FAQ "Can Laser Tattoo Removal Work on Dark or Very Light Skin Tones?"

A frequently asked question about laser tattoo removal is "Can laser tattoo removal work on dark or very light skin tones?" And the answer is simply yes, it does; however, there are some added complications or precautions one must take when dealing with the tattoo removal with darker skin tones because it is often close in pigment color to the ink. The same precautions apply to very light skin and lighter ink colors.

The main issues with very light or dark skin tones during and after the laser tattoo removal is that the possibility of hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation are is higher than when performing the procedure on someone with a more "medium" skin tone. In case you do not know, pigment is what makes your skin the color it is. Hyperpigmentation is when the skin darkens; the pigment gets hyper and due to its hyper activity, it darkens. Hypopigmentation is when the skin gets lighter; the prefix "hypo" means "without." Due to the increased probability of hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation, the doctor will have to proceed with caution. One way the doctor will help reduce the risk will be to have shorter sessions and then increase the amount of sessions, but the cost will all work out the same way. It is important to note that complete removal may not always be possible if the ink pigment and your skin pigment are too similar and the laser cannot tell which is which.

Another reality of much darker skin tones and laser tattoo removal is that they are more likely to have keloid scars form. Keloid scars are scars that do not remain within the injury boundary line. For example, if you scrape your knee and it heals but you get a scar, the scar will be the same size and shape as the original injury, nothing more. This is called a hypertrophic scar. A keloid scar ignores that initial injury boundary and goes where it wants. Keloid scars are punks with big egos while hypertrophic scars are the obedient, good child you like to brag about.

Hopefully this blog has helped you resolve some questions about laser tattoo removal , my friends!

Laser Technology: What Lasers Do They Use for Laser Tattoo Removal?

Laser technology has come a long way when it comes to laser tattoo removal . Thankfully, this means that patients of this procedure can rest assure that their safety is well taken care of while getting tattoo removal. With so many kinds of lasers being used in the practice, all are safe and good, it can be confusing. So, this blog will help clarify what kinds of lasers are used in tattoo removal .
The first laser is the Q-Switched Frequency Doubled Nd: Yag 532 nm. This laser is made for red and orange tattoo ink colors.
Another laser is the Q-Switched Ruby: 694 nm: This laser is made to break up green and dark ink pigments such as black, navy blue, brown, etc. and so it is made to be highly absorbed by dark pigments. This laser can provide problems for those with darker skin.
A third kind of laser is the Q-Switched Alexandrite: 755 nm: This laser is made for green and dark pigments as well, much like the Ruby laser, but it is much weaker than it. The plus side of this tattoo laser is more friendly to darker skin tones since it is weaker. This one is especially good on black pigments but is terrible on orange and red pigments.
A fourth kind of laser is the Q-switched Nd:YAG: 1064 nm: this laser is also pretty weak and thus works well on darker skin tones because of low absorption by melanin. tattoo removal studios like to use this laser on dark ink pigments but tend to use it sparingly.
While this may seem overwhelming, if you are considering laser tattoo removal you do not have to worry about this because the type of laser being used is decided by the tattoo removal studio. This was merely to help you know what happens during the procedure and be informed. If you are considering, do your research, my friends.

