Removing Tattoos, Not An Easy Feat

That tattoo you got that seemed like a really great idea at the time – may not be such a great idea if you’re trying to climb the corporate ladder or your potential partner doesn’t like looking at reminders of partners long gone. Tattoos in your teens and 20s also don’t always look like they were meant to once you reach your 40s or 50s. So, then what do you do?

With technology advancing the way it is, tattoo removal is becoming a booming business for some dermatologists, but it’s not as easy as some people may think. It seems that the more complex the tattoos, with the varying colors and shading, are actually harder to take off than the crude ones that were done before.

A dermatologist who agrees to try to remove your tattoo, using lasers, can’t guarantee success. As one dermatologist said in this CTV article, Laser treatment not quick fix for bad tattoos,

But people still seem unaware it’s a time-consuming, costly and somewhat painful process that doesn’t guarantee success, says Dr. Melanie Grossman, a New York City dermatologist who pioneered the [laser] technique.

“What they don’t understand is it’s not always that simple,” says Grossman. “Sometimes it’s more difficult to remove them and sometimes they don’t come off at all.”

She adds that she’s seen tattoos that disappear after only a few treatments but some remain very present after several.

So, think about that tattoo before getting it. Is it something you think you’ll be proud of 20 years down the road?

~~~~

Image courtesy PhotoXpress.com