Getting a tattoo is a big deal. Inking a design or words onto your skin? That’s not easily removable. You can’t just take a baby wipe and get rid of the words once you’re bored. Tattoos are designed to be for life, inked into the skin and staying in place until you are long dead.
Sure, tattoos fade over time – it is ink, after all – but that doesn’t mean that you won’t change your mind one day. And when you do, that is when you need to prepare for tattoo removal and all that goes with it.
And people do, it’s why laser tattoo removal was born. It’s not an easy procedure to go through – you’re going to be removing ink from your skin that was never meant to be removed. People remove their tattoos for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it’s due to regret, and other times it’s because of an old design looking blurry and more like a wet newspaper than a tattoo.
The thing is, tattoo removal is not an easy process and that’s why you have to be prepared for it. So, let’s take a look at how you can do just that! If it is something that is bothering you and you want to feel better – then go for it!
Steps for Tattoo Removal
- It’s going to take more than one treatment to get rid of your tattoo, and it won’t be comfortable. It’s always better to ensure you’re well equipped with over the counter numbing cream before you go as you can make the process a little more comfortable than it would have been. The number of sessions that you have to get the tattoo removed will depend on the size of the tattoo and the place removing it.
- Most people need 6 to 8 sessions to completely remove their tattoo. The number of treatments needed depends on the size of the tattoo, the colors used, and your skin type. Large tattoos can take 10 sessions or more. In order for the skin to heal, sessions are spaced 6-8 weeks apart
- You should be open-minded about the procedure before you get it done. Some tattoos will only partially fade, where others will be completely removed. There’s no telling which yours will be.
- Laser technology has evolved, and that means that almost all inks can be eradicated, but different lasers will offer very different results.
- Where your tattoo is will affect your removal. If you have one covering your whole back, you’re going to find that it fades more slowly than ones closer to your heart. Apparently, the story goes that the closer it is to the heart, the faster it fades. This is due to the circulation around the heart.
- It will hurt. We won’t mince the words on this one! Tattoos themselves are painful to get, so the process to remove them? It’s not going to be all rainbows and unicorns. Tattoo ink goes into the deeper layers of skin and the lasers have to reach those areas, too.
- Unless you already have an existing scar, are prone to scarring or keloids, or are reckless with your aftercare; laser tattoo removal will typically not cause scarring. … In this case, the removal of the tattoo would reveal the scar, making it appear as though the scarring is a result of the removal process
A tattoo is not supposed to be removed, so if you can get a cover designed for a tattoo that you no longer want, you’re likely to find it less expensive and less painful than getting the tattoo removed entirely.
You can easily speak to your tattooist about this, and they can offer a redesign that will cover the first design and still look good. However, if a removal is necessary, research the best options for you and your skin. You may find one tattoo removal specialist uses different techniques than another!