Discussions about whether a tattoo is an ornament or disfigures the body is still relevant today. It was once fashionable to stuff meaningless pictures all over the body, which did not emphasize individuality in any way, but quite the opposite. Fashion is gone, but tattoos remain. And if now they are treated more responsibly, putting some sense into them, then those who filled the drawing out of stupidity have to resort to such a procedure as tattoo removal.
How to get rid of?
There are a huge number of ways to reduce a tattoo, for example, excision of the tattooed area, cryosurgery, electrocoagulation. However, in most cases, these methods, in addition to serious pain during the tattoo removal procedure, leave scars and scars, because the drawing from the body is removed along with the skin area.
Fortunately, science and medicine do not stand still, and the greatestThe method of removing unwanted images with a laser is popular. This method is one of the latest developments, which is considered the safest and does not affect the aesthetic appearance of the skin.
History
Many people don't know, but the word "laser" is just an abbreviation of a term meaning "Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation".
The pioneer in laser tattoo removal was the American physicist Theodore Maiman. Back in 1960, he made the first attempts to use a laser to reduce unwanted patterns on the body. The physicist used a ruby laser, and the method caught on and was successfully used for the next five years.
During these five years, research was under way, during which neodymium lasers for tattoo removal were developed already in 1961. But this is not the limit. 1962 gave the world an argon laser, and after it, in 1964, scientists used a carbon dioxide laser.
Despite the fact that science was moving forward quickly and confidently, there was still a drawback in laser tattoo removal, and a significant one. This method did not exclude the possibility of the formation of ugly scars and scars on the area of \u200b\u200bthe skin where the tattoo used to be.
But thanks to the research and hard work of American scientists, all the unpleasant disadvantages have been eliminated. And the practice of using a laser has remained the most popular way to remove tattoos.
Keyyear in the implementation of the laser method was 1983. It was then that the concept of selective photothermolysis was published. It was a real breakthrough. Laser dermatology has moved to a completely different level. Thanks to this concept, laser systems were created that fully satisfied medical purposes.
Skin effects
The world knows the following types of effects of laser procedures on the skin: ablative effects, the so-called resurfacing, as well as selective effects of the laser. Each of the methods has its own advantages and disadvantages. However, the method of selective, or selective, exposure is considered the most popular and safe.
Ablative effect
Ablative effect - removal, blurring of a certain area of the skin with a tattoo. Removal occurs as follows: radiation heats tissue water, after which rapid evaporation of water begins and simultaneous removal of skin tissue fragments due to protein denaturation. Erbium and thulium lasers have a similar effect.
Selective exposure
Selective exposure - a procedure that involves damage to subcutaneous formations, but the skin itself is not injured. For this, a laser with a certain wavelength and irradiation mode is used. The laser light is absorbed by the colored structures, which are then destroyed and discolored (the effect of photothermolysis or photocavitation). The essence of this procedure is to remove the colored areas without damaging he althy skin, thereforea specific laser wave is selected for each color. After the procedure, the paint peels off naturally within a month.
Tattoo removal time varies depending on the colors and size of the tattoo. On average, one tattoo is removed in 2-3 procedures within a month. The duration of one procedure can be from 20 minutes to an hour. In special cases, the deletion period can be up to a whole year.
How does a laser work?
The laser acts on the deep layers of the skin, after which the rays are absorbed by the colored cells, which destroys the pigment from the inside. After the pigment breaks down into tiny elements, the lymphatic system, with the help of immune system cells, removes it from the body. The laser unit has a specialized control system, which allows the master to adjust the length of the laser and control the depth of penetration of the rays into the skin. Such a system reduces the risk of damage to he althy areas of the skin and makes it possible to reduce absolutely any tattoo, regardless of color, size and depth of pigment penetration.
Tattoo removal is carried out using lasers of the following lengths: 1064, 755, 694, 532 nm. They are harmless to he alth and do their job well.
Features of installations
Before you say goodbye to an unloved tattoo forever, you should take a responsible approach to choosing a removal method, after analyzing all the disadvantages and advantages. Specialists use the following types of laser for tattoo removal: ruby,alexandrite, neodymium, erbium.
1) Ruby laser (694nm) works on the principle of selective photocavitation, does not penetrate deeper than the basal layer of the epidermis:
- Pros: Removes blues, greens and blacks quickly.
