People who have body art get them for various reasons. One of these reasons has to do with honoring an aspect of their life that they truly feel represents who they are. Or, perhaps they get body art in the form of a person's name. Whatever their choice, some people become unhappy with their body art over time.
So, the first step for these people is figuring out which tattoo removal process would be the best for them. In the old days, before there were various medical procedures for tattoo removal, a person had two options. The first option was to let the sun naturally bleach it away. This option was not a good idea for obvious reasons, but also because the excess sun exposure could lead to skin cancer.
The second option was for people to just cover the tattoo up and pretend it was not there anymore. This was definitely not the best idea either, because it would lead people to become ashamed, and it really was not necessary! Then, the third, and most commonly done option, was for the person to just have another tattoo placed over the one that was originally there. This particular option is still done today sometimes.
However, none of those original tattoo removal options were good for people who just wanted to have clear skin where their tattoo once was. Now, however, advances in dermatological technology have come up with two main procedures for tattoo removal. The first method involves using a TCA solution to remove the tattoo, while the second method involves a laser removal procedure.
Before a person makes a choice between either of these removal techniques, it is very important for a person to have a better understanding of what is meant to make a tattoo permanent in the first place. Tattoos are applied via an electric needle. The needle itself makes a bunch of small holes in the upper epidermal layers, into which the ink is injected. The skin molecules in that area thus bond to the ink, and the result is meant to be a permanent tattoo.
In the case of TCA removal, this substance, which is a clear liquid chemical, is gently applied to the skin via a q-tip. It is important to note that while the TCA substance itself should only be obtained by a reputable dermatologist, the procedure itself is done at home by the person who wants their tattoo removed.
What the TCA substance itself basically does is dissolve the top layers of the skin, thereby breaking apart the skin molecules that have bonded to the ink. It is important to note that to prevent scarring, the process should only be done once every few weeks.
The laser procedure is done in an outpatient facility by a dermatologist who is well versed in laser procedures of this purpose. The heat of the laser is meant to destroy the skin molecules that contain the ink, and the laser light itself stimulates the growth of new, healthy skin.
