Laser Tattoo Removal – Bella Rosa

By Patrick Hsu

Getting rid of unwanted tattoos used to be an impossible task. The Q-Switched Laser, a technology used by Bella Rosa’s world-class Beauty Program Rejuvenation Clinic, has made the impossible not only possible, but simple safe and effective.

The concept of having a powerful, highly-focused laser pointed at your skin may sound frightening, but in reality it’s not dangerous. The concentrated beam of light used by the Q-Switched Laser passes harmlessly through the outer layer of skin, focusing on the tattoo’s ink instead of skin cells. The ink is super-heated by the laser, causing it to fragment into tiny particles of pigment that no longer have the ability to remain in place. The body’s lymphatic system carries the resultant particles away from the tattoo site, thereby eliminating the color that formed the tattoo. This procedure is gentle enough to leave the patient with minimal scarring or changes in skin pigmentation and leaves the patient with much less discomfort that other, similar types of laser treatments.

Not all types of tattoos will respond well to laser treatments. Some colors will take more treatments than others, though in general most tattoos can be effectively treated. The chemical composition of the ink as well as the tattoo’s depth beneath the skin and age of the tattoo can also affect the efficacy of the laser. The ink colors that are most readily easily treated are red, black, dark blue, brown, and purpleyellow. Some colors, like sky blue, turquoise, purple and green, can be treated with moderate success, although incomplete resolution is a high risk.

Because the laser focuses on the tattoo ink rather than skin tissue, most patients claim the discomfort is minimal. The slight pain associated with the heat caused by the laser has been compared to an insect sting or the “snap” of a rubber band. A local anesthetic and a cooling device can be used if you find the sensation too uncomfortable, though many find this unnecessary.

Most treatments take anywhere from ten to thirty minutes at a time, depending on the size and location of the tattoo. If the tattoo is very faint, it may disappear after just the first treatment, though most tattoos take five oreight or more treatments to fade completely. The treatments are generally scheduled six to eight weeks apart to allow your body enough time to fully eliminate the pigment fragments.

Initially, the treated area will become whitish and swollen, tender to the touch. The whiteness will fade after about 30 minutes, though the swelling may last much longer. Ice packs can be used to cool the skin and reduce the swelling as needed. Side effects are generally mild and rare, though when they do occur they are always confined to the treated area. Some people develop thick scabs that can take up to six weeks to flake away. The tattoo pigment will begin to fade over the next few four to six weeks, and will continue to fade with each treatment until it disappears entirelyreaches its max resolution. Side effects are generally mild and rare, though when they do occur they are usually confined to the treated area. These side effects include scarring, infection, and ghosting effect.

Laser tattoo removal is the most effective method available today that will cause the least scarring or discoloration of the skin, but there are other methods out there. Alternates include surgical excision, using salt to burn away layers of skin (salabrasion), and using acid to burn away layers of skin (chemical peels). These procedures are not only painful, they leave visible scars. All in all, laser tattoo removal is safer, more effective, and less invasive than other available procedures.

Bella Rosa Rejuvenation Clinic offers competitive single session pricing for laser tattoo removal, starting as low as $250 per session for up to 15 minutes of treatment. We do not offer “package pricing” at this time since we do not know exactly how many treatments you will need. For committed clients, we have developed Houston’s one and only VIP Laser Tattoo Removal Membership. Membership pricing is $150/month, and includes up to 15 minutes of treatment per month, regardless of the number of tattoos you have. Appointments are available monthly, and our automatic payment plan breaks up the cost and allows for better budgeting for this type of procedure.