2008 Woodie Awards
No More Regrets:
Laser Tattoo Removal
Issue date: 10/26/07 Section: Features
- Page 1 of 1
These days, tattoos are commonplace. However those who regret their body ink can now have something done about it.
Donna Blanco, a clinical aesthetician and certified in laser tattoo removal, said a consultation with her and the nurse practitioner is the first step.
On a daily basis, between one in five people come into the Waterford Day Spa to discuss having their tattoo(s) removed.
When removing a tattoo, the laser reads the color of the ink. It then breaks up the pigment into particles the body can absorb and flush out, be it through perspiration or digestion. The laser only goes as deep as the tattoo which can be four to five layers deep. The laser then gives a burst of heat onto the skin.
Senior Sun Cha, who is in the process of having her tattoos removed, said the experience feels like "hot grease on your skin."
Two to three days later, the area will turn a frosted-white color and some of the color then begins to re-appear. Cha, who has three fingernail-sized tattoos, still has two to three more painful sessions.
Blanco said that nine times out of ten a blood blister will appear, which is the body's way of healing. She advises against picking at the scab.
After this, blood pressure is taken. If someone's blood pressure is over a certain range, they will not do the tattoo removal. This is because high blood pressure can cause anxiety as laser tattoo removal is an invasive procedure.
The procedure runs anywhere from $75 to $1,000 or more per session. The amount of sessions and cost varies depending on the tattoo.
"Most of my clients, if it's a big tattoo, something with lots of color, they will be with me for about a year, to a year and a half," Blanco said.
After the first treatment, she says she can see what she is working with and determine around how many sessions are needed. Cha cautions against making a hasty decision.
"If you want a tattoo, think twice about it."
Donna Blanco, a clinical aesthetician and certified in laser tattoo removal, said a consultation with her and the nurse practitioner is the first step.
On a daily basis, between one in five people come into the Waterford Day Spa to discuss having their tattoo(s) removed.
When removing a tattoo, the laser reads the color of the ink. It then breaks up the pigment into particles the body can absorb and flush out, be it through perspiration or digestion. The laser only goes as deep as the tattoo which can be four to five layers deep. The laser then gives a burst of heat onto the skin.
Senior Sun Cha, who is in the process of having her tattoos removed, said the experience feels like "hot grease on your skin."
Two to three days later, the area will turn a frosted-white color and some of the color then begins to re-appear. Cha, who has three fingernail-sized tattoos, still has two to three more painful sessions.
Blanco said that nine times out of ten a blood blister will appear, which is the body's way of healing. She advises against picking at the scab.
After this, blood pressure is taken. If someone's blood pressure is over a certain range, they will not do the tattoo removal. This is because high blood pressure can cause anxiety as laser tattoo removal is an invasive procedure.
The procedure runs anywhere from $75 to $1,000 or more per session. The amount of sessions and cost varies depending on the tattoo.
"Most of my clients, if it's a big tattoo, something with lots of color, they will be with me for about a year, to a year and a half," Blanco said.
After the first treatment, she says she can see what she is working with and determine around how many sessions are needed. Cha cautions against making a hasty decision.
"If you want a tattoo, think twice about it."
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