Having Second Thoughts about Your Tattoo?
If so, you are not alone. What once seemed like a good idea no longer fits your image, and you wish the tattoo could just go away. Now it can! Using our advanced laser system, we can safely remove your tattoo with little or no scarring.
How Do the Lasers Remove Tattoos?
A laser is an intense beam of light. The ink particles of your tattoo absorb this light without harming the surrounding healthy cells. The particles are broken into tiny fragments that are then absorbed by your body’s natural cleansing process. The body’s process of clearing the fragments takes several months.
How Many Treatments Will I Need?
The number of treatments required for maximum improvement depends on the size, location, depth, and color of your tattoo. Treatments should be about 2 to 3 months apart to allow your body to remove the maximum amount of tattoo pigment. The tattoo will fade over the 2 to 3 months that follow each treatment.
The truth is that the number of treatments you need is hard to predict. A few facts:
– Simple tattoos with less ink require fewer treatments.
– Older tattoos require fewer treatments.
– Amateur tattoos require fewer treatments.
– Some tattoos will only partially fade, no matter how many treatments you undergo.
We have treated tattoos that disappeared after only two or three treatments, but we have also treated tattoos that were still not completely gone after 10 to 12 treatments. The average person probably does 5 to 7 treatments.
How Do Lasers Compare to Other Tattoo Removal Methods?
The other methods, which include surgical removal, dermabrasion, and chemical peels, are more invasive and painful, and can even result in scarring. Laser tattoo removal is safer and only targets the ink, not the surrounding tissue.
Can all tattoos be removed?
The easiest tattoos to remove are dark blue and black tattoos. Red also does well. The most difficult colors to remove are light colors such as yellow and light green. Tattoos with these colors can only be partially removed or lightened.
We do not treat white or flesh-colored tattoos, because these colors can sometimes turn black or darken with laser treatment.
We do not remove “permanent make-up” tattoos.
Does the laser hurt?
It stings. The options for anesthesia are:
- No anesthesia
- Numbing cream applied 1 to 2 hours prior to the procedure
- Injecting the area with an anesthetic to make it numb prior to the procedure
“No anesthesia” is a bit painful in my opinion, but many patients select this option. Injecting the area makes the procedure painless (except for the injections). The numbing cream is somewhere in between and is the most popular option.
Are There Any Side Effects?
Minor crusting and/or blistering sometimes occur for several days after treatment. Significant scarring with laser tattoo removal is rare, but the texture of the skin can change when multiple treatments are required. The risk of these skin changes increases with the number of treatments performed. Other possible side effects include: hypopigmentation, or a whitening of the skin; hyperpigmentation, or a darkening of the skin. Patients with darker skin are most at risk for these side effects. Often, the normal skin tone will return over time, but this may take as long as 6 to 12 months and does not always occur. Another “side effect” is that some patients will have only partial tattoo removal even after several laser sessions.
Why choose us for Laser Tattoo Removal:
Expertise – You will be evaluated and treated by a board-certified MD dermatologist.
We are laser experts (we have eight lasers at our office – more than most universities).
Experience – We have been treating tattoos with lasers since 1999.
We have been in business in Hollywood since 1975.
We have a clean modern office, sterile equipment, and a well-trained staff (who happen to be very nice!).
