5 Reasons to Choose Laser Tattoo Removal

Laser tattoo removal is a frequently used tattoo removal procedure. Laser beams are used to target specific ink pigments and break them down. Afterwards, the body’s lymphatic system filters the ink residue and eliminates it. The laser beam is calibrated depending on the specific color which needs removal and most pigments are successfully removed. There are other methods used to remove tattoos, like creams, surgical excision, dermabrasion, gels and saline solutions, but laser tattoo removal procedures are still the safest and get the best results.

1. High Success Rate

The most important thing when one chooses a method for removing a tattoo is the success rate. Laser tattoo removal techniques get the best results. Most tattoo ink pigments can be broken down with specific laser beams. For instance, darker pigments like black, blue, brown or purple, are broken down with the same wavelength (1064 nanometers), while red, yellow orange and other lighter colors use a wavelength of 536 nanometers. The results of alternative tattoo removal techniques are not as good.

Tattoo removal creams are designed to fade the tattoo in time, but the outcome is not always as expected and sometimes the process takes too long.

Dermabrasion and salabration remove only the top layers and are considered traumatic procedures, being ineffective.

2. Low Risk or Side Effects

When removing a tattoo using laser beams, only the targeted ink pigment is affected. The healthy skin in the area is not damaged. Laser tattoo removal can have side effects like scarring, swelling, bleeding, changes in pigmentation, but they happen rarely and they are manageable by means of other treatments.

In case of surgical excisions, the tattooed area of the skin is surgically removed. It could work for small tattoos, but the procedure is more dangerous in larger tattoos. It increases the risk of infection and scarring. The same risks are rather high in dermabrasion and salabration.

3. Cost Effective

Laser tattoo removal procedures are no longer as expensive as they used to be when the procedure started to be used. Moreover, the patient should take into consideration that the risk of side-effects is diminished, so further expenses due to complications are more likely to be avoided.

4. Shorter Recovery Period

Laser tattoo removal requires a few sessions to get the desired outcome. The number of sessions required depends on the size and the complexity of the tattoo. However, during the treatment, the patient can still perform his normal daily activities and results are visible after each session.

5. Less Traumatic

When removing a tattoo using laser beams, only the targeted ink pigment is affected. The healthy skin in the area is not damaged.

In case of other techniques such as dermabrasion, salabration or surgical excision, the trauma is much greater. Dermabrasion and salabration destroy skin layers.

Surgical excision of larger tattoos may involve skin grafting. This means that skin needs to be removed from another area to replace the missing tattooed skin. The patient ends up with at least 2 traumatized skin areas.