Monday, February 25, 2008

Tattoo after laser removal?

I was wondering if it was possible to tattoo skin that has already had laser tattoo removal?I have a tattoo on my back and was hoping for a changeOnce I've done laser tattoo removal, will the skin take ink like it did before? or will a new tattoo over the lasered area actually appear scarred and/or discolored?
Actually many people have their tattoo lightened with laser so they can re-tattoo it with something new.I am not saying this is okay to do routinely - it's not like buying new shoes, but it is certainly an option. In fact, many times people NOT intending to have another tattoo after laser come in for one because they don't like how the laser has left their skin with things such as incomplete removal and/or abnormal lightening of their own skin tone.At any rate, the skin must be fully healed - I would say at least three months.

It also depends on the laser. The laser that I am currently having treatments with leaves NO scarring. In this case, you CAN get a new one over it. If you have scarring, then I wouldn't risk trying a new one. Just know that if you are getting it removed by laser, it can cost ALOT. Mine is $400/treatment and it is going to take 6-10 treatments. You do the math.

Lasers are the single most common method for removing tattoos. The lasers work by targeting the tattoo ink with pulses of light that are highly concentrated and break the ink into smaller fragments. After this your immune system takes care of the broken up ink. And usually it is done with more than one treatment. And the more treatments you have the more the laser can break up the ink by penetrating the skin. This can have a very negative effect because the more treatments that you undergo the more damage is done to your skin. This damage can result in very painful blisters and scabs that can sometimes lead to scarring. Some experts in the field say that the technology has advanced to the point where scarring and damage has been reduced dramatically, but then again, with everything, it varies based on the situation.And not only can it be painful, it can be very expensive. You may need many sessions (sometimes as many as 10) and they can cost up to $850 per session. That’s a lot of money! A professional tattoo with lots of color and large in size could take a long time and a lot of money to have removed.The worst part is, the removal IS NOT GUARANTEED!There is another way. You could try Intense Pulsed Light Therapy. It’s a new dermal enhancer that uses high intensity light just like laser treatment but in this case a gel is applied to the skin and a wand is waved over emitting pulses of light. This therapy is said to be less painful and more effective.The only problem is is that this therapy is very expensive. It can cost $10 PER PULSE. Your best bet is to research all of your options very carefully until you find one that best fits your situation.

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