If the tattoo is tired or was made unsuccessfully, you can get rid of it with the help of a laser installation. This task is not an easy one, the main thing is to entrust it to an experienced master. What is the essence of this method? How to reduce a tattoo with a laser to avoid unpleasant consequences? You will find information about this in the article below.
Laser principle
How does a laser cope with a task like tattoo removal? To begin with, it is worthwhile to understand how the drawing itself is done on the body. The pigment is introduced into the upper layers of the epidermis through a special machine. After it penetrates, the body activates a protective reaction, surrounds the coloring matter with cells of the connective tissue. Pigment particles exceed the size of a human cell. It is beyond their power to leave the body on their own. The destruction of the pigment is carried out using laser light pulses, due to which it leaves the body through the lymph.
In modern cosmetology centers, a neodymium laser is usually used to remove a tattoo, because it allows you to remove patterns of any color, does not injure the skin, unlike ruby and alexandrite devices. The procedure for tattoo removal does not require preliminary preparation, however, before resorting to it, you need to consult a dermatologist.
Exposure methods
Laser exposure is of two types:
- Selective. The laser beam acts on the subcutaneous formation, leaving the outer layer without damage. The device is configured depending on the type of tattoo. Thus, it is possible to safely reduce the tattoo with a laser. Pigments that have been destroyed are removed within a month.
- Ablative. The ray affects not only the inner cover, but also the outer. This method is usually used to rejuvenate, therefore, as it affects the upper layer of the dermis. Ideal for patterns that are in the upper layers of the skin.
Benefits
Reducing tattoos with a laser has many advantages:
- Lack of scars and scars. The exception is made by tattoos that were made by an inexperienced master (the drawing is applied to the deep layers of the dermis).
- Painless procedure. During burning, you can feel a slight tingling and burning sensation.
If we mention how much the laser tattoo brings together, then the number of sessions depends on the size of the picture, its quality and color.
For one procedure, the tattoo is discolored by 10-15%. The session is carried out once a month, so that the skin has time to recover. The disadvantages of tattoo removal using a laser include the price of the procedure (often the cost of several sessions exceeds the cost of the tattoo itself).
Laser tattoo removal: contraindications
If the task is to reduce the tattoo with a laser, before you go to the cosmetology office, you need to consider a number of contraindications to such a procedure. These include:
- pregnancy and lactation;
- taking drugs that increase the sensitivity of the skin to ultraviolet light;
- diabetes;
- blood diseases;
- malignant tumors;
- inflammatory processes in the body;
- skin diseases.
If the area with the pattern was cleaned by peeling, resorting to laser tattoo removal is permissible no earlier than 2 weeks later.
Side effects
In order not to encounter side effects that may be felt after the procedure, you need to visit a doctor, undergo a full examination.
Side effects include:
- itching, redness, swelling, minor bleeding;
- allergic reaction;
- change the color of the picture;
- infection in the wound.
As a rule, side effects disappear on their own. If an infection has entered the wound, it may be necessary to take antibiotics and the use of drugs for local therapy.
Does it hurt to get a laser tattoo?
To make the process of removing a body pattern using this method less painful, various methods of anesthesia are used. Beauticians use an air-cooled unit that relieves pain by supplying cold air. Ice packs, creams with anesthetics are also suitable for local cooling. You can reduce the discomfort by injecting lidocaine. It can be painful to get a tattoo with a laser if this procedure is carried out by an inexperienced specialist or if a non-modern device is used.
It will not be possible to quickly get rid of a tattoo with a laser. How many sessions does it take to get a laser tattoo? Practice shows that at least 7-8 procedures are required to completely remove the pattern on the body. The break between them should last at least a month. During this period, the skin will have time to fully recover.
Which tattoo is easier to reduce?
How many sessions you need to get a tattoo with a laser depends on the size of the picture, its location and color. The most effective beam affects black, violet, blue and red pigments.
If we are talking about burning a colored tattoo, then this process will take more time. As for the places from which it is easier to reduce the tattoo, then they are the buttocks, legs, arms. In those areas where the skin is thinner (fingers, ankles), drawing a picture is much more difficult.
The speed of the tattoo information also depends on the skin tone. If the dermis is light, fewer sessions are required. It is important to consider that fresh tattoos are removed much faster than old ones.
What to do immediately after the procedure?
After the session is completed, a bandage will be applied to the skin, which can be removed after 2-3 hours. If pain is felt and swelling occurs, you will have to apply a cold compress, which will eliminate the discomfort.
As for the care of the area that has been exposed to the laser, it is quite simple. All discomfort disappears after seven days from the end of the session. To speed up the healing and restoration of the epidermis, special ointments and moisturizers can be applied to the skin.
During the entire rehabilitation period, you will have to refuse to visit the sauna, solarium, swimming in the sea, pool. It is also important to avoid direct sunlight. To exclude the appearance of scars, you need to try not to injure the dermis and in no case to peel off the crusts.
After the skin is laser treated, it will turn white, but the pattern may appear brighter. During the recovery period, it will be possible to observe how the tattoo gradually brightens. The maximum effect can be seen no earlier than a month later.
Most people who want to get tattoos can not decide on the procedure using a laser for the reason that scars can occur after it. However, the risk of scarring is possible only if the session is carried out by the master without experience.
How to choose a clinic and specialist
In order for the laser tattoo removal to be effective and to minimize the risk of side effects, it is important to entrust this task to an experienced craftsman. It is important to find out if the cosmetology center is licensed for this type of service.
It is also necessary to clarify a number of the following issues:
- Which device is used to burn the tattoo.
- What drugs are used to reduce pain.
- Does the specialist use protective measures. Powerful appliances should be installed in a separate room with a matte finish on the walls.
- In addition, you need to find out what guarantees the clinic provides.
If specialists cannot give answers to all questions, this should alert the patient.
To achieve good results, it is advisable to adhere to the following recommendations:
- It is necessary to apply to highly qualified specialists in proven clinics and centers of aesthetic beauty.
- After the session is completed, you must avoid getting ultraviolet light on the skin, do not use scrubs, peels, do not take hot baths, do not rub the body with a washcloth.
Laser eyebrow and lip tattoo removal
Removal of tattoo from eyebrows and lips can also be done by laser. The method of destruction of the pigment in these places is identical to the bleaching of the tattoo. However, the skin in the area of the eyebrows and lips is too sensitive, so before the procedure, an anesthetic cream is applied to it.
The duration of the manipulation is 10-15 minutes, but it will not be possible to achieve complete removal of the tattoo in one session. As a rule, 3-4 visits to the cosmetologist will be required.
Customer reviews
Before contacting the cosmetology center, you need to analyze the review. You can get a tattoo with a laser in that clinic, which has a good reputation. It is necessary to take into account all the responses, ask the clinic to present a document on the right to conduct such procedures. People who have gone through the entire tattoo removal course claim that the effect is palpable. Despite the discomfort, patients are satisfied with the procedure.
Modern medicine offers the use of safe laser systems, the radiation of which affects exclusively pigment molecules and does not violate the integrity of tissues. As practice shows, side effects after the procedure are a rare occurrence, but in order to avoid them, you need to familiarize yourself with a number of contraindications, choose an experienced specialist and only then reduce the tattoo with a laser. Before and after the procedure, you must consult your doctors.