Is Laser Tattoo Removal Painful?
It is common to make a mistake like getting a tattoo on your face as a young adult. According to WebMD, 50 percent of people regret getting a tattoo and want to have it removed. Some people put off having their tattoo removed because of worrying about pain. Read on to find out if the tattoo removal process is painful.
Pre-Treatment Steps to Minimize the Pain
Your doctor may ask you to follow certain steps before the procedure to minimize pain. He or she may prescribe an anesthetic cream. This cream must be applied to the area two hours prior to the procedure. It is taken off right before laser surgery starts.
An over the counter pain pill can help ease some of your pain. If you want to take a pain reliever, then you should take a non-aspirin pain pill like Tylenol. Taking pills like ibuprofen and aspirin can cause bruising after your laser treatment.
Discomfort or Pain During the Removal Process
To remove a tattoo, your doctor uses a laser that sends light pulses into your tattoo to break up the pigment. You may experience pain or discomfort from the laser penetrating your skin. According to WebMD, the
Large tattoos require more light pulses than the smaller ones. This means the larger your tattoo is, the more time it takes to complete the procedure. It also means you are going to experience more pain getting a larger tattoo removed than a smaller one. You should feel better knowing that the laser procedure only takes minutes to complete.
The disadvantage is that you have to complete this same process again in three weeks. It helps to understand that removing a tattoo is not a one-time procedure. The laser does not get rid of the pigment from your tattoo.
It breaks the ink up into small particles. Your body digests these particles from the inside out. The body has to do its job and absorb the remaining particles. For these reasons, you have to wait in between sessions. It takes several sessions to completely remove your tattoo. With each session, your tattoo will get lighter.
Uncomfortable Side Effects
The side effects are minimal from tattoo removal, but they can be uncomfortable. The area of removal is at risk of getting an infection. Your doctor counters this by applying an antibacterial ointment to the area after your procedure.
Laser removal may cause the treatment area to appear red and feel like it is sunburned for a couple of weeks. The treated area can also form scabs, which can cause discomfort. Other side effects may include scarring and not being able to completely remove your tattoo.
Getting your tattoo removed is not that bad when knowing what to expect. It helps to remember that the discomfort and pain is temporary. The pain is not so bad when you remember the reason for getting it removed in the first place.