According to William J. Hedden, MD, a plastic surgeon in Birmingham, sometimes the laser cannot penetrate deep enough to remove the tattoo, resulting in a bruise at the site of the tattoo. When it comes to laser procedures used for tattoo removal, the chance of scarring is extremely low if the right type of laser is used. When a laser is used to remove tattoos, even if it is not designed for that purpose, there are many risks. Luckily, with the help of laser technology, you can remove tattoos and start over.

Tattoo removal can leave scars. Certain precautions can be taken to reduce the likelihood of scarring, but it is impossible to eliminate the risk altogether. In order to minimize the risk of scarring, one should allow their tattoo to fade and then visit an experienced professional.

You will need to undergo a series of laser treatments over several weeks or more to remove the tattoo. If you decide to remove your tattoo with a laser, entrust it to qualified and experienced professionals.

Scars May Be Treated During the Removal Process

If you know you already have scar tissue on your tattoo, you may also consider treating the scar during the tattoo removal process. If you have previous tattoo scars, other procedures, such as skin piercing or laser skin treatments, can smooth them out.

If parts of the tattoo appear to be raised, it is likely that he received the scar when the tattoo was applied. If you didn’t notice any scars when you first tattooed, you may notice them after removal. When you have tattoo scars, they are mostly hidden by the ink, so sometimes they are not visible until we start removing the ink.

Tattooing Normally Leaves Secret Scars

Unbeknownst to many patients, laser tattoo removal scars are often present from the time the tattoo artist first applied the tattoo. This could be because the tattooist went too deep, or simply because your skin isn’t healing well. You may also find a scar from your original tattoo.

For example, if you find yourself with a keloid scar after getting a tattoo, this can create problems during the removal process. For example, if you currently have keloids or have had keloids in the past, laser tattoo removal is likely to cause scarring.

However, if the removal is done by an untrained person using an outdated laser, you may experience some skin burns and scarring as a result. As mentioned earlier in this article, laser tattoo removal by a trained professional using high-quality equipment will not result in scarring. It is very rare for a patient to suffer from scarring due to laser tattoo removal if proper laser protocols and subsequent patient care are followed.

All Laser Treatments Risk Scarring

Any treatment with a medical laser carries a risk of scarring, however, this risk is minimal if laser tattoo removal is done correctly by an experienced professional, with proper training and the right equipment.

It is widely accepted that the most successful and popular method of removal is laser treatment, as most creams are highly ineffective and only minimally discolor the appearance of most tattoos. For example, CO2, laser hair removal, and IPL treatments work but can cause a significant amount of scarring when used to treat tattoos.

Unless it is a surgical tattoo removal where scarring is inevitable, there are ways to minimize and prevent scarring from other removal methods.

Laser tattoo removal may not cause scars, but it can cause blisters and scabs, which is just a sign that your body has started the healing process. Scarring can occur even if the tattoo was not properly prepared before the removal procedure. If scars appear, this is often the result of a tattoo.

Some tattoo artists are more experienced than others, and when a tattoo is applied too deeply, it is more likely to leave scars. However, if the tattoo is light in color, many more removal sessions will be required, which increases skin damage and the possibility of scarring.

Laser Technology Is Slow When Used Properly

Laser technology can safely remove only one layer of ink at a time, but tattoos are created by infusing layers of insoluble ink into the dermis. This takes a long time because the particles are broken down and digested by the body’s immune system every time a laser tattoo is used.

Your body will continue to digest the ink in the tattoo long after the laser hits the tattoo. The regeneration period lasts up to eight weeks, with the next laser breaking down new pigment particles.

After these few days, you can wash the tattoo once a day and then apply a fragrance-free lotion to the tattoo twice a day. Generally, for the first three days after the bandage is removed, you will gently wash the tattoo three times a day with mild, unscented soap, not soaking.

An aftercare tattoo removal procedure that can help ensure no scarring involves making sure the area is clean, dry, and covered for a few days.

Removing Faded Tattoos Can Scar Too

How a faded tattoo is treated after each laser treatment can also affect scarring during tattoo removal. Usually these scars are faint and hard to see unless you look closely. Any scarring will become more visible as the laser ink is removed.

These tattoo removal lasers are very effective at removing ink because they send infrared light into the ink as well as heat or shock waves that cause the pigment to dissipate, removing the original tattoo. Currently, laser tattoo removal is usually done with Q-switched or picosecond lasers, which work quickly by acting on the ink in the ink, heating it up and converting it into tiny ink cells, which are then eliminated from the body by the lymphatic and immune system.

In these cases, treatments such as skin acupuncture or laser skin therapy can be considered as an option for scar treatment. We will discuss all these risks for you during your consultation, and if the scarring risk is too great, we will not proceed with laser treatment.