against.

Fumes like those are why we built the VODEX SalonAIR® 1001, which is specially designed to draw potentially dangerous particulates away from the breathing zone of laser operator and patient alike.

So, while all of the advice in this post is relevant if you’re considering getting a tattoo removed, it’s especially important to make sure the place you choose uses a SalonAIR®.

Alternatively, if you run a clinic (or are considering doing so), and you need fume extraction for laser tattoo removal, get in touch with us to learn why the SalonAIR® should be your first consideration.