The Benefits of Getting Laser Tattoo Removal

Erase Tattoo Removal Studio, Oak Brook, IL

Those that are living with tattoo regret can attest to the pains of having something permanent that they wish they could erase. For many these are nagging reminders of past relationships or wild youthful times, but for some they can be mistakes that cost them jobs, relationships and cause friction in their family.

Deciding between tattoo removal and living with tattoo regret can be hard so we decided to weigh the factors and see how someone can really bring value to removing their unwanted tattoo.

The top request we get at our Oak Brook, IL tattoo removal studio is for name removal. It is not uncommon for people to make a romantic gesture and end up living with a mistake for many years after the romance is gone. This mistake can have a negative effect on their relationships and even causing them to experience social anxiety and depression. 

Often people feel that the only way they can completely move forward with their lives after a situation like this is by removing their tattoo for good. This process can bring relief and hope to those getting over their relationship or having problems with a new partner who doesn’t appreciate the old tattoo. We have seen clients who were relieved to the point of tears and thrilled that they made the choice to remove their old tattoo after living with years of regret. The value in those tears is not measurable.

Another top reason people remove their unwanted tattoo is for career or professional reasons. A large group of people who come into ERASE studio got their first tattoo in their teens or during their twenties. At the point they decide to get the tattoo people made uninhibited choices and tend to be more carefree. As people mature and begin to focus more on career or family life, they also may start to feel like their tattoo is not fitting their current lifestyle or position in life. 

While tattoos have begun to become something that is more mainstream there are still a growing number of professional environments that do not appreciate them as much as modern culture. 

Tattoo removal studios like ERASE see clients daily that have moved past their youthful tattoos and would like to remove them for good, so they can move forward with their lives and careers. While some places may not hire people with visible tattoos, other times people can be held back from promotions and other situations where they or their career would benefit and not even know it. This is a huge reason why people choose laser tattoo removal and invest into their personal future. One of the biggest benefits to removing a visible tattoo is that you know you will never be limited by or discriminated against for this tattoo in the future.  

Want to learn about tattoo removal or the Erase Studio? Join us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @EraseTattooRMVL

What Is The TattooStar Effect Laser and How Does it Remove Tattoos?

Tattoo Star Effect at Erase Tattoo Removal 

The Tattoo Star Effect featured is the gold standard for laser tattoo removal.  The Tattoo Star Laser is not only used for tattoo removal but also cellulite, body shaping, pigmont lesions, wrinkle reduction and skin tightening. The level of versatility and precision that this laser works on is why it is rated one of the best on the market. 

There are several reasons the TattooStar is regarded as one of the best lasers. The laser is made with many features that not only have the patients in mind but the doctors as well. This makes for a much better service and end result. 

Tattoo removal can be a long and complicated process but the Tattoo Star simplifies it and actually works to help patients by shortening treatments and avoiding extra-unneeded treatment with lasers.

The square spot or “hot spot” of the laser was created to help avoid overlapping. Many lasers use a circular shape but the Tattoo Star was made this way to help doctors avoid already treated areas. This not only reduces bleeding and discomfort for those receiving treatment but makes the treatment area bigger.  The TattooStar distributes the wavelengths at even and uniform fashion; again avoiding pain and creating a better result.

The Tattoostar has multiple features that are designed to make the experience of treatment better. The screen on the front of the laser is a touch screen where patients can watch videos and learn about the laser  and doctors can use at consolations. The Q-switch mode helps to create ultra short pulses which result in less scaring and side effects post laser tattoo removal treatment. The Q-Switch laser works much faster than traditional lasers and thus people removing a tattoo have significantly less time to spend getting laser treatments. 

The Asclepion TattooStar Effect laser also offers doctors more flexibility and precision because it has a wide range of wavelengths. There are three different wavelengths offered in the TattooStar. Often a tattoo cannot be removed with the use of one laser alone, so being able to adjust the wavelength can help doctors to match treatment based on the patient and their specific tattoo.  The TattooStar range can go from dark colors, to reds, to even blues when using the additional dye hand piece. People often experience problems trying to get tattoos removed and get frustrated when they are left with gray spots where other lasers failed to removed ink. The TattooStar can not only remove ink faster and more effectively but can also help to remove those gray spots that other lasers have left behind. 

All of these tools helps to make the treatments more effective, and resulting in a better, shorter removal treatment plans and better results. People interested in removing a tattoo should research the laser used by their provider and compare it to the TattooStar.

