TATTOO REMOVAL AT ERIE’S DERMAGRAPHICS BY MILLER
Tattoos are exciting and sound like a great idea at the moment but it’s a long life and what is exciting today can be difficult to explain or inappropriate in years to come. Rebellion is no longer the reason for being tattooed. The current trend is self-expression. Tattoos are not just placed on your arm anymore! Many of the clients in my practice request the removal of another persons name or initials, divorce or the break up of a relationship being the main factor. Some branches of the military will not accept recruits with tattoos that are visible, demanding their removal before acceptance into the service. The removal and correction of permanent makeup is another growing request. No one knows exactly when tattooing began but Egyptian mummies dating as far back as 1300 B.C. have shown evidence of blue marks. Fortunately there are now successful options for those individuals with “TATTOO REMORSE”. Dermabrasion abrades the tattoo with a sanding like motion, peeling back the skin. Excision is where the entire tattoo is removed surgically and the edges are sutured. Lasers use pulses of light to break up tattoo ink. Results vary according to the type of laser used, leaving behind a white ghost in the place of the tattoo in many cases. The Q-switched Nd:Yag, Q-switched Alexandrite and the Q-switched Ruby are the most frequently used. The salt-water method is highly successful in tattoo removal without the probability of heavy scarring. Why salt? Salt is safe when utilized by a properly trained technician. This process is similar to the salibrasion procedure once performed by physicians.How does it work? The skin is a semi permeable membrane allowing only a certain size particle to get through. By introducing a high concentration of salt water next to the dermis (where the unwanted ink or pigment is) water in the cells beneath and surrounding the pigment (containing lower concentrations of salt and water) will rise to the areas containing higher concentrations of salt. This is called equalization. In the process of equalization pigment is forced from the dermal layer of the skin upward to the epidermis by osmotic pressure in an attempt to become equal to the higher concentration of salt and water. Unwanted ink or pigment brought to the skins surface is shed in the scab that forms over the procedure site during the healing process leaving new pink skin in its place. Multiple treatments may be necessary according to the shape, size, location and colors involved in the tattoo, and healing factors of the client. The cost of salt-water removal is often less expensive and less traumatic to the skin than laser, Dermabrasion, and excision. All methods of removal involve multiple treatments with the possible exception of excision. Experience and success in removal is a main factor. Ask to see pictures of results from the individuals you are considering the services of as well as an estimate of sessions required and fees. This is a consumer’s comparison service. Regardless of the method you choose some scarring or color variations are likely to remain. Custom mixed pigment is successful in camouflaging (a permanent makeup service) the scar left behind but is not recommended until the scar is one year old. Stephanie Miller BACK TO LIST OF ARTICLES |