So you no longer want that tattoo after all. Too bad, tattoos can be troublesome to remove. Bad it can be done and it's getting easier everyday. In the past, people with complex tattoos in areas of the body where it is more difficult to remove a tattoo had the hardest time removing tattoos. Tattoos in areas such as hands, ankles and fingers are more difficult to remove than those in other parts of the body. But things are changing and technology is once again making it easier, safer and faster to remove even the most complex tattoos. But sometimes, it cannot be done which often means surgery and possibly scarring.

Removing a tattoo can be hard, can cost a lot of money and you may need a lot of treatment. It should be done by a doctor or clinic and not by a tattoo shop or parlor. There are several ways that are used to remove a tattoo, but they don't always work. Here are some choices:

Laser Tattoo Removal

Laser treatment is the most common way used to remove tattoos. Laser technology works by reducing the appearance of tattoos so that they are no longer visible. Light from the laser breaks up the tattoo ink. Your body itself will then get rid of the treated areas over the next several weeks. For most tattoos, more than one laser treatment is needed for them to be fully removed. Some tattoo inks cannot be removed by lasers.

Laser tattoo removal creates damage to the skin similar to small wounds. You can expect some crusting or bleeding in the area after treatment, and there is a small risk of infection, discoloration of the skin and scarring. It's now the most popular way of removing tattoos.

Dermabrasion

With this method, the skin is sanded down to lower layers of skin in order to remove the tattoo. The tattoo area to be sanded is numbed first to lessen pain. It may leave a scar.

Salabrasion

A salt solution is used to remove the tattoo color. This may sometimes be used in conjunction with dermabrasion. Salabrasion is rarely used these days.

Scarification

This method removes the tattoo with acid and leaves a scar in its place.

Surgery

You can have surgery to get rid of the tattoo.

Masking the old tattoo

Another way to remove a tattoo is to put new colors into the skin to cover up the old tattoo.

General tips

Generally, simple tattoos with a few colors are easier to remove while tattoos with colors mixed with white are tough to remove.

The best way to avoid tattoo removal problems is to use a licensed facility and a tattoo design that is simple and therefore easy to remove. Although you want people to see your tattoo, put your tattoo on parts of the body that can be covered by clothing in the workplace.

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