Need to get rid of that tattoo?

Tattoos are awesome, but they aren’t necessarily for everyone. It’s estimated that 25 per cent of the US population is inked, and at some point, half of that 25 per cent is going to wish that they never got that tattoo.

Maybe you got your girlfriend’s name tattooed across your chest and then found out she was cheating on you. Perhaps the tattoo you love so much changed over the years due to rapid weight gain and/or loss, or a pregnancy stretched that flower, and its vine now resembles an elephant’s trunk. Whatever the case may be, there are several options for you if you’re wishing to remove unattractive tattoo.

Laser Surgery
Depending on the specific situation, a tattoo can be removed with laser therapy in as little as two-four sessions, or as many as 10 or even more.  This is the most common procedure performed because no blood is involved and it produces fewer side effects. Many patients describe this procedure as feeling like a rubber band is snapping against your skin. Laser light is used to break up or decolourise the pigment molecules. The colour of the laser depends, to some extent, on the colour of the tattoo. Effectiveness depends on several factors, including the chemical nature of the tattoo ink.

Most people undergo this therapy without anesthesia, but that can be adjusted.

Surgical Excision
Surgical excision involves removing a tattoo with a scalpel and stitching the area back up. This treatment, is only appropriate for small tattoos.

This technique allows for great precision. Side effects with surgical excision are minimal. However, a raised scar may result at the site of the stitches. Skin discoloration and infection are also possible side effects.

www.plasticsurgery.about.com