LASER TATTOO REMOVAL

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Facelift by by Dr. BCK Patel MD, FRCS in Salt Lake City and St. George, Utah

LASER TATTOO REMOVAL

There are a lot of reasons for wanting to remove a tattoo – it no longer holds sentimental value, it is keeping you from getting a job, you made an impulsive decision, etc. No matter what your reason is for wanting to get rid of your tattoo, laser tattoo removal is the most effective way to remove it.

With all of the advances in laser systems it is easier than ever to remove your unwanted tattoo. An experienced laser tattoo removal surgeon will be able to safely remove your unwanted body art with minimal side effects.

Laser tattoo removal of blue and black colors with picosecond lasers

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“Well, the last time I had a picture taken I could hardly see my eyes because of the weight of heavy eyelid. Then I paid attention to how I was actually using my eyes and I really noticed when I was looking at anything especially the computer I was straining my forehead to see better. Since I have had it done I no longer have to lift the forehead and tilt my head to see. It is amazing! I love…” D. Rock 63 Yrs Old with Fat Droopy Eyes – Salt Lake City, UT

HOW DOES LASER TATTOO REMOVAL WORK?

Lasers emit a pulse of light energy that passes through the top layers of the skin and is selectively absorbed by the tattoo ink. This energy quickly heats up and breaks down the tattoo ink into tiny fragments, which are then absorbed and cleared away by your immune system. Laser treatments safely and effectively remove the tattoo without damaging the surrounding skin.

The tattoo removal laser used will depend upon the color and location of the tattoo. Different types of lasers are able to target different colors. An experienced laser surgeon will know which laser for tattoo removal is best for your unique tattoo. For example, one laser will be able to target black and green tattoos, while another laser would treat red, yellow and blue tattoos.

Typically, 5-10 tattoo laser removal treatments are required to remove a tattoo. The number of treatments you need depends on the size of the tattoo, the color, the location, what type of ink was used, your skin color and your skin’s ability to heal. Usually, treatments are needed every 4-6 weeks for optimal tattoo removal results.

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LASER TATTOO removal of blue and black facial tattoos BCK Patel MD, FRCS Salt Lake City and St. George

“I had a excellent eye lift done by Dr. Patel. He knows what he is doing and is very pleasant. Dr.Patel was easy to get an appointment and he works with you. The office staff was very pleasant and made you feel calm.” D. Gull Highly recommended for eye lift surgery – Salt Lake City, UT

Laser tattoo removal: unwise tattoos on unwise parts of the body
Laser tattoo removal: unwise tattoos on unwise parts of the body

WHAT TYPES OF TATTOOS CAN BE REMOVED AND WHICH ONES ARE "DIFFICULT"!!

With all of the advances in laser technology, it is possible to remove any tattoo, regardless of the color and location. Different lasers are able to remove different colored tattoos safely and effectively. However, the larger tattoos and the ones with lighter colours (green, yellow, pink, etc) take many more treatments. 

IDEAL TATTOOS TO REMOVE

Laser tattoo removal works best when the tattoos have black or dark blue ink in them and are professionally done. 

Amateur tattoos tend to introduce ink at different depths making it difficult for the tattoo removing laser to efficiently target the pigment.

Smaller tattoos are obviously easier to treat!

Laser tattoo removal of blue and black colors with picosecond lasers
Laser tattoo removal of red and light colors with picosecond lasers

WILL ALL THE PIGMENT BE COMPLETELY GONE WITH LASER TATTOO REMOVAL?

Even with the newer picosecond lasers, some degree of collateral skin pigment will be reduced, creating a slight negative tattoo as seen here. 

Furthermore, slight pigmentation may remain. Trying to get every particle out can result in collateral injury to the pigment in the skin with further hypopigmentation.

Laser tattoo removal of red and light colors with picosecond lasers

WHAT IS A NEGATIVE TATTOO?

A negative tattoo is a phrase used when the tattoo is removed but because of the skin pigmentation surrounding the original tattoo, a reduction in the skin under the tattoo leaves a paler skin. This is sometimes called a “halo tattoo”, a “ghost tattoo” or a “negative tattoo”.

This is most common when one is treating difficult to treat colors like green and red as seen here.

LASER TATTOO REMOVAL: THE DIFFICULTY OF AMATEUR TATTOOS

Here we see the difficulty of treating an amateur tattoo. Because the pigment is at various depths, there is collateral heat spread when treating the tattoo with lasers. This causes loss of some skin pigmentation. 

