Our teenage years are full of curiosity, courage, and chances — and oftentimes, regret, too.
Tattoos seem to be one of those ubiquitous things that people regret when they’re older (although not everyone regrets their tattoos!). If you got a tattoo that you loved when you were younger — or got a tattoo for losing a bet or a dare — know that you’re not stuck with it emblazoned on your skin forever.
Tattoo removal, as unlikely as it may seem, really does work. At Lori Scott Family Care in Kinston, North Caroline, Dr. Lori Scott has helped many patients shed the regrets of their youth with laser tattoo removal.
There are a few different methods of tattoo removal, including dermabrasion, surgical removal, tattoo cover-ups, and removal creams. One method of tattoo removal stands as the best, however, and it’s the method that Dr. Scott uses at her clinic: laser tattoo removal.
Laser tattoo removal works by delivering pulses of energy to your tattoo, targeting the pigment. Dr. Scott uses a Q-switched laser called PicoSure® by Cynosure. PicoSure is the leading choice for laser tattoo removal because it doesn’t rely on heat alone to get rid of tattoos (heat-only lasers can damage your skin and leave scars).
PicoSure works by sending ultra-short bursts of energy into the deep layers of your skin, where tattoo ink resides. The energy from the lasers heats up and breaks up the pigment in your skin, and your skin absorbs it. Eventually, the excess pigment is shed from your body as waste.
Laser tattoo removal can be uncomfortable for some people, so Dr. Scott will offer to numb the skin where your tattoo is with a topical cream. You’ll lie down comfortably — on your back, stomach, or side, depending where your tattoo is — while Dr. Scott applies the numbing agent.
You’ll remain on the table for the duration of the treatment, which can take 15 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of your tattoo. You will likely need a series of tattoo removal sessions to completely remove your tattoo: It’s unlikely that all of the pigment will break up and dissolve after just one session.
After your tattoo removal session, Dr. Scott will provide you with some aftercare instructions. You may need to wrap a cold compress around your tattoo and apply anti-inflammatory ointment. Definitely avoid the sun when you’re going through the tattoo removal process, as a tan can increase the melanin in your skin and make it harder to remove your tattoo.
If you’re nervous about the process, Dr. Scott will talk you through all of the details and make sure you’re comfortable to proceed.
You don’t have to live with the regret of a tattoo you hate: Learn more about tattoo removal or schedule an appointment with Dr. Scott by calling our Kinston, North Carolina, office at 252-238-7079. You can also book online today.
