How are tattoos removed?
Whilst you might be familiar with the way in which tattoos work, you might not understand what is involved when it comes to removing them. Whether you no longer want a tattoo because of the design, or the tattoo no longer carries the same meaning, you can always rely on tattoo removal London to remove your tattoo – but what does it involve? Read on to find out more.
Tattoo removal uses laser therapy
Tattoo removal is carried out using laser therapy and this works by using a beam of light that is delivered at a certain frequency. The laser, beam and frequency can all be altered, which means the artist will be able to control the colour of the laser and the light pulse, depending on the tattoo that is being removed.
As tattoos are ink beneath the skin, the lasers need to penetrate the skin to break down the ink particles. This will then enable the ink to be removed through the immune system. However, the intensity of the laser has to be right as it can cause damage if the energy is too high and that can cause scarring. In contrast, if the intensity is not high enough, the ink particles will not be effectively disrupted.
What is also important is the duration of the pulse as the pigment will absorb the energy from the laser and this causes heat to be released when the particle breaks down. So, tattoo removal involves the use of multiple high-energy pulses that are fired in milliseconds or nanoseconds instead of one constant beam. This enables the pigment to explode through the generation of heat and dissipate before another pulse is delivered. All of this will help to ease pain and reduce scarring.
Different types of lasers
There are a number of different lasers available, and some can be tuned while others will have a fixed frequency. They all work to remove different colours, and this is dependent on the light frequency.
As skin can differ between people and this includes its thickness, colour and different tattoo pigments, it is almost unknown how much laser treatment is required to remove a tattoo. So, the operator will essentially take a slower approach and not over-treat the tattoo as a way of helping to reduce the risk of scarring.
For tattoos that consist of multiple colours, they will require multiple lasers, or the operator might use a laser that enables them to tune the frequency. After the treatment has been given, the skin will whiten and swell with the pigment slowly fading over a period of three to six weeks as the cells of the immune system will remove the damaged particles of ink.
Tattoo removal is a process that requires experience, knowledge and training as lasers can cause significant damage if used incorrectly. Therefore, trained operators will understand the science behind the laser and the makeup of the skin. As a result, they will be able to effectively remove tattoos safely using laser treatment that will be delivered over several treatment sessions.
