Having unwanted tattoos is a very common issue. Your personal tastes will change over time, and tattoos that you received when you were younger might not reflect your current aesthetic and lifestyle. Alternatively, your tattoos might fade or blur in an unattractive manner. Fortunately, you can remove your unwanted tattoos with laser treatments. At Nourished MedSpa and Wellness Center in Sherman, Texas, we can use this fantastic tattoo removal technique to treat your unwanted tattoos.
Tattoo Removal FAQs: How Long Does It Take to Get Rid of a Tattoo?
Removing a tattoo is a very individualized process. Some tattoos can be removed in three treatment sessions. Other tattoos will require over ten laser treatments. The length of your treatment plan will depend on a variety of factors.
Location
Your tattoo’s location will affect how it responds to the removal process. The laser treatment will break up the ink that was used to create your tattoo. After your treatment session, your body will eliminate the ink fragments from your skin.
This process occurs more quickly in areas where your blood flows strongly. As a result, tattoos that are located closer to your heart will fade quickly. Tattoos in areas where you have weaker blood flow, such as your feet and hands, will take longer to fade.
Colors
The colors used to create your tattoo also affect the duration of your treatment. Black ink responds well to laser treatments, and you will need fewer sessions to remove a prominently black tattoo. Blue ink is more difficult to remove than black ink. White, pink, and yellow ink are some of the most challenging shades to remove.
Fortunately, there have been significant advances in laser technology, and newer laser systems are much more effective at treating colorful tattoos than previous laser techniques. At Nourished MedSpa and Wellness Center, we use a sophisticated laser system that is able to treat many different types of tattoos.
Age
You have probably already noticed that your tattoos fade over time. Since your body has already eliminated some of the ink in an older tattoo, you will need fewer treatments to completely fade a tattoo that you’ve had for many years. In contrast, a bright, new tattoo that is less than a year old will be more difficult to treat.
Size
As you might guess, your treatment plan will be longer if you are targeting a tattoo that covers a larger area of your skin. For instance, you might need only a few treatment sessions to completely remove a small tattoo. You will need to receive more sessions to remove a larger tattoo.
Artist
It’s always a good idea to use the services of a professional tattoo artist when you decide to get a tattoo. A professional will use a sterile, safe process to make your tattoo, and your results will be more attractive and precise. However, professionals usually use more ink to create their tattoos than amateur tattoo artists do. As a result, you will usually need to receive more treatments to remove a professionally-created tattoo.
Tattoos that are layered on top of each other are also more difficult to treat than singular tattoos. Layered tattoos are created when you minimize or change your original tattoo by covering it with another tattoo. Your layered tattoo is likely to cover a larger area of skin and contain denser, darker ink. You will need to receive additional sessions to remove this type of tattoo.
Scheduling Your Treatments
You will need to wait several weeks between each treatment. Spacing out your treatments will give your tattoo more time to respond to your laser treatment. During your initial consultation, we will provide you with more details about your anticipated treatment schedule.
How Does This Laser Treatment Remove My Tattoo?
During your appointment, we will transmit laser energy to your unwanted tattoo. As the ink in your tattoo absorbs this energy, it will break into very small particles. Over time, your body’s immune system will eliminate these particles using natural processes. As your body flushes out the ink fragments, your tattoo will gradually fade and become less noticeable. This process usually takes several weeks to complete.
What Will My Laser Treatments Be Like?
Laser treatments are a gentle, easy way to target an unwanted tattoo. In fact, you are likely to feel more comfortable during your laser treatment than you did when you initially received your tattoo. That said, if you are feeling nervous about the removal process, we can administer local anesthetic to your target area. This anesthetic will numb your skin, and help you relax during the treatment process.
After the anesthetic has taken effect, we will administer the laser energy to your treatment area. We will monitor your skin to ensure that you remain safe and comfortable throughout your appointment.
What Will My Recovery Period Be Like?
This is a very safe, gentle treatment, and you will have a short recovery period. In fact, your skin is likely to recover from your treatment in a couple of days. You don’t need to take time off from your job. Instead, you can quickly return to your exercise routine, hobbies, and other activities.
However, you should follow some easy aftercare rules while your skin is healing. In particular, you should avoid excessive sun exposure during this time. We may also ask you to apply a healing ointment to your treatment area for a few days.
