How Long Does It Takes?

The amount of time for a full tattoo removal can vary from a couple of months to years.  Let’s take a look at some factors that contribute to that variance:

• Most professionally done tattoos have more ink in them vs. “party tattoos” that people got while experimenting as teens or just having anyone else other than a tattoo artist ink ’em up.  The reason for this is mostly just quality of design – if you go to a professional looking for a real piece of art, they’ll usually put a little more time and effort (and ink) into tattooing something that’s really supposed to last.

Today's result as I am posting this blog.

• As a tattoo ages, tiny particles of ink are naturally circulated out by the lymphatic system. This is what causes natural fading as the tattoo ages. What the laser does during tattoo removal is speed up this process by breaking up the cellular walls that are within the area of the tattoo.  The particles that are circulated out because of laser treatments end up being much, much bigger than when the tattoo is naturally fading. That said, keep in mind that if the tattoo’s older, it’s already on it’s way in a sense!

23 days after 2nd treatment

• How effectively your tattoo can be totally removed has a lot to do with how strong your lymphatic system is, which in turn has at least a little bit to do with how healthy you are in general. People who are more active and make it a point to drink a lot of water regularly are the people who experience the quickest, most effective removals with the least amount of side effects.

2nd treatment - 19 days later

Laser tattoo removal does not need to scab and look bad to be effective. The degree of inflammation, crusting and scabbing depends on the color and density of the tattoo pigment and the laser energy used to treat the tattoo. As compared to my 1st treatment I will be able to tell how effective the treatment is after one month.

It has definitely fade out just after 19 days from my 2nd treatment and the itch has also sets in due to the healing process of the skin. Itchiness can happen 3-6 weeks after the treatment and can last up until the next session. You can take an over the counter antihistamine to help alleviate some discomfort and it is always recommended not to scratch the treated area.

I have some medication from my doctor, The name is Bilaxten 20mg. Did some research and some of the medicine side effects can be found here.

Possible side effects include headache and drowsiness.

Uncommon side effects (affects 1 to 10 users in 1,000) include abnormal ECG heart tracing, blood tests which show changes in the way the liver is working, dizziness, stomach pain, tiredness, increased appetite, irregular heartbeat, increased weight, nausea (the feeling of being sick), anxiety, dry or uncomfortable nose, belly pain, diarrhea, gastritis (inflammation of the stomach wall), vertigo (a feeling of dizziness or spinning), feeling of weakness, thirst, dyspnoea (difficulty in breathing ), dry mouth, indigestion, itching, cold sores (oral herpes), fever, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), difficulty in sleeping, blood tests which show changes in the way kidney is working, and increased blood fats.

2nd treatment cost and more pics

As mentioned on my earlier post, I promised to share the cost involved for my 2nd treatment:

@ $212/- for 2nd treatment, its a difference of $170

The 1st treatment I had a healing serum, 2 medication and 2 cream. But this time round I only requested only 1 medication that is for itch. As such the difference of $170. So overall spent till date is: 382+212=$592 so far. Here is a picture of the wound after a day.

Inflammation after day 2

Tattoo Removal 2nd Treatment

Today I turn up and walk into the clinic at about 4pm.(Clinic closes at 5pm) As the timing was rather late without me fixing an appointment in advance, I did not apply the numb cream and went straight for the laser treatment. Numbing cream is known to relieve some of the pain for anyone going for laser removal. Just like my very 1st treatment.

Taken immediately after the treatment. (Lesser white frosting compared to the previous)

In order for the numb cream to take effect, it has to be applied at least an hour or more. Here's a research on numb creams:

Numbing creams – such as Emla or BLT – often include benzocaine, lidocaine, prilocaine, or tetracaine in varying concentrations as active ingredients. These creams are both available in low-strength, over-the-counter formulations and in high-strength, prescription-only formulations. The main problem with creams is that they require time to take effect.

Most creams need to be applied at least 30 to 45 minutes in advance of the treatment. For this reason, most practitioners encourage patients to apply the cream at home before their appointment. Some clinics use numbing creams as the primary skin numbing method for laser treatments, while others offer it as an option available at an additional charge for sensitive patients wanting additional numbing.