R20 Laser Tattoo Removal Technique

If you have been researching tattoo removal then you have certainly come across different kinds of laser tattoo removal ; one special kind of method is the R20 laser tattoo removal method. If you have not been researching laser tattoo removal, then you may not have heard about it. Regardless if you have heard about this method or not, this post will teach you information about the R20 method and why it is better than other laser tattoo removal methods.
Why the name R20? Well, the R stands for "rapid" and the 20 stands for 20 minutes; after each pass of the laser, a very tiny nitrogen bubble on the skin and it requires of 20 minutes of rest before the laser can go over that spot again.
A major benefit to tattoo removal is that it can give you a fresh start. If you are looking to get a better job or want to forget a past love and a regretted tattoo is what is standing in your way, then getting it removed will help you get to where you want to be. However, laser tattoo removal is a process that can take a while to complete; tattoos often require at least five removal sessions with six to eight weeks of recovery in between each session. So if you do the math, a small, black tattoo can take five sessions, at 6 weeks of recovery in between each session, that means having to go into sessions for at least 6 months.
The R20 method uses a significant less amount of time for removal because it is much more efficient and concentrated than traditional laser methods. For that same small, black tattoo that required 6 sessions, opting for the R20 laser tattoo removal method would only require 2 sessions, still with 6-8 weeks of recovery in between. The only catch of R20 is that is more costly. The tattoo mentioned would cost around $200 per session while it would cost $600 per session. However, the cost for the entire tattoo removal comes out about the same. 6 sessions, $200/session, $1200 total; 2 sessions, $600/session, $1200. This method is also the safest on the skin and produces the fewest side effects and complications, even though laser removal is already safe and dependent.
Whatever you choose to do about your tattoo make sure you do your research & know what you're getting into. Make sure you're willing to commit to the time required for the removal as well as the instructions for caring about the removal and your skin.

R20 Tattoo Removal technique

There are lots of kinds of tattoo removal and there are equally as many horror stories to accompany them; with older methods of tattoo removal, such as skin grafts, bleach, skin peels, etc, the concept of removing a tattoo has become something to fear and avoid. However, in recent years, tattoo removal has become something that should be something that we can trust as effective and not as much drama.

The R20 tattoo removal is a technique used in laser tattoo removal and it is regarded as one of the safest and the best. You may be asking yourself, "Why is it named 'R20'?" Well, it's simple, really. The "R" in R20 stands for "repeating" as in the fact that the laser repeats impulses on the ink in the tattoo; the 20 part of the name stands for 20 minutes. After each time the laser hits a spot on the skin, it produces a small nitrogen bubble on the skin layer, the nitrogen bubble looks like frost, and it takes 20 minutes for the laser to be able to punch through this frost, hence, 20 minutes.

The main benefit of this tattoo removal method is that it is a lot faster than current laser tattoo removal methods because it is more concentrated; with this method, a black tattoo can be reduced by at least 50 percent in fewer sessions than other laser methods. This is a big plus when you need to get a tattoo removed because you are looking for a new job, a new relationship, or you just regret getting a tattoo back in the day and want it gone ASAP. Other laser methods can take at least six months to remove a tattoo; a quarter-sized black tattoo often takes five sessions and requires six to eight weeks for recovery in-between sessions, and the five sessions is minimum, it could take more with previous methods.

With R20, you will still need about six weeks of recovery in between sessions but the amount of required sessions is drastically reduced, so instead of taking at least six months or even a year, you may only need a few months. The price of R20 procedure is a bit more per session than other methods, around $300 more but as stated earlier, your required sessions is drastically reduced. Your overall price comes to be about the same.

Choosing the Right Tattoo Artist

Getting a tattoo artist is always a process that can make some people feel nervous; you want to make sure that you are picking the right one but you don't always know what to look for or to trust what you see and think about the parlor. Being in the tattoo business, although at the other end of it, I still know how to pick the right tattoo artist and can help you do the same.

First things first, actually go to the tattoo parlor and take a look at things for yourself. Look and see if the place is neat and professional looking. If they keep things clean, as far as you can t ell, that's a good sign; if there's dirt on the floor or walls, then that might not be the place you want to expose your vulnerable skin.

The second thing is to ask the tattoo artist questions. Ask question such as: Is there an autoclave? Are your needles single use? Do the artists wear gloves? What sort of disinfectants do you use? How long have you been in business?

Don't be afraid to ask the questions because if the place is legit, then they won't mind since they should be doing these things anyway and won't have anything to hide.

The third thing to do is check to see if the artist follows the latest safety precautions.

The fourth thing to do is ask people who have gotten tattoos from the place and see how theirs look and ask if they would recommend the parlor.

