Tattoos uncovered?

[Dewgrl]

I've searched and found forums dealing with tattoos and scrubs, however my question wasn't covered. I worked with a nurse who in her younger years who had gotten tattoos and later removed them. It left scars on her arms which weren't horrible but still noticable. This was several years ago and I wanted to find out if the technology had improved and what all was involved with the removal process. Thanks for any ideas or info.

[Larry77, RN]

While I don't know a lot about the details I did have a friend who did this and he had to go for "treatments" every month or two. They would use a laser to take off the skin layer by layer until the ink was out. His was like your friends still noticable but not too bad.

here is a couple links a found real quick:

Tatgone ink

Laser removal

[yellow finch, BSN, RN]

I believe the technology today has improved tattoo removals to where scars are no longer visible. If you are intent on having yours removed, make an appointment with locations that specialize in this procedure. It shouldn't cost anything for a consultation.

Heck, I'm so desperate to have my tattoos removed I'd go for a skin graft at this point and simply live with the scars!

Good luck and report back to us!

[walkingrock, ADN]

i see this thread is over a year old, but i do have some info, if someone is looking for it...i went to a dermatology group for over a year, probably about 2-3 yrs ago. i investigated tattoo removal, because i have 2, and my fiance isn't really that crazy about them, but doesn't bug me about them or ask me to remove them. i can cover them up (shoulder and ankle). i personally don't feel a need to remove them, but could live without them, one i am a little nostalgic about, because it is very well done and drawn from a photo of my pet. anyway, back to the question at hand. it requires repeated treatments with a laser every 4-6 weeks, and may take 6-12 treatments...or more, it depends on each individual's skin. some people's skin can take higher settings on the laser, and some can't, that has to do with skin discoloration, blistering, etc. (those should not be happening); we're not talking about tolerance to pain, although it is more painful on the higher settings. i personally did some laser hair removal, and it was a lengthy, expensive, and painful process. i understand that tattoo removal is very painful (per the dermatology group), and also lengthy, and expensive. i would expect it could easily run $2000 to completely remove a tattoo, of course, that isn't a really large one either...the more area, the more expense, also. i'm sure the outcome could vary depending again on the person's skin...some people scar very easily, others do not. i believe most look quite good with the current procedures.

[justme1972]

I'm a student, but recently I was watching Discovery Health where one of the more famous plastic surgeons did an entire section on tattoos and other types of body-altering surgery, mostly extreme examples.

He said that while technology on tattoo removal was improving, that it was still damaging to the body. He also said that large sections of tattoos should be considered irreversable because of the extensive scarring that can occur.

I am just assuming from the special that I watched, that scarring was still possible.

I also have a friend that had a tattoo removed. She had dark skin and the area that it was removed is several shades lighter than the rest of her skin and now tans "splotchy".