Have a question for ERASE? Post your comments below or Tweet us @EraseTattooRMVL 

In Chicagoland and looking for tattoo removal ? We offer free online consultations! 

Myths About Laser Tattoo Removal

Erase Tattoo Removal

There are certain things about laser tattoo removal that float around in the air that people hear and believe to be true because they hear them so frequently. Well, some of those things are true but there are some that are quite untrue; the untrue ones are what we would call myths. The myths are dangerous and for good reason; if someone hears a myth about something and they believe it is a true fact, then they could use that wrongful information and either look foolish or even endanger their lives. It is important to know what the myths are about laser tattoo removal and know that they are false or true and why they are so.

The first myth about laser tattoo removal is that a laser hair removal laser is able to remove a tattoo just as well as a laser tattoo removal laser. Let me tell you, this is so untrue that a compulsive liar would not even be able to spit it out. That is how untrue it is. Why is this untrue? It is quite simple, the light pulse waves from the hair removal laser functions differently than the tattoo removal laser. A tattoo removal laser is much stronger than a hair removal laser in both light pulsations and wavelengths. Due to these facts, the hair removal laser is not adequate to remove tattoo ink and could cause serious scarring if one were to try it.

The second myth about laser tattoo removal is that new tattoos cannot be removed and that you have to wait. Again, not true.  While it is true that older tattoos are generally easier to remove than new tattoos, it is not impossible to remove new tattoos. The reason some tattoos are harder to remove than others is all dependent on the colors in the tattoos, the size, and the location of the tattoos. While lasers these days have gotten much better at being able to remove all colors, some colors are still harder to remove but not impossible. If a tattoo is unable to be removed, it is more likely the person and not the tattoo itself.

The third myth about laser tattoo removal is that a tattoo can be removed in a single treatment and that the other treatment sessions are just for money. No, no, no, no tattoo can be completely removed in a single session. Even small, black tattoos require a few sessions to completely remove.

Erase Tattoo Removal is a quality Chicago tattoo removal studio that uses laser tattoo removal technology. They are known for the R20 procedure, which means fewer required sessions for you. They give free consultations so there is no worry about just checking in about laser tattoo removal if you are considering.

Have a question ? Tweet us @EraseTattooRMVL or 

post a comment on the ERASE FACEBOOK PAGE.

Age Spots (Solar Lentigines) FAQs

Solar lentigines are something we have discussed in previous blog posts so you might have some familiarity with them. If you do not, we can recap them.

What are age spots?
Solar lentigines are pigmented lesions that are commonly called sun spots or age spots that are little brown, black, or gray spots that appear on the skin. It is the presence of melanin cells in clusters. What causes these is a lot of exposure to ultraviolet rays (UV); this can mean exposure to sun light, tanning beds, anything that emits UV rays.

Are laser treatments safe?
If you come into your Chicago tattoo removal studio, you will be shown the equipment we will use and all the research will let you know that the procedure is indeed safe and our equipment is state of the art. Treatments are safe and effective because we are able to selectively treat pigmented lesions without risk of adversely affecting the tissue around the spot. Every patient will wear eye protection and any other necessary protection. We do not fool around with patient safety.

What are the areas that can be treated? 
We can remove spots that are located on the face, shoulders/arms, chest, legs, etc. Typically, the face, shoulders/arms, and legs are the popular spots for age spots to develop since those are the areas where sun exposure happens the most.

How long do sessions last? 
Each session lasts only a few minutes per spot. You can easily fit a removal session into your lunch break if you had no other time to get into the studio.

How many sessions will I need? 
After one or two sessions, you will see dramatic progress in removing the spots; if you have larger spots or a lot of them, more sessions may be required.

Are there any side effects?
After the treatment sessions, the age spots may darken and a reddening effect around the spots; these effects will likely go away after a few hours. For the following few weeks, the darkened spots will fade and simply flake off.

If you are interested in spot removal, contact Erase Tattoo Removal - a laser tattoo removal studio in Chicagoland. We are able to give free consultations and have doctors handle every removal so you know you are adequately taken care of.

Age Spot 101

As we grow older, our skin tends to show it; unfortunately, it does not look the same at 75 as it did when we were 25, I know, that'd be great if it did. We tend to think that wrinkles are the most common form of aging but the reality is that age spots are actually more of a tell tale sign of getting older. See, wrinkles start to happen in your 50s and 60s, on average, but age spots can appear as early as your 40s. Of course, age spots can appear even before your 40s if you spend a considerable amount of time in the sun.

