Tattoos are usually meant to last forever. However, this attitude can change over time. If the tattoo is not as beautiful as you had hoped or if it loses its appeal after a few years due to a change in personal taste or individual circumstances, tattoo removal can help. In our practice, we perform tattoo removal in Berlin using modern laser systems. With this technique, both black and colored tattoos gradually fade. The advantages of laser treatment and what you should know about the treatment can be found in the following sections.
What are the options for removing tattoos?
Aesthetic medicine offers various procedures to remove or conceal tattoos. In addition to laser treatment, unpleasant tattoos can be treated with dermabrasion, for example. The skin layer is abraded and renews itself during the subsequent healing process. As the tattoo ink is usually located under the upper layer of the skin, a strong effect is necessary, which results in a longer healing phase.
Chemical peels can also be used to cause the skin to peel and thus remove the unwanted tattoo. Here too, substances are needed that act not only on the upper but also on deeper layers of tissue.
Therapies using electricity are also offered, in which the color pigments are “burned” and then removed. However, this also affects the surrounding tissue, which also has to regenerate afterwards.
Tattoos can also be removed with a surgical procedure. Small tattoos can be cut out using a procedure known as excision. The wounds are then sutured. In some cases, special methods of skin stretching or a skin graft are necessary for coverage.
All the methods mentioned have a non-negligible risk of scarring, as they are either invasive or affect the deep tissue layers and damage the surrounding tissue. A corresponding recovery period is to be expected after tattoo removal. Apart from a few selected exceptional cases, the above-mentioned procedures – especially self-treatment of any kind – are therefore strongly discouraged, as the risks involved are too high.
Advantages of laser treatment
Compared to the other procedures, laser therapy is gentler. The energy is released into the tissue and absorbed by the color pigments. The surrounding tissue remains largely intact. A crust only forms on the upper layer of the skin, which falls off by itself after a while. The treatment is not usually associated with scars. Burns are also extremely rare. We also cool the treatment area in the practice with defined cold air.
The risks associated with laser treatment are low. The side effects and complications for patients have decreased, especially since only licensed physicians are allowed to perform laser therapies. The amendment to the law came into force in January 2021.
Will the tattoo be removed without residue?
During the laser treatment, the color pigments of the tattoo are virtually blown up and split into the smallest components. They are then removed using the body’s own processes. This causes the tattoo to gradually fade. After the first session, the tattoo will not have completely disappeared. However, with an appropriate number of sessions, all unpleasant tattoos can usually be softened to such an extent that they are barely visible or no longer visible at all. Developments in this area are producing ever more effective laser systems, so that even colored and previously “difficult” tattoos can be removed.
How many treatments are required?
The number of treatment sessions required depends on various factors. These include, for example, the size of the tattoo, the colors, the quality, the age of the tattoo and the body part. On average, at least six treatments can be expected. However, larger tattoos in particular may require more sessions. This will be examined and explained in more detail in a personal consultation.
It doesn’t work completely without pain
We try to make tattoo removal as pleasant as possible for our patients. Nevertheless, the procedure is not entirely painless. The intense energy that is delivered to the tissue usually manifests itself as a pricking or stinging sensation. The sensation of pain varies from person to person. The intensity is comparable to getting a tattoo. The areas may also pull or burn after treatment. The discomfort can be minimized with regular cooling.
