The raised skin is a scar. These scars are caused by excessive tissue formation. The dermatologist who removed the tattoo should see it and suggest treatment.
You can, you might have to wait a few weeks until the lasered area has healed. It also depends on how much of the old tattoo is completely removed from visibility in order for the tattoo artist to do a new tattoo without the old one showing up.
During your laser tattoo removal treatment, you will need to wear protection for your eyes. The laser will penetrate the layer of your skin where the pigment resides to break it up. The fragments are then removed by the body’s natural system.
There are different factors that affect how easy or difficult it is to remove a tattoo with a laser. For example, simple designs with black ink are the easiest to remove. More complex designs with shading are harder to remove. Also physicians are quite cautious when to comes to treating darker skin. They will use milder settings and attempt to expose the skin to minimal levels of laser energy in order to prevent scarring and hyperpigmentation. If you are not seeing drastic results after your first treatment, don’t feel discouraged.
Most physicians will recommend that patients avoid exercise for about 1 or 2 days following their procedure. The skin may be susceptible to breaking and swelling during this time, especially if the tattoo is fairly large. Your doctor can provide more specific guidelines after your laser removal treatment
Surgical excision can be considered if the tattoo is relatively small. However, it will leave a scar. When performed correctly, laser tattoo removal can be quite effective in removing tattoos. But this really depends on different factors such as the colors used, the complexity of the design, layering, the amount of ink involved, your skin type and the location of the tattoo.
The Spectra and Medlite lasers which are Q-Switched 1064nm Nd:Yag lasers are best for addressing multiple colors. And they are safe for different skin tones.
Yes. The Spectra laser uses the 1064nm wavelength which is not easily absorbed by melanin in the surrounding areas. This is a good thing. This lowers the risk of unwanted pigmentation and scaring which can occur if the skin absorbs too much of the laser energy which converts to heat. Also in patients with very dark skin, physicians may choose to first bleach the area first. This helps prevent unwanted side effects. And it will enhance the effectiveness of the treatment.
The laser energy is applied to the skin in short bursts. This can feel like a rubber band snapping against the skin. Usually (but not always) there is redness that develops into scabs following the treatment. Typically this lasts between 10-14 days.
This depends on different factors such as: your skin type, the colors involved, the location of the tattoo, the degree of layering, the presence of scarring or tissue change and the amount of ink that was originally used. Based on these variables, you doctor will be able to give you an approximate time frame.