Tattoo Removal: Laser tattoo removal vs. tattoo removal cream

Tattoo Removal: Laser tattoo removal vs. tattoo removal cream


Are you considering getting tattoo removal? Have you been researching and debating what kind of tattoo removal you should get? Well it has come to my attention that a lot of people believe that they can get a formerly beloved tattoo removed by using cream and avoiding the costly laser tattoo removal procedure.  Knowing the bases of both tattoo removal creams and laser removal, I know how they work and why you should actually opt for laser tattoo removal despite the cost.

A lot of tattoo removal creams say how they are able to break up the the ink in your skin and remove your tattoo. However, the problem is that they are not effective, at least not as effective as they claim to be. Many consumer reviews of tattoo removal creams, you will see that most of the reviews say that the cream does not work or at least not for many, many months. Removal creams often contain harsh chemicals such as bleach or other chemicals that are not good for your skin; in addition to being rough on your skin, most of the creams require you to peel your skin or sand it to see any results, they will not remove the tattoo if you do not do any work. If you choose this option, then definitely make sure to do your research and see what people are saying about the product and whether it works or not; if it works, does it contain harsh chemicals or  require you to destroy your skin?

Laser tattoo removal is much safer and effective, if you get someone who knows what they are doing. If you find a certified dermatologist who has good reviews, then the risk of complications with the removal will be minimal, if any. Do your research and see what people say; find someone who has gotten a tattoo removed for themselves and see what they say. While there is some pain involved with laser tattoo removal, it is not as bad as some make it out to be, of course, your pain tolerance level will ultimately determine that. Another thing about this option is the price; it is pricey but that is because of what has to be done, not because the dermatologists are thieves. Is this option affordable? Absolutely.

Find out for yourself what you want to do. Nearly 50 percent of Americans who get tattoos get them removed and millions of Americans have gotten tattoos so you are not alone in this process.

Bad, Dumb, & Awkward Tattoos

Lots of people get tattoos these days and there are a lot of them that look really, really cool; but sometimes there are people who just do not get it. Have you ever been walking down the street or been somewhere and seen someone with a tattoo and wondered, "What were they thinking?" Well, I have seen some of the worst tattoos you can imagine.

          The absolute worst tattoo I have ever seen was of a body-builder having intercourse with earth. Yes, a tattoo of a man having sexual intercourse with the earth. I do not know why this man thought this tattoo was a good idea. I can imagine his message with the tattoo is that the “has his way with the world” so to speak but there is a much, much better way to convey that message, even in tattoo form, than to get this particular tattoo. The only saving grace here is that the tattoo was on the back of the man so he could at least cover it with a shirt, forever. And if you are wondering if you can see the man's genitalia, yes, yes you can. There is detail. I hope this guy definitely gets some laser tattoo removal because that tattoo is just not going to fly when he takes his shirt off. 

      Another terrible tattoo I saw was of a woman who had "DRAKE" tattoo'd on her forehead. In big, block lettering. You can be a big fan of someone or have a relationship with someone but to post that on your forehead is not the best idea. If the woman plans on having a job that can actually take her somewhere, she will have to get some serious tattoo removal. 

       Have you ever seen a man with an ice cream cone tattoo'd on him? Well I did some tattoo removal work on a man who decided to get a big ice cream cone tattoo on his stomach/chest. While this tattoo is not necessarily graphic nor terribly stupid, it was a definite mistake. 

      Another terrible tattoo I have seen was on a man who decided to turn his head into a skull via tattoo. Yes, he actually had a tattoo so his face looked like a skull, not just a tattoo of a skull on his face.  Obviously, this tattoo can not be covered up with any clothing unless he wears a mask. What makes it worse is that the tattoo removal for this would be more painful since it is on the face and near sensitive areas such as eyes and lips (although he would wear protective goggles).

      Twilight, is this really something you want tattoo'd on your body? What about having the first dvd cover tattoo'd on your body? There was a woman who decided to get this done. The worst thing about it was that it was large enough to cover her back. 

      There are so many bad life decisions out there and the sad thing is, there will be more; however, you can help reduce the numbers by thinking ahead and planning your tattoo before you get one. Think about what it will be, where it will be, and how you will look with it. If you do not think about your tattoo very carefully, you can end up getting some laser tattoo removal.