One of the most revolutionary aesthetic innovations to date is laser tattoo removal. Of course, facial fillers and Botox are also great because they get rid of unwanted wrinkles. However, the PicoSure™ Laser, for tattoo removal, gets rid of mistakes you feared were permanent from unwanted tattoos. We all consider getting a tattoo at some point in our life, but there are also some who take the tattoo leap and 20 years later, they regret the decision horribly.
Think about it this way, if it weren’t for laser tattoo removal, Angelina Jolie would still be looking at Billy Bob Thornton’s name tattooed on her arm.
How Laser Tattoo Removal Works
Laser tattoo removal has become a safe practice and is now less painful with the PicoSure™. The procedure is even less painful than when you initially got the tattoo. With laser tattoo removal, there’s no needle pulsing into your skin at rapid speeds, but rather it’s a laser that sends pressurized pulses of low energy into the pigments of your skin, breaking up the ink into such tiny particles that they aren’t noticeable anymore.
Tattoo ink appears like boulders under the microscope before the treatment and gets reduced to sand after the PicoSure™ laser treatment. Older lasers were only able to reduce the ink to rock sized particles and used considerably more energy that would result in scarring or burns. The PicoSure™ leaves your skin intact, and when the series of treatments are complete, smoother skin than you started with.
Preparing for Laser Tattoo Removal
- Keep out of the sun. This isn’t a permanent suggestion, but it is recommended to keep your skin out of the sun as much as possible for two weeks prior to the procedure, and you’ll also have to keep it up for a few weeks afterwards (doctor Blanchar will advise you on the time frame). This reduces the chance for unwanted side effects.
- Laser tattoo removal can cause minor discomfort. Blanchar will add a local anesthetic to the area prior treating the area. This anesthetic generally wears off within an hour. If needed, Tylenol will be sufficient for any discomfort after the procedure. Avoid aspirin, Advil, Motrin and Aleve as these can act indirectly as blood thinners. These medications can sometimes cause the affected area to become tender to the touch.
- Keep the area clean prior to treatment. This means no skin care products, even sun screen and lotions. After treatment, avoid getting the area wet apply ointment such as Aquaphor or Vaseline to the area for the first 2-3 days and keep it covered. Day 3 and on, keep clean and dry with a mild soap
- Make sure the tattoo is easy to get to prior to treatment. When you go in for the tattoo removal, you want to make sure it’s easy to access the tattooed skin. This means you’ll want to wear clothing that isn’t restricting to the area, so if it’s on your leg, wear shorts, if it’s a sleeve tattoo, wear a tank top etc. The physician will provide a gown if necessary.
