Regret your tattoo? Here are some tips for getting rid of it

Does your tattoo bear the name of your old flame? Or the one you had on a whim no longer fits your picture?

You are not alone. Many people have a "tattoo regret" and opt for the removal of ink.

According to Dr. Paul M. Friedman, director of the Dermatology and Laser Surgery Center in Houston and New York, nearly 3 out of 10 American adults wear one or more tattoos and 25% want them eliminated.

Friedman, a spokesman for the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, said people of all ages were looking for withdrawals, but he saw an increase among the millennials. The medical group estimates that its members made 85,000 tattoo removals in 2017, the latest available data, but this does not include those who were abducted by other medical workers.

Dermatologists say that the latest laser equipment can eliminate most tattoos without leaving scars, but you have to be ready for a long and expensive process. The insurance does not cover it.

Tattoos can be removed in three ways:

-Laser removal, usually the preferred method. The laser sends light pulses of different wavelengths for each color for fractions of a second. The impulses break the skin cells and tear the ink that contains them in very small particles that the lymphatic system captures and that the body excretes gradually. Local anesthetic is given to prevent pain.

This usually gives the best result, but takes from 4 to 10 sessions, depending on the size and colors of the tattoo, the skin color of the patient and other factors. Each session can cost around $ 450 for a small tattoo at $ 1000 for a large tattoo.

-Dermabrasion, or scraping of the upper layers of the skin. It can leave big scars and not remove all the ink, says Dr. Eric F. Bernstein, director of the Mainline Laser Surgery Center in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia.

– Surgical removal or cutting of the upper layers of the skin. This can also leave scars, but may be a good option for small tattoos or if tattoo inks have caused an allergic reaction and need to be removed quickly, adds Bernstein.

"Wait until you can do it right," recommends Bernstein, former president of the American Society for Laser Medicine & Surgery. "If you try to do something cheaply, you take a correctable problem and turn it into an uncorrectable problem with a big scar."

Ryan Tucker, a firefighter who lives in Pearland, Texas, spent about $ 6,000 on 10 laser treatments for Friedman to remove a neck tattoo with the word "Natalie" from his ex-wife's name.

"I was young and stupid and I thought it was a good way to show affection, which is not the case," said 39-year-old Tucker. .

He started to withdraw it six months before remarriage in 2017 and finished last year at the end, with some light blue spots.

Tucker says that he sometimes felt a tingling sensation, but otherwise, the brief treatments did not hurt, unlike the "extremely painful" process of getting a tattoo. Tucker said the area felt like there was a slight sunburn for a few days after each treatment.

Some advice from medical groups:

– Find a dermatologist, preferably certified, with expertise in tattoo removal and advanced training in laser surgery.

– Make sure the doctor has lasers covering several light wavelengths, matching the colors of your tattoo. Ask them if they have the latest lasers, Q-switches or PS lasers, says Bernstein.

– Ask to see pictures before and after of patients with the same complexion.

– Follow the tracking instructions. The area will probably be red and irritated because the skin is just after a tattoo.

– Do not rush the work. It is best to wait a few months between sessions.

"This will reduce the number of sessions," produce the best result and reduce costs, says Friedman.

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