How Effective is Laser Tattoo Removal?

Body art can be a beautiful expression of your personality, but as time passes and circumstances change, you may discover that your love for your tattoo isn’t as permanent as you once thought it would be. Fortunately, your ink doesn’t have to be permanent either. At the Vein Care Center in Lima, OH, Dr. Manu B. Aggarwal performs tattoo removal treatments using state-of-the-art laser technology at our Lima office for patients in the surrounding Allen, Auglaize, Hancock and Mercer counties and beyond. If you are ready to erase unwanted ink in Ohio, please contact us today to schedule your free in-person screening.

How Does Laser Tattoo Removal Work?

Many products and treatments profess to remove unwanted tattoo ink from the skin. While it may be tempting to pick whichever seems quickest or cheapest, what matters most is choosing a method that is safe and effective. Laser tattoo removal is the most advanced tattoo removal method available today. When performed by a qualified professional, it boasts high success rates with few severe side effects.

Tattoo ink is designed to be difficult to erase. Not only does it need to stand up to the elements and last a lifetime, but it also has to withstand attacks from within your own body. The body identifies ink particles as potentially harmful foreign particles and responds by unleashing an army of white blood cells to eliminate them. This is the same response used to battle viruses, bacteria and other outside invaders that threaten your health. In the face of tattoo ink, however, there’s a problem: ink particles are too large for white blood cells handle.

Lasers assist your body’s natural elimination process by breaking up ink pigment into manageable sizes. During treatment, the laser device emits ultra-short bursts of specialized energy that pass through the upper layers of the skin to target the tattoo pigment. The power shatters the pigment into minuscule particles that can be absorbed by the body’s lymphatic system. Your tattoo will gradually fade away as these particles are organically disposed of by the lymphatic system, along with other foreign bodies and toxins.

How Is Laser Tattoo Removal Performed?

For optimal safety and results, the Vein Care Center uses the Cutera enlighten® laser for laser tattoo removal in Ohio. We were the very first practice in Ohio and the nation to carry the most current enlighten® laser with all three wavelengths: 1064nm, 532nm and 670nm. The latest innovation in laser technology, it allows for more effective destruction of the ink particles with fewer side effects and fewer treatments than previous tattoo removal methods, making it highly effective at removing tattoos.

Older laser systems relied on slower energy pulses that fragmented tattoo pigment with heat, but also generated excess heat that remained in the skin. Results were often unsatisfactory and could come paired with scarring, hypopigmentation (reduction of pigment in the dermis) or hyperpigmentation (darkening of the skin). Our advanced laser system comes with both picosecond and nanosecond. technology, and reduces the potential for damage by firing pulses that last for a shorter duration of time. With less time spent in the skin, the system lowers the risk of side effects while more effectively breaking up the ink pigment.

In addition to the above benefits, our laser can remove tattoos with a broader range of pigments and on nearly any skin type and tone. Different laser wavelengths are needed to remove different colors of tattoo ink. If a specific color does not absorb the laser light, the ink will not shatter, and that part of the tattoo will not be removed. Certain pigment colors have historically been more challenging to remove than others. The enlighten® laser system is better equipped to address all tattoo colors, even the problematic blue and green shades that tend to resist removal with other laser systems.

At the Vein Care Center, tattoo removal is safe and effective, removes difficult colors, may cause less discomfort and often requires fewer treatments than traditional laser tattoo removal. For all of these reasons, we provide the gold standard in laser tattoo removal.

Is Laser Tattoo Removal Right for Me?

Just as there are many reasons for getting a tattoo, there are many reasons to consider removing one. Some people feel embarrassed by their choice of body art or grow to think that it is linked to a painful memory. Some become dissatisfied with the appearance of their tattoo as it ages. Others feel their ink no longer accurately expresses their personality or lifestyle or is incompatible with their professional goals. Whatever your reason, the decision is personal. You may be an ideal candidate for laser tattoo removal if:

• You are prepared to commit to a process that will require multiple sessions
• You are prepared to follow all aftercare instructions
• You do not have an infection in or near the desired treatment area
• You do not have a history of certain medical conditions
• You are not pregnant or nursing
• You are in good health generally
• You have reasonable expectations

Is Laser Tattoo Removal Effective? The enlighten® laser is the next generation of laser tattoo removal technology and the most advanced yet. Using this system, we can remove a broader range of ink pigment colors with fewer side effects and in fewer treatment sessions than traditional laser tattoo removal systems. Laser tattoo removal using any device is a process that requires time and patience, but in the hands of a skilled practitioner like Dr. Aggarwal, it can be extremely effective. Factors including the color, location and age of the tattoo will affect how long the removal process takes and how much of the ink is removed. To ensure the best possible outcome, it’s essential to schedule your tattoo removal procedure at an experienced practice like the Vein Care Center. Visit our laser tattoo removal before and after gallery to see some of the excellent results we have achieved.

Choosing the Vein Care Center for Laser Tattoo Removal in Ohio

Tattoo removal done with a laser in the state of Ohio is required by law to be performed by a physician. At the Vein Care Center, Dr. Manu B. Aggarwal performs all laser tattoo removal procedures. Dr. Aggarwal, MHSA, MD, is a board-certified and aesthetic laser-certified family physician with who has been serving patients in Lima, Celina, Bluffton and the surrounding areas of Ohio for more than five years. If you are interested in laser tattoo removal, or one of the many other services offered at the Vein Care Center, please call 419-227-4472 to request a screening with our team.