Pros:
Works in Addition to Other Methods
Can be Sold for Upcharge
Anyone Can Sell OTC Formulations

Cons:
Must Be Applied in Advance
Moderate Efficacy

Taken after my bath today.

Will update the cost in my next post.

Do all colors of ink respond to laser treatment equally?

While doing my research online, I have notice that not all laser treatment on the colors itself have the same equal treatment. The following colors respond differently:

Dark blue, black and red inks are the easiest to treat.
Orange, yellow, and purple usually respond moderately well.
Green, sky-blue inks are the most difficult to remove.
White and pink tattoos usually respond poorly.

For illustration only.

Luckily for me, mine is purely in black. :-)

I will be going for my 2nd session this week and will continue to update again soon.

Tattoo removal 3 weeks later

I got 'lasered' on 22nd Dec and today marks the 3rd week of my first treatment. The ink on the skin has definitely gone lighter and the results are obvious. According to my doctor, he says it may take another 6-8 sessions for it to be completely removed.

From the way I look at it, I estimate another 4-5 treatments before its totally removed. The itch sets in during the night while am sleeping. I guess by next week, this treatment will be fully recovered. So based on my calculation, It will be 4-5 weeks per recovery per session.

Lets do the maths here:
1 session = 4 weeks
6 sessions = 6 x 4 = half year for tattoo to be fully removed
6 x $350 estimate = $2100 for whole thing to be complete. That is the best case scenario! As the saying goes, no pain no gain! Let's do this!

Itching persist

The adrenaline to scratch my back is becoming more intense and not only did the itch persist. It is becoming more and more unbearable.

The ink seems to be duller and has faded. The yellowish honey colored crusting has faded as well. One thing for sure is that results is setting in and as per doc's advice, 6-8 sessions will be needed to completely remove the tattoo.

The doctor's prescribe medication has also been completed and now I am using a new stratamed gel for scar which is to be applied 1 week after treatment. Stratamed creates an optimal environment for the healing process of the skin, leads to a visible reduction in the inflammatory response and supports the formation of a normal, mature scar.

6 weeks to recover

Firstly, most people’s skin needs 6 weeks to recover, even if it looks healed. Secondly, our immune system is doing the work. As the ink continues to fade away over the 6 weeks and beyond, all you would do is pay for another session with no quicker result.

I need to give my skin a break and time to recover before re-laser. Standard advice is 12 weeks or so between the last laser session. Leaving it much longer and would definitely let the doctor check your skin’s condition before they commence. This is especially true and relevant if the tattoo that has been removed/faded.

Doing this properly takes time. You don’t want to spend a lot of money on lasering only to be disappointed with the end results.

Itchy and itching starts

According to my research, this should be seen as a good sign, as my immune system is kicking in and starting to heal the affected area. An itching sensation is common, but just like any other type of skin irritation. Itching is very common secondary to inflammation induced by the laser and as part of the normal healing process.

Area looks honey colored crusting!

However, itching should completely resolve after one to two months post-treatment. Persistent itching beyond this point can be a warning sign for scarring. I must try not to scratch the area. Scratching could impact on the effectiveness of removal. It may also break the skin and create a wound, which will lead to additional scarring or risk infection.

Area looks honey colored crusting!

Generally, I am already mentally prepared for the itch to get worst in the next few days. As I have read what all others have encountered after the treatment and this is part of the laser 'package'. No pain no gain!

Day 2 - Blisters appear

After my bathe, I applied some healing serum on my tattoo and here's some photo on the serum ingredients.

It says here: Lifting, Brightening, Antioxidant and Repair aka Healing serum.

Blisters have start forming on the wound and the ink seems to have redden. Some minimum itch arose as well. Doc's advice says the best thing to do is be gentle with the blisters. If they have popped, do not peel the skin from the roof of the blister off. Allow it to come off on its own accord. Gentle cleaning with soap and water is recommended.

The area looks bruised and blistered. In fact, blisters are quite normal and an indication that the healing process has begun. They might not look too pretty and could be tender to touch, but blisters should take between 3-14 days to heal up completely, providing I don’t burst them! Cross my fingers!