The decision to have a tattoo removed is as difficult to make as the decision to get a tattoo in the first place. In addition to considering the emotional merits of tattoo removal, you also have to consider the physical impact it will have on your skin. Furthermore, you may have to think about how many treatments it will take, as the more you have to undergo, the more recovery and healing are necessary.
As such, the number of sessions needed for successful pigment removal depends on many factors, some of which are not so obvious. At Kitagawa Dermatology, the premier Honolulu cosmetic dermatology center founded and led by Dr. Kory Kitagawa, we know these factors and are proud to offer PicoWay laser treatment for the best, most complete tattoo removal available.
The Challenging Factors of Erasing Ink
Besides the device used and the skill of the Honolulu doctor, we believe six crucial factors increase the chances of successful tattoo removal.
Factor One: Tattoo Age and Location
If you have a tattoo that’s several years old, your tattoo removal may be easier. Older ink tends to be somewhat faded, which makes them easier to have removed than a newer tattoo.
Location also plays an important factor. Certain areas on your body – your ankle, feet, toes, fingers, and hands, for example – have more limited blood circulation than other areas, which slows your body’s healing processes. The removal procedure is not necessarily affected, but your results might be, so if your inkis in such a location, you might undergo more treatments than if that same tattoo were on your back.
Factor Two: Ink Depth and Amount
To ensure proper and complete removal of your tattoo, the depth of ink and amount of ink used are, together, a crucial factor. Furthermore, the size of the ink particles matters – the larger the particle, the more difficult the removal. If the ink particles are too big, they won’t break up easily and your tattoo removal might only be partial.
The ink from a professional tattoo job in Hawaii usually has more density and goes deeper into the skin, which can result in more removal sessions. However, ink that was done by an amateur can result in uneven depth and ink amount, thereby also increasing the difficulty of removal even with the highly advanced technology of PicoWay laser treatment.
Furthermore, the chances of ineffective pigmentation removal also increase if you’ve tried to cover a previous tattoo with another one. Such a layered tattoo is especially difficult to erase and most likely necessitates significantly more PicoWay laser treatment sessions.
Factor 3: Color
Color plays an integral role because not all colors react to the laser the same. If your inkis all (or mostly) of darker hues (such as blues, greens, and blacks), your tattoo should be fairly easy to remove. On the other hand, removal is much more challenging if your tattoo is full of reds, yellows, and white.
Factor 4: Skin Tone
Unfortunately, the darker your skin, the harder is it to remove your tattoo. Dark skin absorbs more of the laser’s energy than lighter skin, which restricts the effectiveness of the procedure. On top of that, darker skin is more susceptible to injury, scarring, or tissue damage. If you need to have multiple PicoWay laser treatments in Hawaii, any ink remaining under a scar incurred from a previous procedure will be even more difficult to remove.
Factor 5: Tattoo Size
This is probably a no-brainer. The larger the tattoo, the more ink that was used to apply it. If you have a large tattoo – having a diameter of more than 12 inches – it will almost certainly require a large number of PicoWay laser treatment sessions.
Factor 6: Smoking
This might be a factor that you’ve not thought about. Studies have shown that regular smoking negatively impacts tattoo removal because of its adverse effects on healing and recovery. A smoker with an identical inkto a non-smoker might very well have to undergo more PicoWay laser treatment sessions, yet, even then, it’s likely that removal will be less complete.
Read more about treatment options for removing tattoos at WebMD.com.
PicoWay – The Laser Treatment for Tattoo Removal
Traditional laser tattoo removal has limitations. Traditional removal doesn’t break up the ink particles well, erases only a small range of colors, and has increased risks if you have darker skin.
PicoWay laser treatment suffers no such limitations. Its secret lies in its dual-wavelength technology, which can erase any unwanted tattoos in a wide range of colors. The laser treatment targets only the pigment in your skin, shattering it into microscopic pieces for easy, natural removal by your body without damaging surrounding skin. It’s safe and efficient, meaning fewer treatments and faster healing.
PicoWay also offers other benefits, including the following:
- Complete, effective tattoo removal for virtually any skin type
- Ideal for removing multi-colored tattoos
- Faster results
- Ink is vaporized more easily
- Little or no downtime
- Minimal discomfort
- Fewer treatments (leading to lower overall cost)
Learn More About PicoWay at Kitagawa Dermatology
If you have a tattoo that you’ve decided to remove (regardless of size, ink color, depth, or skill displayed in creating the tattoo), PicoWay is the best choice available. In the skilled hands of Dr. Kory Kitagawa, it’s even more effective. To find out more, contact Kitagawa Dermatology in Honolulu today online or call 808.533.4434.
