{"id":19170,"date":"2021-07-15T17:36:51","date_gmt":"2021-07-15T22:36:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thepapergown.zocdoc.com\/?p=19170"},"modified":"2023-03-19T11:49:50","modified_gmt":"2023-03-19T16:49:50","slug":"rethinking-your-ink-what-to-know-about-tattoo-removal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/rethinking-your-ink-what-to-know-about-tattoo-removal\/","title":{"rendered":"Rethinking Your Ink? What To Know About Tattoo Removal"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nina Hawkinson, a 40-year-old lawyer in California, is in the process of saying goodbye to a lower back tattoo she got more than two decades ago. Initially, she was very happy with her tat.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But, over time, connotations surrounding \u201ctramp stamps&#8221; and strong disapproval from her parents prompted Hawkinson to rethink her ink. After waffling for a while, she decided to get it removed in honor of her dad\u2019s 70th birthday.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More tattoos are peeking out of waistbands and shirt collars than ever before; today, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ipsos.com\/en-us\/news-polls\/more-americans-have-tattoos-today\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">nearly 30 percent of Americans<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have tattoos, a nine percent increase since 2012. But while body ink has increased in popularity, so have procedures to get rid of it. The <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">global tattoo-removal market is projected to reach $4.8 billion by 2023, per a recent <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/health-coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-tattoos-business-aa753e6b5ef646f7e94293736f078662\"><em>Associated Press<\/em> article<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why is tattoo removal trending? For one thing, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wkyc.com\/article\/entertainment\/television\/programs\/whats-new\/technology-shapes-the-future-of-tattoos\/95-44be5a7f-a4f8-43a1-944e-5f10f2b3764f\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">advancements in laser technology<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have made the process faster and less painful than it used to be. Also, some <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/health-coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-tattoos-business-aa753e6b5ef646f7e94293736f078662\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">tattoo removal firms<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> say the pandemic has driven more removals because people have spent so much time staring at themselves on screen. I.e., it&#8217;s part of the same <\/span>&#8220;Zoom Boom&#8221; getting credit for upticks in other cosmetic procedures, such as nose jobs and adult braces.<\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;re considering removal, here&#8217;s what you need to know about getting un-inked.<\/p>\n<h3>Do I need to see a doctor for tattoo removal?<\/h3>\n<p>Tattoos need to be removed properly, or safety concerns arise. Experts recommend seeking out only licensed medical professionals. A\u00a0 board-certified dermatologist or tattoo removal specialist is your best bet, says <a href=\"https:\/\/medicine.umich.edu\/dept\/dermatology\/jeffrey-s-orringer-md\">Dr. Jeffrey Orringer<\/a>, professor and division chief of the department of dermatology at the University of Michigan.<\/p>\n<h3>What&#8217;s the safest way to get ink removed?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Laser therapy (also called \u201claser rejuvenation\u201d and \u201claser surgery\u201d) is currently the safest, most effective way to get a tattoo removed. This is true for body art tattoos as well as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/removery.com\/tattoo-removal\/eyebrow\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cosmetic tattoos<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, such as permanent eyeliner or eyebrow tattoos.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before laser therapy became the holy grail of tattoo removal procedures, dermatologists used other methods to un-ink patients. While these methods still exist, many are trickier to execute and are more likely to leave scars. These methods include surgical excision, where your derm carves the tattoo out of your skin, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.plasticsurgery.org\/cosmetic-procedures\/tattoo-removal\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">chemical peels<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which lightens tattoos until they&#8217;re completely faded, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.plasticsurgery.org\/cosmetic-procedures\/tattoo-removal\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">dermabrasion<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a surgical procedure in which a doctor uses a medical grinding tool to shave off the ink.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Whatever you do, don&#8217;t try anything at home. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aad.org\/public\/cosmetic\/hair-removal\/laser-tattoo-removal\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The American Academy of Dermatology<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> strongly warns against DIY removal, which can cause bad scars and infections. Two similar, popular DIY methods are <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health\/home-tattoo-removal#at-home-myths\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">home-made dermabrasion<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which mimics the surgical procedure by rubbing down a tattoo with sandpaper, or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health\/home-tattoo-removal#at-home-myths\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">salabrasian<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, where you rub off a tattoo with table salt. (Ouch.)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>How exactly does laser therapy work?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To understand laser removal, you really have to understand what it means to get tatted: An ink-filled needle passes through the skin\u2019s outer layer (the epidermis) and deposits ink into the skin\u2019s middle layer (the dermis). What we see as a gorgeous flower or dragon tattoo on a person\u2019s skin is, in reality, thousands of microscopically small balls of ink, Orringer says.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Laser therapy directly penetrates that skin with its light waves and targets these small fragments of ink.<\/span> This causes the <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ink particles heat up and explode into small fragments. White blood cells chew up these particles, a process Orringer compares to Pac-Man munching on dots. Then, the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.allure.com\/story\/tattoo-removal-ink-excretion\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">lymphatic system<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> flushes out the ink, now waste, through sweat, urine and fecal matter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lasers come in different wavelengths to remove different colors of ink. