What Factors Determine Tattoo Removal?

22 Sep What Factors Determine Tattoo Removal?

It may have been just a passing thought at first. But the more you thought about getting rid of your tattoo, the more it started making sense. As time went on, it became more of a serious consideration. And now, well now you’re at that decision point and you naturally have questions about the tattoo removal process.

Would it help to know that many people considering tattoo removal have many of the same concerns as you do? Will this break the budget? Is it going to hurt? How long is the process going to take?

While the first two questions are pretty straightforward, the answer to the last one is different for everyone. Your tattoo is unique. It may take a few sessions before your tattoo removal specialist can predict how long it will take for there to be no remaining visible signs of it.

Expect Some Discomfort

Just as getting a tattoo could be painful at times, the same is true with having a tattoo removed. That part can be kind of a bummer. However, advanced laser tattoo removal technology like the one we use at Vivid – enlighten™ by Cutera – make the process significantly faster and a lot more comfortable than methods used in the past. You have it much better than your predecessors in that regard.

How Long Will It Take?

To answer this question, you need to consider the properties of your tattoo and your own health. How long have you had the tattoo and where is it on your body? Although not universally true for everyone, tattoos in closest proximity to the heart are easier to remove than those located further from it. These factors play into the total removal time as well:

• Size of your tattoo
• Whether the tattoo you want to remove is on top of or near another one
• Tattoo colors – some colors are easier to remove than others
• Combination of colors in your tattoo and the quality of the colors
• Contrast between your skin and the tattoo – generally speaking, the more contrast the better
• Tattoos that consist only of borders take less time to remove than those completely filled in
• Scarring from previous tattoos can add to the removal time

You can expect the process to go faster if you are generally in good health and have no issues with your lymphatic system. This is because your lymphatic system is what breaks up and eliminates the ink particles from your body. Smokers and those with chronic health conditions need more time than average for the tattoo to disappear for good.

One of the most significant factors that determine how long it will take to remove your tattoo is what technology is being used. The older the technology, the longer it will take.

Don’t Settle for Older Methods of Tattoo Removal

The first laser tattoo removal system was the Q-switched laser, and was the gold standard for more than 25 years. In fact, many places still use it, despite the small risk of burning and scarring. The enlighten laser is a state-of-the-art laser removal system that reduces your cost because it gets rid of tattoos faster, and results in less overall discomfort.

At Vivid Tattoo Removal, we’re proud to offer our patients the enlighten laser. If you’d like to learn more about tattoo removal with enlighten, click here to schedule your free consultation.

Vivid Tattoo Removal is a pioneer in laser technology and is an affiliate of North Beach Vascular & Aesthetics.