When Will I See Positive Changes in My Tattoo?
Your treatment will be personalized, so you might notice changes in your tattoo more or less quickly than other people. That said, your tattoo should look less noticeable after your initial session. As you progress through your treatment plan, your tattoo will continue to fade.
How Can I Speed Up the Removal Process?
If you’re eager to minimize the appearance of your unwanted tattoo, you’re in luck. Since your body must flush the ink fragments from your treatment area, the speed of the removal process is affected by the strength and health of your immune system. There a few simple rules that you can follow to improve your immune system and speed up the removal process.
Exercise Regularly
Frequent exercise will strengthen your body by improving your blood flow and immune system. If you are in good health, your body will be able to quickly process and eliminate the ink fragments in your target area. You may be pleasantly surprised by how quickly your tattoo fades once you begin a regular exercise program.
Stop Smoking
As you already know, smoking increases your risk of developing many serious health conditions. However, you might not be aware that smoking also makes the tattoo removal process more difficult. Smoking damages your blood flow and immune system.
These effects decrease your body’s ability to heal wounds and clear the ink particles from your treatment area. As a result, if you smoke cigarettes, you will probably need to receive more treatment sessions to completely remove your unwanted tattoo.
Quitting smoking before your treatment begins will improve your health and strengthen your immune system. Your laser treatment sessions will be more effective and efficient.
Drink Lots of Water
Drinking lots of liquids will keep your body stay hydrated and healthy. Staying hydrated will improve your immune system and help your body quickly remove the ink particles in your unwanted tattoo. Avoiding alcohol during your treatment plan will also help your body remain hydrated and strong.
Avoid the Sun
You should not expose your treatment area to excessive sunlight while you are progressing through your treatment plan. You cannot receive a laser treatment while you have a sunburn on your target area. Further, receiving too much sun may harm your immune system. As a result, you should avoid going outside when the sun is strong. Further, you should wear strong sunscreen, a hat, and other protective clothing when you go outdoors.
Can I Use an At-Home Treatments to Remove My Tattoo?
Some companies sell at-home treatments that promise to remove your unwanted tattoos. These treatments include creams, chemical peels, and other skincare products. Although these treatments might be inexpensive, they are usually not very effective. Further, these treatments do not include the safety measures that are used during a professional tattoo removal treatment. You might burn your skin or develop scars if you use one of these treatments on yourself.
You will protect your skin and achieve more optimal results if you receive treatment from a trained medical professional. At Nourished MedSpa and Wellness Center, we will transmit laser energy to your target area in a precise, targeted manner. We will also monitor your skin throughout your appointment, and adjust the laser energy to fit your unique needs.
How Soon Can I Remove a Recently Acquired Tattoo?
It’s common to immediately regret a newly acquired tattoo. Fortunately, you can use this laser treatment on new tattoos. That said, you cannot use this laser technique right after you received your tattoo. You will usually need to wait for several weeks as your skin heals and renews itself. Giving your skin time to recover will protect your safety and allow you to achieve better results from your laser treatments.
Can I Remove Part of My Tattoo?
It’s common to want to remove certain features from a larger tattoo. For instance, you might like your tattoo’s overall appearance, but wish to remove a specific element from your design. Alternatively, you might want to remove the name of a person who is featured in your tattoo.
Depending on your tattoo’s design, we may be able to use laser energy to remove certain portions of your tattoo. During our initial meeting, we will examine your tattoo and talk about the elements that you would like to erase. We will let you know if it is possible to selectively target these features with laser treatments.
Am I Eligible for This Laser Treatment?
This laser removal technique works on many different skin types and tattoo designs, so you are likely to be a good candidate for this treatment. During our first meeting, we will analyze your skin and examine your unwanted tattoo.
At this point, you should tell us about any health conditions that you have. You should also inform us if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. Based on this information, we will decide whether you are eligible for this laser treatment.
Try It for Yourself
You don’t have to spend the rest of your life with a tattoo that doesn’t reflect your taste or personal style. We can remove your tattoo in a safe, efficient manner with laser treatments. To learn more about our tattoo removal service, contact us at Nourished MedSpa and Wellness Center in Sherman, Texas for an initial consultation today.
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