Sometimes you get a tattoo done at an early age, and believe it or not, it might not be the best outcome that you’d have hoped for. At other times, you might have gone through a whirlwind romance that fizzled out as fast as it started, but the painful tattoo reminder still persists. Other times, you may just get bored of the existing tattoo and feel that it looks drab and pale. There are umpteen reasons why you would have gotten a tattoo done.
While many people choose to live with their reasons for getting a tattoo, some prefer to have it removed. A tattoo is a lifelong commitment that gets etched on to your ink for you to view daily. If you’re not in love with your tattoo anymore, it would be a good idea to get it permanently removed.
There are several things to consider before getting a tattoo removal. It’s always better to be aware, rather than to be ignorant, of your choices and the best options for yourself.
Consult a specialist:
Better than asking your friends and colleagues, if to get the advice of a specialist. Some places still have old tattoo removal hot lasers that can burn the skin and cause blisters. These old antiquated techniques are no longer in use. If someone is forcing you to get that done, please stop a minute and consider other options.
Make sure your tattoo is removed through the mechanisms of a PicoSure Laser, like the one at Zapp Laser Studio in Sussex. The lasers are not magical, but they do work efficiently in removing your tattoo without burning your skin up and leaving permanent scars. A specialist will be able to guide you through the procedure, explain the pros and cons, and help you with the aftercare processes.
It takes time:
Tattoo removal is not instant, like getting a tattoo is. It takes time, and sittings with a specialist to get the tattoo removed. While you may feel this will add to the expense of several sessions, you can rest assured that your skin will thank you for it later. Always remember, the aim is to get the tattoo removed, and not to scar and damage your skin thoroughly. Once the scarring has faded, the tattoo will be gone, and the skin will look good.
All the ink comes off:
Continue with your sitting with the specialist till all the ink is off. There was a popular myth that coloured tattoos do not come off in lasers. This is wrong. The hues of coloured tattoos do come off successfully with the correct technology. Just like hair follicles can be removed with hair, so can black ink, green ink, and coloured hues. PicoSure lasers like the ones at the Zapp Laser Studio in Sussex can also remove greens and yellows. These two inks were considered the most stubborn. However, with the advancements in laser technology, you can get rid of these colours completely.
Get mentally prepared for some pain:
Yes, it is true that tattoo removal involves some pain. However, this is totally relevant to the amount of pain you can handle. If you could get the tattoo in one sitting, you should, ideally, be able to withstand the pain while getting it removed. Additionally, specialists also inject lidocaine into the skin to take the edge off the laser.
Just like any wound, there is some pain later on. You should be prepared for the removal to hurt for up to 4 – 5 days after the removal. You need to keep it covered, salved, and bandaged as per the specialist’s instructions. The skin will scab, peel, and regenerate to form new skin over the earlier one. This process will take time, and you should be mentally prepared to treat it like any other wound.
You can lighten the ink:
If you are averse to removing the entire tattoo and want only a part of it removed, or just lightened, you could opt for that. Many people do not want to remove the whole thing but just lighten it enough to get a cover-up tattoo done on top of the existing one. Some people do not like some aspects of the existing tattoo and only wish to remove those. The choice is entirely yours. Whether you want the whole tattoo off, or just want to lighten it, is something you should be prepared with, before you go to the specialist.
