The Unsettling History of Tattoo Removal

Dealingwith an unwanted tattoo at Albuquerque’s Western Dermatology Consultants is straightforward: After an initialconsultation, the patient will go through a series of treatment sessions thatinvolve laser light applied to break down the ink in the skin. There are noincisions involved, and while the process isn’t exactly comfortable (gettingthe treatment has been compared to the feeling of a rubber band snappingagainst the tattooed area), it’s certainly well tolerated by just abouteveryone who wants to get rid of a formerly “permanent” body modification.

Thetattoo removal process has not always been so relatively simple, however.

Intimes past, people simply had to live with their choice. Eventually, sometattooed folks who wanted to lose their lines turned to surgical excision. Inthese cases, someone with a scalpel or similar instrument physically cut theinked skin out of the patient’s body. This definitely removed the unwantedimage—along with a good deal of tissue. It also typically left behind asignificant scar.

Lessinvasive, but also less reliable, was “sanding” the tattoo off by abrading theskin. While gentler than slicing the ink away, this method was middlingeffective.

Eventually,researchers developed freezing as an option, using the power of cold to chillthe unwanted ink and surrounding cells. While this worked, it—likeexcision—often left behind a scar or similarly obvious patch of treated skin.For a significant number of people, this was preferable to the tattoo itself,but thankfully, such methods are no longer the only option.

Technologyhas advanced to the point today that laser energy can quickly and effectivelybreak down a wide range of ink colors, leaving behind clearer skin. There isstill some risk of scarring, but the side effects are less dramatic than thosecaused by the treatments of yesteryear.

Onelast note: Never try to remove an unwanted tattoo on your own—or even bybringing it to a tattoo parlor. Let a board-certified dermatologist(experienced in skin care, not just ink) help you plan your ideal strategy forerasing the ink from your life as thoroughly and safely as possible.

Learn more about the advantages of modern tattooremoval at WesternDermatology Consultants. Call 505-855-9267or request a consultation online.