Getting a tattoo and hating it later is growing more common nowadays, and luckily, tattoo removal abilities have grown along with tattoo popularity. Laser tattoo removal has become more efficient and less painful, as well as more effective. Physicians can now treat a wider range of ink color and design size to provide patients with superior results.
Boca Raton dermatologist Dr. Janee Steinberg says she sees several patients who are now working professionals and find that their tattoos limit them in social situations. "There are many people who come to me and they say, 'I did this when I was young and foolish and now I'm grown up and in the business world," says Dr. Steinberg. She said that the designs of the tattoos she removes are never ending in variety, but she aims to give patients the confidence of being ink-free.
Laser tattoo removal results of Dr. Janee Steinberg
Dr. Steinberg says the best way to remove tattoos is with several treatments so that no one session is overly aggressive or causes scarring. Also, she says that she cautions her patients about what improvement they can reasonably expect to see. It requires several different lasers to treat a wide range of ink colors. "You need a machine that has the ability to do black ink and red ink at least. The other colors - green and purple and orange and yellow are very difficult to remove, and the patient has to really understand from the beginning that you may not be able to remove every bit of ink that they have."
Laser tattoo removal results of Dr. Janee Steinberg
While there haven't been any real studies regarding whether older tattoos are tougher to remove than new tattoos, Dr. Steinberg says that in her opinion, a new tattoo is easier to remove than an old one. "I have had quite a few young people who come home with tattoos and their parents get very upset and they drag them into the office and they want the tattoo off that day. The earliest one I've ever done was within 2 days and I think it's faster to remove a tattoo that's freshly put on."
How much does laser tattoo removal cost?
Pricing is also important to consider before making the decision to move forward with laser tattoo removal. Ryan Lambert, president of Astanza Lasers says that costs vary by region and office setting, however there are some nearly universal standards. Just about every office bases their charges on a per treatment fee. Because it's difficult to know just how many treatments are needed, it's tough to measure what the total end cost will be. Also, pricing varies based on the size of the tattoo and many offices charge a set rate for small, medium and large tattoos while others use a sliding scale with a per square inch charge.