Furthermore, because of the varied depths of pigment in the skin, the tattoo removal is less uniform.

There is a risk of creating a pale negative tattoo if further treatment with lasers is administered.

With tattoos, as with many things in life, caveat emptor!

Laser tattoo removal of blue and black colors with picosecond lasers

ARE THERE ANY SIDE EFFECTS?

The main side effects are mild, temporary swelling, redness, and surface breakdown for a few days. The number of treatments needed depends upon many factors

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FAQs ABOUT LASER TATTO REMOVAL

In most cases it takes 5 -10 treatment sessions to remove tattoo as much as possible. Generally, laser removal treatments will be scheduled 4-6 weeks apart. It is not guaranteed that your tattoo will be completely erased, but if you see an experienced laser surgeon, it will be possible to remove the majority of your tattoo. The number of treatments also depends on the color and location of your tattoo. For example, black or dark green tattoos are the easiest to remove and will require fewer sessions than a tattoo that is another color or a mixture of many colors.
Yes. Lasers are very accurate and can treat small targeted areas so you may remove only a portion of your tattoo, if desired.

Yes. Certain colors respond much better to laser treatments than others. Black and dark blue are the easiest and quickest to remove. Red and green are more resistant to treatment and will need more treatments. Purple, brown, light orange and light blue are more difficult to remove and will require more treatment sessions. These non-traditional ink colors may occasionally turn darker with laser treatment so a spot test treatment may be wise.
​
The depth of the tattoo and the type of ink used are additional factors that determine how easy or difficult it will be to remove your tattoo. Finally, your skin tone and healing characteristics play a role in your laser tattoo removal results.  In general, it is easier to remove tattoos from patients with lighter skin tones.

If an expert laser surgeon treats you, you should not be left with any significant scars after your laser tattoo removal treatments. However, scarring is possible with any medical procedure. It is important to find an experienced laser doctor to decrease your risk of tattoo removal scars. Also, please remember that the lasers will also reduce the natural colour in your skin, so sometimes, there will be the appearance of a “negative tattoo” where the tattoo was removed.
Yes. Older tattoos are easier to remove than new tattoos. The ink in older tattoos is generally easier for the laser energy to break apart than fresh ink.
 
If an expert laser surgeon treats you, you should not be left with any significant scars after your laser tattoo removal treatments. However, scarring is possible with any medical procedure. It is important to find an experienced laser doctor to decrease your risk of tattoo removal scars. Also, please remember that the lasers will also reduce the natural colour in your skin, so sometimes, there will be the appearance of a “negative tattoo” where the tattoo was removed.
 
To minimize your discomfort during laser tattoo removal treatments, we will utilize a topical and/or injectable anesthetic. Patients should be completely numb in the treatment area during the laser session and not feel any pain. Many patients report mild irritation or itching after the removal of tattoo. This can last for 1-3 days following the laser treatment.  We may prescribe an antibiotic and cortisone cream to relieve your discomfort.
 
Laser tattoo removal recovery is minimal. You might experience some discomfort around the treatment site, but it should not inhibit you from going about your daily activities. If you are in the sun, you need to keep the treatment area covered to prevent sunburn so that the skin can heal properly. We will provide you with tattoo removal aftercare instructions.
 
The side effects of tattoo removal by laser are minimal. You might experience some redness, swelling and minor blistering around the treated area. These side effects are temporary and your skin should heal completely within one to two weeks.
If you have tattoos related to trauma, we can laser them down over a series of treatments after we submit the laser treatments to your insurance. We would need details of your injury, your prior treatments and a history of the traumatic tattoo to submit to your insurance. Such trauma-related tattoos may be seen after motor vehicle accidents or cycling accidents
The cost of tattoo removal varies from patient to patient and depends on the size, color and location of the tattoo. It is difficult to give a good estimate of the laser tattoo removal price because everyone’s tattoo is different. However, in general it will cost $200-$300 per treatment to remove a small, black tattoo, and up to $500 per treatment to remove a large, colorful tattoo.

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    Contact Info

    ​Dr. BCK Patel MD, FRCS
    ​1025E 3300S
    Salt Lake City, Utah 84106, USA

    (801) 413-3599 (phone/text)
    E-Mail: bckpatelmd@gmail.com
    bckpatel.info

    Dr. BCK Patel MD, FRCS
    617 E Riverside Dr Suite 101
    ​Saint George, UT 84790, USA
    (435) 215-0014
    ​E: drbckpatel@gmail.com

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