Having second thoughts about your tattoo? If so, you’re not alone. Every day, we see patients having second thoughts about their tattoos. Tattoos can be removed using a medical laser in Minneapolis. Our Sciton ProFractional laser ablates narrow-diameter channels into the tattoo, covering a fraction of the total treatment area. This action initiates the body’s wound healing response, while leaving the surrounding tissue intact for rapid healing. All colors of ink from the tattoo will respond to the laser. ProFractional utilizes an erbium:YAG laser, which was chosen due to its high ablation efficiency.
Before the treatment is done, the medical practitioner at Shu Cosmetic Surgery will numb of the area with an anesthetic injection. During the procedure it may feel like a slight sting, or a snap of a small rubber band against the skin. After the treatment, skin may have white discoloration and the area around the tattoo may be reddish and could have some swelling. It may feel similar to sunburn after the treatment is done for a day or two. Aquaphor or anti-bacterial ointment should be applied to the tattoo to help with the healing process and keeping it moisturized. The skin containing the ink will slough off over the next couple day following the laser treatment; this reaction is normal and will disappear slowly over time.
Tattoo removal will need a series of treatment to achieve the best results, we recommend anywhere from 4-8 treatments. The number of treatments depends on the type of ink used, location, size, color and depth of the tattoo. It is best to wait anywhere from 4-8 weeks in between each treatment. Hypopigmentation (lightening of the skin) or hyperpigmentation (darkening of the skin) may occur and can be permanent following the laser procedure. Usually this is very rare and more of a risk for darker skinned people. In most cases, normal skin tone should return within 6-12 months following the last treatment session. Since the ink used in tattooing is not regulated, some patients may only have a partial clearing even after several laser sessions.