Age spots are called a few names, you may have heard them called sun spots or liver spots, perhaps even lentigines or solar lentigos. However, to have a term that covered all the terms, many skin care companies have gone to calling any dark spots on your skin, "dark spots". No matter what you call them, the cause and treatments are the same.

So what do these little guys look like? Usually, age spots are brown in color and they live on your epidermis layer of skin, this is the top layer. Sometimes your age spots can appear black as well; regardless of the color they appear, make sure they are not moles, if you're unsure, you can check with a dermatologist. One little check you can do yourself is to see if the spots are raised or not; moles are raised and sun spots are flat and feel the same as the rest of your skin. Simply, sun spots look sort of like larger freckles and they can be clustered in one area due to sun exposure to that part of the skin.

Sun spots can appear anywhere on your body that is exposed to the sun when you go outside; they can appear on your arms, legs, face, shoulders, neck, hands, etc. Like we mentioned, they are caused (mostly) by exposure to the sun so they form where sun exposure happens and can be clustered. Now, we said they're mostly caused by sun exposure but they can also just come around due to the aging process.

If you want to have any sun spots removed, then contact Erase Tattoo Removal - a Chicago tattoo removal studio that also specializes in removal of age spots. We use top notch equipment like the Asclepion TattooStar Effect Laser and have a doctor on staff, Dr. Justin Macariola, who handles all the removals. You can schedule a free consultation.

Erase Now Offers Sun/Age Spot Removal

In addition to our services regarding laser tattoo removal, Erase Tattoo Removal now offers sun spot removal and age spot removal. 

Pigmented lesions are common among people, especially as we age, and they are increasingly being seen as unsightly by those who are affected by them. As of the age of 50, nearly 50 percent of women and approximately 20 percent of men are affected by these pigmented lesions. As with the increase of demand for tattoo removal, there is a great increase in demand for sun spot and age spot removal.

The benign pigmented lesions can be treated with lasers in a variety of ways. We use Q-switched lasers , which are great for this procedure because the laser emits short pulses of light and these are selectively by the color pigments that are the sun spots and age spots.

During the removal process, there is energy that is moving between the colored parts of the skin and the connective tissue, breaking up the spots and starting their removal from the skin. They are broken down  both lymphatically and epidermally. Right after the procedure, the skin will look to be relatively white for 10-20 minutes but this will resolve. For 1-2 weeks after the procedure, you will likely see a crust over the affected skin but this will also resolve itself.

Each spot only takes a few seconds.

Wedding Planning and Tattoo Removal

With many brides in recent years, a big part of the concern over a wedding and all the planning of it (especially the bride's appearance) is the bride's tattoo(s). It could generate even more anxiety knowing that there are going to be a lot of people there with tattoos and the more conservative guests might find that fact unappealing.

There are so many horror stories about how the chances of getting a job have been hurt by visible tattoos, not to mention relationships, even weddings. It may sound crazy but there have been instances of tattoos putting dampers on weddings. According to wedding planners, how have seen this happen, claim that there have been weddings that ended with name calling, pulling of hair, scratching, gouging-- well, no, not so much the hair pulling, scratching, or gouging-- but yes, name calling and other backlash from controversy of showing off your tattoo while wearing a bridal dress can be a real possibility.

It may seem like a nasty case of bridezilla, and it might be but that is not the only thing. According to wedding planners, the talk about tattoos and tattoo removal has been coming up with greater frequency for weddings in recent years. Brides are having to consider things like wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses that have sleeves to cover up the more decorated members of the wedding.

We at Erase Tattoo Removal understand that your wedding is a big deal and it can be stressful, especially if you have a controversy over tattoos in the process. As a Chicago tattoo removal studio, we have various options for all brides! We can do complete removal, partial removals, or fades. If you need the removal done quickly, then you can try for the R20 procedure and have it done in a fraction of the time.

It's your day! Have a wonderful wedding.

The Growing Trend of Laser Tattoo Removal

As we know, the trend of getting a tattoo has been around for a while, especially the last few years; more and more people are getting tattoos for the first time and more people are getting their second, third, or fourth tattoo, perhaps more. It is said that approximately 20 percent of Americans have at least one tattoo.  With all that happening, that means that more and more people are able to get laser tattoo removal and guess what, they are.

Being a Chicago tattoo removal studio that has been in Chicagoland for quite some time, we have just about seen it all. We saw the fad of females getting tattoos like birds and things like that. We saw when getting tribal tattoos was a really big hit. Like we said, we've seen just about everything. Tattoos are something that both men and women are getting and as tattoos have grown more acceptable to society, more women are getting them; this has shown the result we figured it would, women are getting more tattoo removal over men.

