There are lots of people who love tattoos and love all of their tattoos, but what if you had a tattoo that you wanted removed? What if there was one tattoo that reminded you of something you’d rather forget?
Fortunately, laser tattoo removal offers everyone a way to remove tattoos so that they can get on with their lives.
Why Have a Tattoo Removed?
It might seem strange to people who love getting inked but sometimes a person has very good reasons for wanting a tattoo removed. Here are some reasons to consider:
Cultural and Family Issues
Not all cultures and families look kindly upon tattoos. In some cultures, a tattoo may even be considered a sign of criminality or bad moral character.
Many people have tattoos done for the wrong reasons or because they have rushed the decision. In such cases, this may go against the grain of family and may even offend people from their own culture.
Bad Memory
Whilst many tattoo enthusiasts love their ink because it tells a story about their life, some people don’t want to be reminded of a particularly difficult time.
For example, prison tattoos are common but sometimes a person would rather not be reminded of their time in prison so that they can more easily move on with their life.
Likewise, gang-related tattoos are not uncommon in certain areas of the country. Those who escape gang life and would rather move on unencumbered may find it useful to have laser tattoo removal done.
Also consider a person who has a tattoo of their husband or wife somewhere on themself. If the relationship sours and goes bad, it might be best to have that tattoo removed.
Bad Tattoo
The fact is that not all tattoos are well designed. Some people go to friends with tattoo equipment to have them done cheaply or as some sort of experiment.
In many cases, these tattoos simply look downright horrible. They are often poorly designed and poorly inked, with crooked lines and unskilled artistry.
Outgrown Tattoos
Maybe you’ve rushed the decision to have a tattoo and you’re not happy? Or maybe a tattoo that you had done years ago no longer has any meaning for you because you’re changed and outgrown it? In either case, laser tattoo removal can help you get on with your life.
Career
Even though many employers tolerate and even welcome tattoos, there are still many who don’t look kindly on them. They may be seen as a sign of bad character, for example. In such cases, it might be best to have an offending tattoo removed, especially if it’s the job of a lifetime.
It may even make sense for an unemployed person to remove facial tattoos, for example. Many employers don’t like facial tattoos but are okay with others that can easily be covered by clothing.
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How Does Laser Tattoo Removal Work?
Laser tattoo removal is one of the most effective forms of tattoo removal because it destroys the pigmentation beneath the skin.
During the process, a special kind of laser is directed at small areas of the tattoo. This laser passes through the upper skin layers and hits the tattoo ink pigments underneath.
It makes them vibrate and move around and finally breaks them down into much smaller pieces. These small pieces can then be removed normally by the body.
What Should You Know About Laser Tattoo Removal?
Even though the technology has improved significantly and laser tattoo removal is a much better option than other alternatives, there are definitely some things that you should know about it:
It Can Take a While
Many people expect that it will all be done and over in a few sessions but this would be wrong. Though some smaller tattoos can be done in several sessions, larger pieces can take many sessions.
It isn’t similar to using an eraser on paper to rub out pencil lines either. It will do the job of destroying the pigments but it’s not immediate. The process can even take a few years before it’s complete and the body has removed most of the ink.
It Can Be Painful
Laser removal is effective but it’s not painless.
Most practitioners will administer a skin-numbing agent before they start but there will definitely be some pain afterwards, especially if the tattoo is large or in a sensitive skin area.
Removal Depends on Several Factors
It’s easier to remove the traditional blue-black ink than light blue or orange. In fact, different ink colors require different laser frequencies and can take longer to get rid of.
There are other things that affect the time and effort to remove tattoos as well, including having dark skin pigmentation and having skin conditions.
If you have had an amateur tattoo done, this is usually the quickest and easiest to have removed. Those types of tattoos don’t usually penetrate too deeply under the skin. On the other hand, large tattoos done by professionals with different colors pose a much greater challenge.
It Can Be Expensive
Given that you’ll likely have to invest in a number of sessions over a number of months, the costs can definitely add up. The benefit is that you will have time to save some money in between sessions, though.
If laser tattoo removal seems a touch expensive, you might want to consider having the offending tattoo modified or covered up by another tattoo. However this is not always desirable or possible.
Conclusion
Sometimes, a tattoo is outgrown, means less than it used to, looks bad, or just isn’t part of your life story anymore. In these cases, laser tattoo removal offers an effective method for removing up to ninety percent of the ink pigmentation.
But it’s also wise to remember that it won’t offer immediate removal and can definitely take some time, depending on mitigating factors such as skin condition, age of the tattoo, and size and colors used in the tattoo.