If you have a tattoo that you want to get removed the first thing that you should do is find a board certified plastic surgeon or dermatologist that specializes in removing tattoos. There are some tattoo parlors that say they can remove tattoos, but they may not be equipped to handle any medical issues that may happen. To make sure that the surgeon does have experience in removing tattoos, schedule a consultation and ask to see before and after pictures.
You should be prepared for the cost of having a tattoo removed by laser because it can cost from two to five hundred dollar for each session, and it can take as many as ten or more treatments to permanently remove the tattoo, especially if it is a big tattoo. Each session is normally done six to eight weeks apart. Each session to remove a tattoo will usually just take several minutes, but may take longer depending on the quality, color, and size of the patient's tattoo.
Make sure that the surgeon you choose is using a Q-switched laser to remove tattoos. The procedure to remove a tattoo basically has the surgeon tracing the tattoo with the laser to heat up the ink. The laser beam will then break the ink down into small pieces, which are in turn broken down more until they are removed by the body. Not all tattoos can be completely removed because new tattoos, ones on people with little body fat or on people with darker skin are harder to remove.
