Popularity of Tattoos

 

Over past years, tattoos have become increasingly popular amongst males and females of all ages.  Our laser tattoo removal studio believes that it has become more popular for an individual to have at least one tattoo over none. It seems as if getting inked is the trendy thing to do, especially amongst the younger generation.  Along with growing followers comes an increase in persons wary of the trend–people who strongly advise against partaking in the fad.  With so much popularity and such opposing sides to the somewhat new tattoo craze, there is bound to be massive media coverage on the topic.  While some critics see it as a fashionable trend, others see it strictly as a future burden that will restrict those who sport tattoos from advancing in the work force.  Some even stress the importance of having laser tattoo removal.

Like any trend, tattoos most likely will decline in popularity as time passes. This is an observed behavior that our laser tattoo removal studio has found to come true. If and when this happens, most people will probably regret the permanent alterations they have made to their body.  So what?  The tattoo industry, in the past decade or so, has drastically increased in popularity a long with the laser tattoo removal industry.  Our Oakbrook Tattoo removal studio understands the fashion aspect of the trend–the idea of permanent body art as a form of artistic expression and individualism.  Athough the tattoo craze as a fashion statement is accompanied by some negative media coverage, this bad publicity will not stop people from doing what they want to do to their bodies.  Tattoos will stay a part of fashionable society for the time being.

Regretting a tattoo of your own? Maybe your trendy tattoo isn't what you thought it would be. Our laser tattoo removal experts can give you the advise you need to remove your unwanted tattoos. Comments or questions? Leave us a comment below or contact Erase: www.erasetattooremovalstudio.com

Is Laser Tattoo Removal Right for You?

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Is Laser Tattoo Removal Right for You?

Are you or someone you know suffering regret with unwanted tattoos? If you are considering eliminating unwanted tattoos, it is best to consider all of your options and find what method is best for you and your lifestyle. Laser tattoo removal is currently the leading most effective method of tattoo removal. Aside from laser tattoo removal, there are other alternatives to removing tattoos including chemical peels, dermabrasion and tattoo removal creams that can cause major long term harm to the health of your skin. Laser tattoo removal is the #1, dermatologist recommended safest method of tattoo removal available.

Laser tattoo removal is rapidly growing in popularity. It is estimated that 50% of people with tattoos consider laser tattoo removal treatments. With 10% of the American population having at least one tattoo, this brings high volume to the laser tattoo removal industry. With so much popularity and demand for laser tattoo removal, the procedure continues to advance and become more effective and safe for the patient.

Your skin type is a big determinant to whether laser tattooremoval is right for you or not. The amount of pigment in your skin relates directly with the success of any tattoo removal procedure. Here at Erase, we recommend visiting a laser tattoo removal studio for a consultation on the tattoo you wish to remove. It is important to discuss with your doctor your plan on removing your tattoos in order to insure a safe transition. The color of the tattoo you wish to remove also plays a huge role on how many procedures it will take to remove, and how effective the procedure will be. Blue and black inks are the easiest to remove in any case. However, almost any tattoo can be removed with laser tattoo removal if the procedure is done correctly and cared for properly. For more information on the aftercare of laser tattoo removal, visit one of our previous blogs, Laser Tattoo Removal Aftercare.

Questions about laser tattoo removal? Still don't know if it's right for you? 

For more information of laser tattoo removal, visit our website: EraseTattooRemoval.com

The History of Tattoo Removal

Did you know that tattoos have been around since 12,000 BC? Although the purpose of tattooing has changed throughout the ages, the art of tattoos have been around for many eras. The word tattoo comes from the Tahitan word “tatu” which translates to “to mark something” Tattoos originated with the purpose to represent culture and life.Tattoos are rapidly increasing in popularity in today's society, which is also causing a rise in the tattoo removal industry. According to a survey of 500 people between the ages of 18 and 50 in 2004, 24% of people reported having a tattoo. In 2013, that statistic nearly doubled! 

Although tattoos are known to be a permanent alter to your body, there are alternative ways to alter or even erase unwanted tattoos. Tattoos have always been considered a permanent alter to a person's body, not anymore for tattoo removal methods! There are many methods of tattoo removal, some more effective than others. Our Chicago laser tattoo removal studio offers quality tattoo removal procedures. At Erase Laser Tattoo Removal, you can expect the most advanced and quality procedures and a friendly atmosphere. The method of laser tattoo removal has been around for many years and continues to advance.

In the beginning the only way to there were no tattoo removal methods available and the only way to remove a tattoo was to cover it up with something different. The ancients believed in their own tattoo removal methods and thought tattoos could be removed and dissolved by adding wine, citrus juices or garlic to the area that was painted with tattoos. Although these methods did not work, it spurred new ideas and schemes that played a role in the history of tattoo removal. As times changed and advanced, the history of tattoo removal methods became rough. Historically, there were common ways of removing tattoos that are absurd to today’s society. In the past, the most common way to remove a tattoo was to traumatize the skin and then apply irritants to remove the tattoo ink. You can assume these practices left patients with pain and scaring. Luckily, times have changed and so have tattoo removal methods.

