Getting a tattoo may be an exciting experience. It’s one of the primary ways we may express ourselves or memorialise significant events in our life. However, as you mature and evolve as a person, you may no longer find that tattoo you received 10 or 20 years ago intriguing. Looking at it may even be emotionally distressing. That is where the tattoo removal procedure might come in handy.
Whether you want to remove a painful memory or simply move on with your life, removing tattoos may be as powerful as having them. But what precisely is the procedure? We visited with dermatologists and tattoo removal professionals to learn more about the procedure’s cost, agony, and science.
Simply described, tattoo removal is the act of removing a tattoo from the skin. This can be accomplished with the use of a laser, a surgical technique, or a dermabrasion procedure. The most frequent way, however, is to use a laser.
When a tattoo is applied, the ink is applied beneath the epidermis or top layer of the skin. This makes removal more difficult, unpleasant, and costly than the original tattoo application. Tattoo removals in Singapore may need one or more treatments.
Is tattoo removal painful?
Even with a topical numbing lotion administered, laser tattoo removal can be highly painful and unpleasant. To reduce discomfort, various techniques are employed in clinics, including external forced air freezing of the skin surface and topical numbing gels.
Tattoos that are really thick and black are frequently more challenging to remove since the more pigment gives more targets for the laser to focus on and erase. In terms of positioning on sensitive skin such as the face, removal will be more unpleasant, as would skin that is tightly overlying a bone, such as an ankle or elbow.
Dermabrasion can be unpleasant, although it is far less painful than laser removal. The surgical approach is the least painful of the three since the region is injected with a numbing medicine before surgery.
What is the tattoo removal recovery procedure like?
Recovery time after tattoo removal varies based on the individual, the tattoo, and the treatment used.
Although laser ink removal procedures can take just minutes, this approach typically involves many appointments and a six-to-eight-week waiting time between each appointment. This results in a lengthy process from beginning to end.
You may have oedema or blistering following each operation. The colour and placement of the tattoo will determine how the skin appears after each laser treatment. Darker, more dense pigmentation located further away from the body’s centre may increase the likelihood of blister development. To assist in healing and avoid infection, the skin should be carefully washed, and an occlusive ointment should be used.
The recovery time for surgical tattoo removal is three to four weeks. We recommend cleaning the treated area for the first two weeks and avoiding direct sun exposure. An antibiotic ointment will be administered to help heal and prevent any infection from occurring. Unfortunately, this approach nearly often leaves a scar even after healing.
The recuperation period for the dermabrasion treatment is significantly longer in comparison to the other two alternatives. The skin will be painful and raw for several weeks, and an antibiotic ointment will be required to prevent infection. In addition, patients must avoid bathing the region and direct sun exposure for six months after the consultation.
Recovery duration might be extended, and complete therapy can take months or years. Therefore, people should be aware of their alternatives so that they may choose the best tattoo removal process for them.
