Tattoo Removal

Tattoos are the appearance of the skin that is evident from the outside when a foreign body enters the lower layer of the skin with needles or other traumas. Tattoos can be caused by applying various paints to the skin from the outside, as well as as a result of various accidents (such as injury with gunpowder, entry of various substances into the skin as a result of traffic accidents).

Tattoos made by applying paint to the skin from the outside are for amateur or professional decorative purposes, as a symbol of identity, to express feelings and thoughts, and a love. In addition, medically; Tattooing can also be done for purposes such as hiding various scars, darkening around the nipple, and permanent make-up.

Is tattooing healthy?

 

Tattooing is generally safe. However, as a result of not using appropriate and clean materials, there is a risk of transmission of infectious diseases such as hepatitis and AIDS. In addition, it may cause allergic reactions in some people. Allergies to red (cinnabar), blue (cobalt), green (chromium) and yellow (cadmium) pigments have been reported.
In addition to these, every lesion, skin cancer and skin disease that may occur in the tattooed area is a subject of interest.

Which tattoos are easier to remove?

Small-sized, single-color, non-glossy, amateur and old tattoos are more successfully removed with newly developed laser technologies. It is more difficult to predict the results in cases where tattoos are found on tattoos.

What methods are there for tattoo removal?

In addition to surgical methods for tattoo removal, dermabrasion, chemical peeling, tannic acid, salabrasion, Q-switched laser are various other options. In addition, the old tattoo can be covered with another tattoo.

How is a tattoo removed surgically?

There are various surgical options depending on the tension of the area where the tattoo is located, the adequacy of the surrounding tissues, and the size of the tattoo. Simple removal of the tattoo and suturing is most commonly performed. If the entire tattoo cannot be removed in a single session, serial removal can be performed in several sessions. In addition, after tattoo removal, skin grafting from another part of the body, tissue expansion surgery and flap surgery are other techniques. The disadvantage of these methods is that surgical scars remain.

Can laser tattoo be removed?

Tattoos can be removed more successfully with Q-switch lasers. There are 3 types of lasers: Q-switch ruby ​​(694 nm), Q-switch alexandrite (755 nm) and Q-switch Nd:YAG (1064 nm, dual frequency 532 nm). Q-switch lasers destroy the dyestuff with short pulsed high energy without damaging the surrounding tissues and allow it to be released from within the cell. These dyes are then removed from the body by the lymphatic system.

Are all Q-switch lasers effective on every tattoo?

Not every laser is effective on every tattoo. In general, any Q-switch laser is effective against black and Indian ink dyes.
Q-switch ruby: Most effective for green tattoos, ineffective for red and orange tattoos
Q-switch alexandrite: Effective in blue, black, red and green. Ineffective on orange and yellow
Q-switch Nd:YAG (dual frequency 532nm): Effective in red. Ineffective on green. It can be effective in orange, yellow and purple.
Pulsed dye (510 nm) lasers can also be effective in red and orange tattoos.

How about laser tattoo removal? How much will it take?

Laser tattoo removal is not an immediate result. The laser destroys the dyes inside the cells in the body. Then the body destroys these pigment substances itself. For this reason, in this method, which can take between 3-8 sessions, leaving a few months between sessions allows the tattoo to be erased more successfully and gives the skin time for healing. The disadvantage of this method is that it is a long-lasting tattoo removal method, and the most important advantage is that it does this without damaging the surrounding tissues and leaving no traces.

What problems can be observed in laser tattoo removal?

In laser tattoo removal, problems such as scarring, darker color change of the tattoo, hypopigmentation, development of allergic reaction and laser not being successful can rarely be seen. These problems are less common in Q-switch laser.

Is carbon dioxide laser used for tattoo removal?

Carbon dioxide laser is a type of laser that has a higher potential to damage the skin and has a high risk of scarring. First of all, it evaporates the upper layer of the skin to make the tattoo brighter and then to remove the tattoo from the dermis, which is the lower layer of the skin. Generally, a single session is sufficient. It is used together with corticosteroid creams to prevent bad scars.

Can a tattoo be removed with chemical peeling?

Chemical peeling using trichloroacetic acid or phenol can be effective in tattoo removal. However, it is not widely used.

How is dermabrasion used in tattoo removal?

In dermabrasion, the uppermost epidermis of the skin and the superficial dermis layer underneath are peeled mechanically, and the formed wound is dressed with various wound dressings. It can be observed in dressing changes that the color of the tattoo flows from the skin. The recovery period may take a long time. The number of sessions can be increased if necessary. Scarring and incomplete removal of the tattoo are the problems that can be seen.

What is Salabrasion?

Salabrasion is the process of peeling the upper layer of the skin with various methods and pouring salt on it. The longer this salt is kept, the more successful it will be in removing the tattoo, but the greater the risk of scarring. It should not remain for more than 4 hours.

How is tannic acid used?

Tannic acid is used alone for tattooing on tattoos and after dermabrasion for inflammatory process and tattoo ink flow.

Is electrocautery used for tattoo removal?

Electrocautery can be used to remove some superficial and small tattoos.