When people think of tattoos, they think of costly, indestructible body ink that stays with its wearer for the rest of his life.
Thanks to some modern procedures and a few traditional methods, the barbed wire on a forearm or the butterfly on an ankle might not be so permanent.
Tattoo removal is a growing science; an estimated 20 million Americans have one or more tattoos removed, according to Dr. Jeffrey Binstock of San Francisco.
Several methods of removal exist, but their success is determined by many factors, including how long the person has had the tattoo, if it was applied by a trained professional, and the size and location of the dyed area to name a few, according to the Contemporary Health Communications.
Excision is a useful method for small tattoos. It involves an injection of a local anesthetic to numb the area, after which the tattoo is removed surgically. The edges are then brought together and sutured. With this procedure, there is minimal bleeding that is easily controlled with electrocautery, a process of sealing blood vessels with an electrically heated needle.
Dermabrasion is another method, where a small portion of the tattoo is sprayed with a solution that freezes the area and then the tattoo is sanded, causing the skin to peel.
During a laser treatment, a cream is used to numb the skin, then light from the laser is directed onto the tattoo, breaking up the tattoo pigment. Over the next several weeks the body’s immune system gets rid of the ink.
A laser method requires numerous treatments.
“Laser treatment has been described as like that of a rubber band snapping over the area,” said Dr. Usha Rajagopal of San Francisco’s Plastic Surgery and Laser Center.
It is not typical, but sometimes hypo-pigmentation, whitening of the skin, can occur, Rajagopal said.
When using a salabrasion method, a solution of tap water and table salt is applied to the tattoo. Then a device such as a wooden block wrapped in gauze is used to vigorously scrape the area.
More methods might be available in the future.
Wright State’s School of Medicine in Ohio is conducting research studying the effectiveness of a cream used for genital warts as a possible complement to laser treatment.
Whatever method chosen, cost can be an issue.
Some online stores offer removal creams for $49, but any procedure by a licensed physician will cost more.
Depending on the treatment and doctor chosen, fees will vary.
Dr. Rajagopal said not only does the patient pay the physician’s fee, but often additional fees for the operating room, general anesthesia, post-surgical garments, implants (skin graphs), and specialized equipment.
Dr. Rajagopal’s laser treatment fee, for example, is $125- $200 for the first treatment per square inch of tattoo.
Former Ohio State student Samantha Martoni was a 21-year-old English major when she decided to get her first tattoo.
“I put a small frog on my ankle,” Martoni said. “I thought I was going to be home all the time writing my novels; I wouldn’t be trying to impress anyone.”
Now, working as a Mortgage Consultant in Minnesota, her life is significantly different.
“I am expected to dress up for work; I’m not just sitting in my home,” Martoni explained. “I can’t always wear pants. Sometimes I want to wear a dress, but then, how do I hide my frog?”
Martoni said it did not take her long in her new profession to decide it was time to give up her tattoo.
“I don’t even know why I did it in the first place, but I am an adult now,” she said. “I don’t want to have to worry about dressing to hide (my tattoo).”
When researching the methods, however, Martoni became a little more apprehensive.
“It just all sounds so harsh,” she said.