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6676804\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Q-switched lasers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are considered the standard in tattoo removal. They come in dual wavelengths, which means they can target multiple colors at once.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Newer methods, like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dermatologytimes.com\/view\/combination-therapies-may-be-best-tattoo-removal\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">picosecond lasers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, have risen in popularity because they are quicker and more efficient at targeting tattoo pigment, so they can lessen the amount of sessions you might have to go through. The catch is they&#8217;re more expensive.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>What should you expect from the removal process?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you decide to un-ink, you\u2019re in it for the long haul. Tattoo removal usually takes a year or more. When you find a specialist you like, they will review your medical history, take a look at your ink and come up with a treatment plan and timeline.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before your first removal session, they will perform a laser patch test to make sure you don\u2019t experience any adverse allergic reactions. Patients usually require multiple sessions, six to eight weeks apart, but the precise number varies. \u201cIt\u2019s not one and done,\u201d says Dr. Bobby Buka, dermatologist, author and co-founder of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thedermspecs.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Dermatology Specialists<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in New York City.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Are certain tattoos more difficult to remove than others?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes! As a rule of thumb, it\u2019s easiest to remove older, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/9-tips-for-tattoo-removal\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">black tattoos<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, because some of the ink has already faded, while it\u2019s harder to get colored tattoos removed. Location also makes a difference. The<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> farther a tattoo is from the heart, the harder it is to remove, explains Orringer. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.allure.com\/story\/tattoo-removal-ink-excretion\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are more veins<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> near your heart than in other areas of your body, which means the pigment gets flushed out faster. Hand and foot tattoos are some of\u00a0 most difficult to remove because of lower blood flow.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>How much does getting un-inked<i> actually<\/i> hurt?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many dermatologists say getting a tattoo removed is about as painful as getting inked in the first place. But pain ratings vary by patient. For Hawkinson, removal has been \u201cexcruciating.\u201d <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regardless of your threshold for pain, you\u2019ll likely receive a topical anesthetic cream, or a local anesthetic injection, before going under the laser to help numb the area and mitigate pain.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But stop and think before popping your go-to painkiller before your treatment. Aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (i.e., Advil) can cause post-treatment bruising, so <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.asds.net\/skin-experts\/skin-treatments\/laser-light-therapy\/laser-therapy-for-unwanted-tattoo\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> American Society for Dermatologic Surgery<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> cautions against taking them.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Does insurance cover removal?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It depends. This is often considered a cosmetic procedure, so it typically isn\u2019t covered. A tattoo that cost \u201cfive hundred bucks to put on could cost five thousand to come off,\u201d says Buka. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Factors that can affect cost include the tattoo\u2019s age and color, whether it was done professionally and its location on the body. Check with your insurance provider for more details.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>What side effects and longterm risks should you be prepared for?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Common side effects include scabbing, blistering, redness and swelling. Think of it like a bad sunburn. Hawkinson says the biggest side effect has been intense itching, which she combats with a combination of Aquaphor and prescription hydrocortisone.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rarer longtime risks include scarring, discoloration and infection. Laser removal can char the top layer of your skin, which makes it <\/span>somewhat<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> more vulnerable to infection. Make sure to spend time on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health\/tattoo-removal-how#before-and-after\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">aftercare<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to lessen your chances of infection.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0Keep the conversation with your derm going, and <\/span>ask them about potential risks. They are your most important resource through the process.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Luckily, there is one thing you don\u2019t need to discuss with them, if you feel shy about it, which is why you\u2019re getting a tattoo removed. That\u2019s your business, and people de-ink for all sorts of reasons. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The number one type of tattoo Dr. Buka\u2019s asked to remove? \u201cOther people\u2019s names,\u201d he says. \u201cBuy them something nice instead.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h1 class=\"p1\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"s1\">Ready to book a doctor&#8217;s appointment? Visit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/\"><span class=\"s2\">Zocdoc.<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/h1>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The tattoo removal business is booming. Here&#8217;s what to know before saying goodbye to your ink.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":70,"featured_media":19171,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[227],"tags":[103,21,78],"class_list":["post-19170","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides","tag-prep","tag-dermatology","tag-health-insurance","reviewer-dr-nassim-assefi","specialist_by_city-dermatologists"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Rethinking Your Ink? What To Know About Tattoo Removal - Guides<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The tattoo removal business is booming. 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