- Cons: the laser does not produce deep drawings, which are dominated by red colors, as well as a long tattoo removal period.
2) Alexandrite (755 nm) laser also works on the principle of selective photocavitation:
- Pros: works great on dark tattoos, works much faster than ruby.
- Cons: Doesn't remove red tattoos.
3) Neodymium (532, 1064 nm) universal laser works on the principle of selective photocatamination in two ranges:
- Pros: due to the impact on the skin of a laser of different wavelengths, it is suitable for removing tattoos of any color and size. Penetrates the skin to the depth of the hypodermis.
- Cons: high price, which limits the availability of the procedure.
4) Erbium laser works based on the effect of laser vaporization:
- Pros: Quickly and painlessly removes shallow tattoos.
- Cons: Removing deep tattoos can leave nasty scars.
What to choose?
Masters working in beauty salons and cosmetic clinics opt for a neodymium laser, since this method allows you to safely and painlessly remove pigment of absolutely any color, despiteto the depth. A neodymium laser does not cause any harm to the skin, unlike alexandrite and ruby lasers, which can provoke complications such as burns and age spots after the procedure. That is why both experts and customer reviews say that it is neodymium lasers that remove tattoos with better quality and without harm to he alth, which can cope with drawings of absolutely any color, size and depth of ink.
What to expect?
After removing a tattoo with a laser, a completely logical question arises: will there be complications and adverse consequences after removing the drawing. In general, the use of a laser does not entail any negative consequences. However, there are still factors that can provoke complications:
1) Improper safety precautions and use of the laser may result in severe burns.
2) There are cases in medicine when redness and swelling appeared after using the laser.
3) Incorrect technique of the procedure can lead to the appearance of a hematoma under the skin and hair loss in the area of the skin where the manipulations were performed.
Of all these complications, burns are the most common. Complications are treated with the help of therapy developed by doctors. If the tattoo is large-scale and its removal takes place in several stages, then the interval between procedures should be 14-28 days. Experts do not recommend sunbathing for 14 days. And also before each exit to the street it is recommended to lubricate the place of the former tattoo with sunscreen,avoid sports and other physical activity, refuse to visit the sauna, bath, solarium, do not drink alcohol. These factors slow down the recovery process.
After the end of the procedure, a crust appears on the area of the skin that was affected by the laser, which should fall off naturally in a few days.
Laser tattoo removal method is painless. The maximum that patients complained about was burning and slight tingling. Also, a definite plus is to minimize the risk of side effects in the form of scars and scars. And the effectiveness of the procedure is not even worth talking about, because the tattoo brightens after the first session.
Contraindications
Laser tattoo removal is famous for its safety and painlessness, so this procedure is also popular with those who remove permanent makeup, age spots, and any other skin changes, both congenital and acquired, from the face. However, even such a safe procedure has its own contraindications:
- pregnancy and lactation period;
- oncological diseases and various neoplasms;
- inflammation of the skin, trauma and damage, as well as an individual tendency to form keloid scars;
- diseases such as diabetes, psoriasis, epilepsy, blood diseases;
- outside influences such as a recent tan and taking photosensitizing drugs;
- allergic reactions.
ConductThe procedure does not require anesthesia and is almost painless, most often patients feel a slight burning sensation. In order to be convinced of the effectiveness of laser manipulations, one has only to look at the photos before and after tattoo removal.
How much does it cost
Only the master will tell you the exact cost of tattoo removal. The price depends on several factors. So, what affects the cost of the procedure:
- drawing depth;
- tattoo size;
- tattoo colors;
- type of laser used for the procedure.
On average, salons and cosmetic clinics rely on the following laser tattoo removal price system: 1 square centimeter of a tattoo is $0.16-0.20. Removal of permanent makeup - 10-15 dollars.
Every year the number of people who want to get rid of old tattoos does not decrease. Someone just gets bored with drawings, someone gets rid of mistakes made out of stupidity. If you believe the reviews, tattoo removal is best done with a neodymium laser. The tattoo begins to literally melt before our eyes, and even the largest drawings become lighter after the first procedure. Of course, the prices of laser tattoo removal are considerable, but painlessness and safety are worth it.
