If you have at least one tattoo, you’re in good company: By some estimates, about 25% of all adults — and as many as 40% of young adults — in the United States make the choice to have something meaningful permanently inked on their bodies.
But if you also find yourself wishing you could get rid of your tattoo, you’re still not alone: Statistics show that approximately half of all people with tattoos eventually have a change of heart and decide to get them removed.
Whether the ink has faded so much that it’s hard to tell what your tattoo was meant to be or the image simply no longer fits your lifestyle or personality, we can help you say goodbye to your tattoos quickly, safely, and with very little risk of skin damage.
Read on to find out how PicoSure® laser tattoo removal can substantially lighten or completely erase a tattoo you no longer want.
During the tattooing process, the ink is actually set beneath your top layer of skin, which is why professional tattoos are permanent. Not long ago, the only ways to remove an unwanted tattoo were surgically or through painful dermabrasion treatments, both of which could cause scarring that was often far less appealing than the tattoo itself.
Today, the highly advanced PicoSure laser by Cynosure® makes it possible to significantly lighten or totally remove indelible body art without scarring or damage to your skin tissue.
During PicoSure tattoo removal treatments, patented PressureWave™ technology delivers intense, ultra-short wavelengths of energy to target ink particles. Because they’re so rapid and powerful, these highly targeted pulses of energy cause a change in pressure that breaks tattoo ink apart into miniscule particles that can be absorbed by your lymphatic system and permanently flushed from your body.
Other laser tattoo removal devices rely solely on heat, not pressure, to disrupt ink particles. Although these less-advanced forms of laser technology can successfully fade tattoos, they’re less likely to deliver complete results and more likely to increase your risk of sustaining skin damage in the process.
The PicoSure laser, on the other hand, can safely and effectively lighten or remove virtually any tattoo. The technology works well on:
Although PicoSure tattoo removal has an excellent track record for providing complete results, there are certain factors that help determine whether your tattoo will disappear completely or simply fade.
Older tattoos generally disappear more easily and with fewer treatments, for example, while tattoos located further down your legs or arms are typically harder to remove. Amateur tattoos also tend to disappear more quickly than professional ones.
Laser tattoo removal is a highly individualized treatment. The size, location, and quality of your tattoo, as well as your body’s own healing response, all play major roles in determining how many sessions you’ll need to achieve complete results.
In most cases, complete removal requires 4-6 laser treatments, scheduled 6-8 weeks apart to give your body ample time to process and eliminate the targeted ink particles.
It takes just 10-30 minutes to complete a single laser tattoo removal session, and the PicoSure laser can generally get the job done in fewer treatments than old-school laser devices that don’t incorporate pressure.
Laser tattoo removal feels a lot like the tattooing process, which means some people inevitably find it a bit uncomfortable. But if you have a low tolerance for pain, we can apply a topical numbing cream to keep you perfectly comfortable from start to finish.
Give us a call to find out more about the benefits of PicoSure laser tattoo removal at General Medicine & Aesthetics, or use the convenient online booking tool to schedule a consultation at our Fort Lauderdale, Florida office today.
