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Cosmetic Procedures for Tattoo Removal

Because many people who get tattoos come to regret them, tattoo removal surgery is a common procedure. Whether you have a faded tattoo that has been distorted with time or you simply have a tattoo you dislike, getting your tattoo removed can boost your self-confidence and your self-image.

Regardless of your reasons for wanting to remove your tattoo, be sure to thoroughly research the procedure so that you have realistic expectations.

Tattoo Removal: Types of Procedures

Like other cosmetic procedures, tattoo removal can be performed in a variety of ways, depending on the:

area being treated
color of the tattoo
depth of the tattoo's ink
size of the tattoo.

Based on these factors, you doctor can recommend that you undergo one of the following types of tattoo removal procedures:

Excision: In excision tattoo removal, doctors cut the tattooed skin off of the body. While excisions of smaller tattoos require that the remaining surrounding skin be sewn together, larger tattoos removed by excisions require a skin graft (using skin from another area of your body) to fill the gap of missing skin.
Dermabrasion: By grating off the top layers of tattooed skin, doctors effectively scrape the tattoo off the skin. As a result, tattoo removal patients undergoing dermabrasion will have extremely sensitive, inflamed, red skin at the affected site for at least a few months.
Laser: Using a focused laser beam, doctors can adjust the intensity of the laser to bleed out different colors of tattoo ink. Unlike the other types of tattoo removals, the laser method is relatively painless, usually causing only mild sensitivity, similar in sensation to that of a mild sunburn.
Salabrasion: As one of the oldest methods of removing tattoos, the salabrasion type of tattoo removal describes a procedure in which saltwater is used to sand off the tattooed skin. Because this antiquated type of tattoo removal is painful and generally causes scarring, it is rarely used today.

Once you have chosen a cosmetic surgeon whom you trust, talk over the pros and cons of the various options to choose the right tattoo removal procedure that's right for you.

Regardless of the type of tattoo removal procedure you choose, keep in mind that you will likely have to undergo multiple sessions to fully remove the tattoo. Also, keep in mind that, in some cases, skin beneath the tattoo will have a permanent shadow or outline of the tattoo. Consequently, to ensure that your expectations of the results are realistic, ask your doctor about the number of tattoo removal sessions you will need as well as about the degree to which the procedure will get rid of the tattoo.

Tattoo Removal Side Effects and Complications

The complications you will experience after getting your tattoo removed will depend on the procedure you choose, the number of treatment sessions you undergo and the current health of your skin. However, the following are some of the common tattoo removal complications people experience:

general skin irritation
inflammation
pain
permanent skin discoloration
redness
scabbing
scarring
sensitivity
skin infections.

While some of these side effects will subside as soon as your skin fully recovers from the procedure, others, such as scarring and skin discoloration, are permanent. However, remember that many of the newer tattoo removal procedures, including laser tattoo removal, result in minimal complications.

Your doctor can evaluate which complications you are most likely to experience.

Costs of Tattoo Removal

As with other types of cosmetic procedures, the cost of tattoo removal will depend on the:

experience or reputation of your doctor
location in which you get the procedure done (Tattoo removals in Beverly Hills, Calif., are likely to be more expensive than those in Kansas City, Kansas.)
number of sessions you need for full removal
size of the tattoo being removed
type of procedure you choose
whether or not anesthesia is used.

While one treatment session will generally cost between $100 and $500, most patients need five to 10 sessions to fully remove the tattoo. Because tattoo removals can get costly, make sure you understand the number of sessions you will need before starting any course of treatment for tattoo removal.

Resources

CosmeticSurgery.com (n.d.). Tattoo Removal. Retrieved November 8, 2007 from the Cosmetic Surgery Web site: http://www.cosmeticsurgery.com/research/cosmetic-surgery/Tattoo-Removal/#top.

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