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What is laser tattoo removal ? It is highly specialized outpatient procedure whereby un-wanted tattoos can be removed with the use of a laser , most of the time with complete removal .
What are the best reasons to remove a tattoo ? New beginnings ! People often get a tattoo during a moment of passion or deep emotion , and their lives move beyond it , I feel like I help them open that door !
Will laser tattoo removal completely eliminate every tattoo ? In unique circumstances , certain tattoos may not come completely off . While the majority of them eventually do , the industry of laser removal continues to be challenged with certain types of tattoos that pose unique dilemmas when complete removal is an expectation .
What kind of tattoos typically cannot be removed and why ? This can be very complex , as major determinants are skin type , colors involved , ink types , involvement of scars , and multiple cover-up jobs . Often , patients with multiple cover-ups , tattoos done in prison , or tattoos from which scars were generated can pose challenges requiring sharp expertise , and often may still not completely disappear .
What other options are available to hide a tattoo ? It ’ s truly bewildering the amount of products available these days . They can range from specialized tattoo makeup to color-matched multi-layer sleeves , and everything in between . On a more extreme note , certain people who have too much density and extent of ink may opt to get “ black-out ” jobs in which black ink is used to disguise a prior design , but I am mostly intrigued by the makeup options available .
What is the difference between the old laser removal procedures and current ? Literally a world apart ! Not so long ago , tattoo removal required the acceptance of several understandings . For one , scarring will happen , secondly complete removal will simply NOT be achieved , and most startlingly , excruciating pain is to be expected — often to the point of requiring general anesthesia ! With today ’ s technology , a session with very limited discomfort can literally be done during a lunch break with a very short and tolerable recovery with un-matched results !
What type of laser removal device to you use and why ? I use the Cutera Enlighten III . I love this machine , because it features the most unique settings I have seen on any platform . Likewise , my outcomes and satisfaction feedback make me very confident that the services I offer my patients are no less than state-of-theart to bring them the new beginnings they deserve !
Who typically performs laser removal procedures at tattoo removal clinics , who performs all of your procedures and is it advantage to be performed by a medical doctor and why ? Lately , I am noticing an up-trend in the amount of procedures now being performed almost exclusively by mid-level providers at med-spa ’ s such as Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants . In my clinic , all laser tattoo removal procedures are physicianperformed by physicians that are formally trained in laser removal and also licensed and formally apprenticed as tattoo artists . I think the benefit of who performs said procedures really comes down to the clinical experience and breadth of training of the operator , which bodes well for anyone who has the “ hands on ” experience . In that regard , I can say as a physician with around fifteen combined years of training ( includes MD , residency training , tattoo artist apprenticeship with license , and laser specialty training ) that I do feel like I can approach just about any tattoo removal case with a very broad fund of experience to offer my patients , and while it is largely related to my training as an MD , my background in tattooing adds a world of a difference in how I approach tattoos as a tattoo specialist .
Do you have a background as a tattoo artist and if so why is that an advantage ? Yes . I am a licensed tattoo artist and I did a formal apprenticeship and licensure under Jonathan Clark in Tampa , FL . It is an incredible advantage because there are so many complex nuances in technique and understanding how a tattoo is made that it allows me to make very individualized approaches to even the most complicated cases of tattoo removal . I am a believer that we are also learning every day , and having the added skill set in tattooing also has given me some of the most privileged learning access to some of the top specialists in the world in both realms !
What is color theory and why is important to understand if you are removing a tattoo ? I can best summarize color theory as the study of how primary colors form complex art . Yes — it explains how so many colors can come from just blue , red , and yellow , but it also gives us a guide on how to interpret the rich and infinitely beautiful complexity behind photorealism and light-source theory . It is important to understand this in tattoo removal , because color is nothing but the frequency at which a material bounces light — that is what lasers “ know ”. Understanding how color mixing takes place and how they are introduced in a work of skin art has everything to do with the approach one will take . Sure , a tattoo can be removed without this knowledge , but planning is everything ! When planning is done right , it reduces the amount of sessions as well as the financial impact on the patient .
Do you offer any type of guarantee and if so explain ? Yes . I offer what we call our “ lifetime guarantee .” What this means is that I will evaluate a given piece to be removed and come up with a quote based on the amount of anticipated sessions a tattoo will need . By the end of those sessions , I may recommend a defined
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