Wanting to get rid of their tattoos, people are now opting for permanent tattoo removal solutions through laser therapy. Riya Sharma talks to dermatologists who favour the process and tattoo artists who offer a reality check
Gone are the days when a person would express his/her love for their partner with flowers or chocolates. If you remember the time, when in 2008 Saif Ali Khan was spotted with a tattoo having the name of his lady love on his arm, people considered it the ‘new’ ultimate way of expressing love.
Following the league, Deepika Padukone went one step ahead to express her love for her then beau, Ranbir Kapoor by inking his initials ‘RK’ on her nape. But as the romance ended and both parted their ways, Padukone got rid of her tattoo as well.
With that, came the perfect news for those who got inked for the sake of their new found love and started regretting it all the more. Permanent tattoo removal helped not only estranged lovers but also for those who could not get the profession of their own because of the tattoo that they thought was permanent.
The process which involves laser as well as surgical removal is gradually becoming popular for all those who thought removing a permanent tattoo would be impossible. With the available technology available in laser, it is easy and as the experts say, “less painful than getting a tattoo”, people are actually opting for laser therapy.
So, we asked Amisha, dermatologist at Enhance clinic to inform us about the process. She explained, “The person has to undergo the process of laser shots and attend six to eight sessions in a month for an effective removal. This may depend on the size and colour of the tattoo.”
She added, “First, we clean the area and we specifically tell our customers not to shave the area by themselves. If they do it themselves, then there is a high possibility that they can leave some hair and if we do it again at the clinic, it can eventually lead to rashes or allergy in that area. We apply a numbing cream (a kind of anesthesia) and then we leave it for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, we clean the area with betadine solutions any give laser shots for 10-15 minutes.”
The laser light shots can lead to redness and further insulation can be removed from antibiotics or sunscreen lotion. Amisha informed us that post-care is very important to avoid any kind of infection or post-inflammatory sensation. If proper measure are to be taken in mind, then there are three stages involved — pre-removal, during and post-removal.
“We advise our customers to take necessary steps to avoid any kind of side-effect. Before the process, we request them not to undertake nay kind of scrubbing in that particular area. And on the day of the session, use of any kind of cream or moisturiser is strictly prohibited,” said she.
But, it is actually the post-laser therapy that has to be taken great care after each session. “It is advisable to avoid sunlight for three to four hours. They should avoid any kind of exercise pr parlour activities for at least three days. And the use of any body wash or any kind of body oil is prohibited for minimum 12 hours. And proper care should be done to use sunscreen and antibiotics that we suggest,” informed Amisha.
Heena from Cosmotree shared the same information but did not deny that the process can be slightly painful but it is better than going through surgery. “Surgery is one time process but it leaves a mark on the skin whereas laser, on the other hand is a slow process but leaves no mark on the skin,” said she.
Amisha, on the other hand gave us another input which we think is necessary for those who are going to opt for a laser shot. “The tattoos which are made from black ink are easier to remove whereas ones which have dark colours in it cannot go away completely. They can fade away with time but they leave a light mark even after going through the laser shot,” shared Amisha.
The price for each session depends on the size of the tattoo. Bigger the tattoo, higher the price. Some of them charge per inch and some charge per centimeter.
However, Vikas Malani from Body Canvas informed us that only 20-25 per cent people about the permanent laser tattoo removal. Talking about the difference in technique with laser removal between India and abroad he said, “The only difference that I can point out is that they have advanced technology which can remove dark coloured tattoos which we still lack.”
While talking about the safety, we wanted to know the perspective of a tattoo artist who could tell us more about the safety measures. We asked Chetan Salhotra, senior artist at Devilz Tattooz, Gurgaon, how safe the laser therapy treatment isIJ “It is as safe as getting a tattoo but it actually depends on the clinic you are going to. lasers are more like guns and a lot depends on who is holding it. I think people should do their research work not only of the clinic but also the process before getting it done.”
He added that as people are less aware, some clinics for the sake of making money, recommend people to go for grafting or some other technique. “laser tattoo removal is the best tattoo removal technique if you want to get rid of your tattoo. Though it has its own complications, if proper care is not taken, but it is actually the responsibility of the clinic to use the safety measures and advanced technology for the convenience of their clients,” said he.