Today, the method of laser tattoo removal is considered the safest and most reliable method of tattoo removal by dermatologists and plastic surgeons. At Erase Tattoo Removal, a laser tattoo removal studio in Chicago, we provide our patients with top quality laser tattoo removal procedures. At Erase, you can count on safe and reliable tattoo removal techniques. The methods of laser tattoo removal continue to advance. Erase offers R20 tattoo laser removal procedures that is the safest and most effective procedure in the laser tattoo removal industry. Interested in laser tattoo removal? Contact us today for a consultation. 

How Many Laser Treatments Do You Need?

How Many Laser Treatments Do You Need?

When exploring different tattoo removal options, price and time are definitely of an essence with your decision. One of the most common questions our laser tattoo removal studio in Chicago gets is: “How many laser tattoo removal treatments do I need?”. The number of laser tattoo removal treatments required to remove a tattoo depends on several different parameters. If you are considering laser tattoo removal, we recommend visiting a laser tattoo removal studio for a valuable opinion.

Some different factors that go into the speed and process of laser tattoo removal include:

Your skin type: Your skin type plays a huge role on the number of tattoo removal treatments required to remove an unwanted tattoo. Depending on the level of melanin in your skin cells determines how your skin will react to laser tattoo removal treatments. The more melanin you have in your skin type, the longer it will take for tattoo removal treatments to become most effective. Most tattoo removal studios recommend waiting six weeks in between each of your laser tattoo removal treatments.

The tattoo itself: Aesthetically there are many different factors that go into how many laser tattoo removal treatments will be required to remove a tattoo. Larger tattoos will of course take longer to remove than smaller tattoos. The shading and coloring depending on the tattoo can always have an effect on each of your laser tattoo removal treatments. Depending on the pigment of the color used in your tattoo will determine how easy it is to have it removed by laser tattoo removal treatments.

The laser: At our laser tattoo removal studio in Chicago, we are very proud to say we use a very high quality laser. The Asclepion TattooStar Effect laser has one sole purpose: to remove tattoos effectively. You might be surprised to know that many other competing tattoo removal studios use multipurpose lasers. Using our specialized laser tattoo removal laser, gives our clients a guaranteed positive experience. The Asclepion TattooStar Effect laser gurantees less damage and pain to your skin, and less tattoo removal treatments.

Have you ever experienced laser tattoo removal? Let us know what you think, leave comments below.

Lasers and Tattoo Removal

As an Oak Brook laser tattoo removal studio we are endlessly interested in laser tattoo removal and lasers in general.  We've had patients ask us about how lasers came to be used for tattoo removal purposes in the first place and the origins of removal are nothing short of remarkable. While the use of lasers for medical technology date back to the 1960s, lasers being used for laser tattoo removal date back to the late 1980s.  Yes, it was not all that long ago in retrospect, but since the 1980s laser technology has advanced in incredible ways.

In the 1980s pulsed laser lights were first approved for a variety of medical treatments and eventually in the 1990s one laser in particular was approved for tattoo removal.  The Q-Switched Ruby laser was able to to effectively break down green tattoo ink, which we now know can be quite difficult for a laser to break down.

In 1991 an even better laser came onto the scene.  The Q-Switched Nd, or YAG, had the ability to use a wider range of wavelengths.  This new laser was able to eliminate blue, black, red and orange ink.  Its ability to break down a multitude of colors made it quite popular in the laser tattoo removal realm.

In 1992 the Q-Switched Alexandrite Laser was approved for laser tattoo removal proving it had the ability to break down some of the most stubborn of tattoo inks and colors.  That was just what the laser tattoo removal industry needed, a laser that could better break down the difficult ink particles.

Typically these lasers will be used in combination during a laser tattoo removal procedure.  If not used in combination with one another a tattoo removal studio may use a variation of these types of lasers.

Our Laser

Here at Erase we use the Asclepion TattooStar Effect laser.  The Asclepion TattooStar Effect laser specifically targets and breaks up ink particles better than the lasers of the past.  The results our patients get from our laser is powerful and unlike the results earned in the past from lasers.  Before undergoing laser tattoo removal it is always best to speak with your chosen removal studio staff about the laser(s) that will be used during the procedure.

Comment or questions about the use of lasers and tattoo removal?  Feel free to leave us a comment below or contact us.

Great Before and After Tattoo Removal Results

One of the most important parts of the tattoo removal procedure and the overall tattoo removal process are the tattoo removal before and after photos, there's no doubt about that.  Who doesn't want to see incredible results after under going laser tattoo removal?  As an Oak Brook tattoo removal studio we have seen some patients experience incredible results from laser tattoo removal.  While seeing optimal results may take a series of treatments, the end results often makes it incredibly worth it for patients.  We frequently see great tattoo removal before and after photos, so we thought we'd share some before and after photos and talk a little bit about how a patient knows they've gotten good results.