Men tend to have bigger tattoos and have more tattoos on their bodies but women are more likely to walk into a laser tattoo removal studio in Chicagoland than a man is.

Sometimes the tattoos that come in are clean and professional but sometimes there are tattoos that are just messy, patchy, and clearly done by an amateur. Either way, more people seem to be opting for laser tattoo removal over other forms of tattoo removal due to the ease, effectiveness, speed, and lack of side-effects that last, like scarring and such.

Many people are choosing to remove their tattoos for reasons like: changing lifestyles, breakups, looking to move up in their career, getting tired of covering them up, poor detail in the tattoo, or they were obtained mistakenly like while under the influence.

With this form of tattoo removal, you can get full removal, partial removal, or just a fade; it is up to you what you want but the tattoo also has input on what can be done. Depending on what is done, the price will differ.

Tattoo Removal Myths Busted

Laser tattoo removal is a business that tries to help people recover from past mistakes and get on with their lives. We all deserve a second chance and sometimes having a tattoo prohibits getting a second chance. When you have something that a lot of the world is unfamiliar with, you find that there are things that get said about it that are not true or maybe they are true but there people don't believe it. The bottom line is that you find you get a lot of myths. Today, we will discuss three myths about the tattoo removal procedure and whether they are true or not. As a Chicago tattoo removal studio, we know first hand about the truths and lies of this industry.

1. The first myth is that laser tattoo removal is an expensive procedure. This is true to an extent; the tattoo removal procedure depends on each patient in terms of price. Some tattoos take more removal sessions than others and consequently, they cost more than the procedures that only take a few sessions. Each session can cost a couple hundred dollars. In addition to the size of the tattoo that impacts the price, you also have to look at the colors involved, the placement, and the quality of the tattoo. There are a lot of things to consider. 
2. The second myth is that laser tattoo removal leaves scars. In the past, yes, this would have been true. The earlier lasers were not as quality as the ones we use now. The lasers we use now, like the Asclepion TattooStar Effect Laser is top of the line quality; with the better lasers, the chances of having scarring is next to none. The only real way you get scars with laser tattoo removal in these times is if you don't follow instructions in between sessions. 
3. The third myth is that laser tattoo removal is not completely effective. Again, in the past, this myth would have been true but it is no longer. With the newer lasers and procedures, laser tattoo removal is the most effective way to remove a tattoo and is rather good at it. There are still a few colors that can give lasers some trouble but progress is being made. Complete removal is obtainable more now; even if complete removal is not obtainable, the ability to fade the tattoo is rather good and can make it very hard to see. 

If you have any further questions, feel free to contact Erase Tattoo Removal - a Chicago tattoo removal studio. 

Getting a Second Chance with Laser Tattoo Removal

Laser tattoo removal is able to give you a second chance. Tattoos can be great but they can also get in the way of opportunities and even get in the way of having self-confidence. A tattoo can get in the way of living a new life; leaving behind a previous self that made poor decisions.

People have walked into our tattoo removal studio in Chicagoland wanting to remove a tattoo so they could move on with their lives. Tattoos marking events they experienced that they wanted to be able to forget via the tattoo removal. Some describe them as signs of their once "crazy lives" because they once ran with the gangs, had relationships that fell apart, etc. Some men or even women have tattoos received in prison and want to remove them so they can become a contributing member of society without anything pulling them back.

While a tattoo is just some ink in the dermis layer of skin, it can be a huge barrier when someone is looking to gain ground in their corporate life or even their social life.

According to recent studies, one was done in 2010, we find that people ages 18-29 in the United States have a fair amount of tattoos; 38 percent of people in that age range in 2010 reported having at least one tattoo. A study from 2012 stated that the 38 percent went up as well. It also reported that 14 percent of those people had tattoo regret. What is tattoo regret? To put it simply, it is when someone has disappointment or sorrow for having a tattoo; ultimately, they want the tattoo gone.

The relationship between tattoos and tattoo removal is reflective, not inversive; when the popularity of tattoos goes up, so does the popularity of tattoo removal.

The reasons for wanting to remove a tattoo vary widely. The bottom line is that the reasons for doing so are powerful and becoming more and more common. A misspelled word, a former life, a former lover, a whim, a change of heart, etc. are all reasons for wanting tattoos removed.

