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Tattoo removal presents a difficult scenario to the
treating physician. Tattoos may be accidental, caused by dirt or
foreign material being driven into a wound, or they may be purposely applied
in either an amateur or professional setting by using a varied number
of inks and techniques. Successful removal of the latter type of tattoo
is dependent upon its cause, size, method of placement, and type of
pigment. Very small tattoos that seldom "show" are often best
treated by simple excision and closure. A scar will result, but the
scar is often less objectionable than the tattoo itself. Historically,
physicians have treated larger, multicolored, purposely applied tattoos
in two ways:
Dermabrasion--sanding the skin down below the
level of the tattoo ink
Carbon dioxide laser vaporization of the entire tattooed area
In most patients, these treatments result in objectionable scars.
Today, we remove tattoos with a type of laser known as a Q-switched YAG
laser. This laser fires a very intense beam of light, either invisible
or green colored, into the tattoo in a very rapid burst. This heats the
pigment within the tattoo and triggers its eruption from the skin. The
laser color is chosen dependent upon the color of the ink--certain
colors, like fluorescent yellow, are extremely difficult to remove. The
procedure time varies from 15 to 45 minutes, depending on the tattoo
size and the area treated. Topical anesthesia is occasionally used
depending on tattoo location, size and the patient's tolerance for the
brief burning discomfort associated with each laser burst. Oral or
intramuscular sedation can be used at the patient's request. Following
treatment, the wound may ooze small amounts of blood for several hours.
The wound must be covered with a dressing for 24 hours and maintained
in a moist environment for seven to 10 days. The risks of scarring with
this treatment are quite low. However, complete eradication of the
tattoo is quite rare. Although multiple treatments are usually required
to obtain successive lightening of the tattoo, final results are
dependent upon the depth of the tattoo pigment within the skin. On rare
occasions, certain uncommon tattoo inks react with the laser to form a
darker-colored chemical which is untreatable. While some small amounts
of pigment may remain, the average patient is quite happy with the
improvement obtained. Although multiple treatments are required, the
risk of the procedure is quite low.
The information on this web site is only intended as an
introduction to this procedure and should not be used to determine
whether you will have the procedure performed nor as a guarantee of the
result.
The best method of determining your personal options is to schedule a
personal consultation with Dr. Makki. He will be able to answer
specific questions related to your situation.
Please don't hesitate to call for any questions that you might have
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