The picture above particularly catches our eye.  This patient had particularly dark ink on the back of his/her hand and here you can see the back of his/her is clear and the knuckles still may need another treatment or two. Overall, it looks quite good and the back of the patient's hand looks like new.

We loved this results picture since it shows the original tattoo and what it looks like after receiving treatments three months and six months in to treatments.  If this particular patient wanted to just fade the tattoo to place another tattoo on top, they could most certainly do that after their three month results.

We like this removal results picture as well because it shows some of the truth of tattoo removal in the form of this patient having red/pink skin as a result of the removal.  This is common and is truly a part of the healing process.  You can see in the fourth picture that the red/pink coloring is beginning to fade quite well.

The following are good indicators that you have had good removal results:

1- Improvements with every treatment: While not every patient will experience a noticeable difference with every laser treatment, it appears that patients who experience a noticeable difference in their tattoos after each treatment tend to have some of the best results in the long run.

2- Minimal complications: There are a whole host of complications that could arise from any form of tattoo removal, which includes laser tattoo removal.  While laser tattoo removal is known for lower risk of complications that doesn't mean patients won't experience complications.  Patients who experience minimal complications are typically the ones that end up with the best results.

3- Achieved desired outcome: The obvious sign that you have good results is the overall end outcome from laser tattoo removal, which would be achieving the desired results which is either full removal or partial removal.

Have any before and after pictures you'd like to share with us?  Feel free to contact us, leave us a comment or post a link below.

Risks Associated with Tattoo Removal

Depending on the method a patient seeks to remove a tattoo, there are always risks that are associated.  Any medical procedure comes with a whole host of risks, which are sometimes unavoidable.  When it comes to tattoo removal, risks may vary depending on the method a person opts to use to remove a tattoo.  Here are a few of the main risks associated with the various tattoo removal procedures:

Dermabrasion

Dermabrasion, as we talked about before, is what many people refer to as the sanding down of the skin.  Dermabrasion relies on an abrasive tool that removes the layers of skin that hold the tattoo ink. Patients who have undergone dermabrasion talk about how it feels as if the skin has been burned.

What are the risks associated with dermabrasion?

Skin sensitivity-- Right after the procedure the skin will be sensitive and the sensitivity may last for weeks, even months, following the procedure.  The skin that has undergone the dermabrasion procedure will be a red/pink color for a while following the procedure and can take months to fade and return to a normal skin color.

Skin color change-- Dermabrasion can cause the skin to either become lighter than normal or darker than normal, respectively this is known as hyper/hypopigmentation.

Cryosurgery

Cryosurgery uses liquid nitrogen to freeze the skin directly above the tattoo. Freezing the skin destroys the cells, which allows the skin to be peeled away.  The frozen tissue is destroyed and the body eventually takes over and heals the area. This form of tattoo removal is related to having frostbite.

What are the risks associated with cryosurgery?

Damage to surrounding skin tissue-- With cryosurgery there is a risk for damaging nearby tissues and nerve cells.

Skin color change-- Similar to dermabrasion, there is a risk of the skin experiencing hyper/hypopigmentation following the cryosurgery procedure.

Excision

Excision is essentially the surgical removal of the skin. Once skin is surgically removed, surrounding skin is drawn together and stitched up. Excision is not recommended for patients with larger tattoos since removing a large portion of skin can be extremely dangerous when it comes to bleeding risks.

What are the risks associated with excision?

Heavy bleeding-- The larger the area of skin being removed, the more at risk a patient is for experiencing heavy bleeding.  Excision can be quite dangerous when it comes to a large tattoo being removed, which is why it is not recommended for removing large tattoos.

Scarring-- Excision can result in scarring from the incision that is made.  This form of removal takes time to heal from.  

Risk of infection-- Depending on the size of the tattoo undergoing excision, the risk of infection can be quite high.  Since the skin is being removed it is more vulnerable to bacteria, so patients must exercise caution in caring for their skin following excision removal.

Laser Tattoo Removal

Yes, we are a laser tattoo removal studio and our staff members are all big advocates for laser tattoo removal.  So what is about laser tattoo removal that we find so great?  We like the results it gives patients, the fact there is no down time following a procedure, and the low risk for complications.  Even with that in mind, it is still a medical procedure and with that there is always going to be a risk for complications, such as the following:

What are the risks associated with laser tattoo removal?

Skin sensitivity-- Because the skin will typically undergo a few procedures to get desired results, the skin can become sensitive from the procedure.  This is why it is important to care for the skin following the laser tattoo removal procedure, which is something we teach our patients before even undergoing the procedure.

Luckily, risk of infection, scarring and other complications is extremely low with laser tattoo removal, making it a popular method of removal and a favorite amongst removal patients.  Before undergoing any type of tattoo removal, we suggest doing research on all the method available to help choose the right one for you.  Have comments or questions? Feel free to leave them below or contact us.