The technology for removing tattoos has increased in quality and can do so much more now. For example, the Asclepion TattooStar Effect Laser and the R20 procedure are huge hits; this Chicago tattoo removal studio is proud to mention we use both!

Tattoo Removal and the Economy

Believe it or not, the economy and tattoo removal are related, they are not mutually exclusive. How is this so? Well, due to the slower economy more people with tattoos are choosing to get them removed. So yes, the affect is working one way but there is the connection. So why are people deciding to part ways with their once beloved ink due to the economy?

The big reason for deciding to get rid of tattoos due to the economy is because of employment or job searching. More and more, people are choosing to get their tattoos removed, especially via laser tattoo removal and via the R20 procedure (a faster form of laser tattoo removal) so they have an equal chance of getting a call back or even hired as the competition that never had tattoos. In addition to the job seekers, this idea also applies to those who are trying to switch careers or get a promotion in their current company; some companies may allow some employees such as dock workers to have tattoos but not the people who are actually in front of the clients or customers.

Now, the economy seems to be picking up a bit of steam but the reality is that many companies are still feeling the effects of the recession or are just still in that mindset; consequently, they can be strict on the tattoo policy.

Many companies have policies regarding tattoos that state that employees are not allowed to have tattoos or at least tattoos that show while wearing work appropriate clothing (such as your uniform or suit). In the past, this policy would have been held by just about every company but now companies are starting to relax; however, there are still plenty who hold to their beliefs toward the ink.

Why do they have such policies?

Companies have the policies towards tattoos for sake of professionalism. In some industries, it does not matter if employees have tattoos. However, the more formal the industry, the stricter they are. In an industry where employees wear suits everyday, then they might be the ones that don't allow tattoos at all but most definitely now allow them to show while wearing the suit.

The thing is that companies fear what clients or customers might think or say about a company that has employees that wear tattoos. Despite tattoos becoming more widely accepted in today's society, there are still people who believe that tattoos are for the criminals, soldiers, gangsters, bikers, etc. Due to that belief holding on, companies go with some caution and just avoid that slippery slope altogether.

If you are looking to do laser tattoo removal for any reason, then hire Erase Tattoo Removal - a Chicago tattoo removal studio. As a laser tattoo removal studio in Chicagoland, we are the only one in the area that offers the R20 procedure. We also use the Asclepion TattooStar Effect Laser which gives off a better laser than other lasers used for removal. See our pricing.

Laser Tattoo Removal 101 at Erase

For the most part, laser tattoo removal studios do the same thing; however, some studios have their own twists on things. Naturally, you can't go into every single removal studio and know exactly what will happen. You have questions; you ask questions. This blog should answer some, perhaps all, of your questions about Erase Tattoo Removal.

• Who does the procedure? Here at Erase, we only have medical professionals do the laser tattoo removal procedures. We believe that having a medical professional, such as Dr. Justin Macariola, do the procedures gives the client confidence it will be done right; it is the best solution for the client. Some tattoo removal studios settle for having estheticians perform the procedures but we believe in trying harder. 
• Who is eligible for laser tattoo removal? Any skin tone, age, or gender is able to get a laser tattoo removal procedure; however, there are some cases where we advise against it. 
• Pregnant or nursing women. This broken up ink can make its way into the unborn child via umbilical cord or into the born child via breast milk. When you get this procedure, the ink is broken up and removed from the skin via the immune system.
• Any client with uncontrolled diabetes. 
• Anyone with new tattoos from within the last couple months (2 months). The skin is not ready for a procedure like this so soon after getting a tattoo. 
• Smokers are able to get it but they might require more sessions to get the tattoo removed since their skin is not as healthy; your skin needs to be healthy to endure the procedures at their current length of time. 
• We should note that the procedures are conducted using an Asclepion TattooStar Effect Laser and so this laser can tackle a lot of tattoo cases. 
• How long does it take to remove a tattoo? Depending on the size, location, and color(s) of the tattoo that is to be removed, the removal process can take between 5 & 12 sessions; there are breaks of 6-8 weeks between each removal session. On average, a tattoo takes a year to remove. If you qualify for the R20 procedure then you will take less time since this procedure essentially combines four traditional sessions into one; your amount of sessions is drastically reduced. 
• Does it hurt? Depending on your pain tolerance, it will hurt more for some and less for others; bottom line, it will have discomfort. Although, at Erase, we have cooling tools to reduce the pain and make each client comfortable during the procedure. 

If you are considering laser tattoo removal, then contact Erase - a Chicago laser tattoo removal studio. We give free consultations!