The Best Tattoo Removal Method
In recent years, the popularity of tattoos has picked up dramatically—and with it, so has the demand for tattoo removal in NYC. Although these inked expressions are becoming more widely accepted in the mainstream world, and employers are even becoming more lenient when it comes to their staff sporting them, that doesn’t mean that people are always happy with their ink when they end up leaving the studio.
Whether it’s instant regret after someone does a shoddy job, regret the next morning after a drunken night out, or regret years later when a long-term relationship ends and you’re left with nothing but their name etched into your skin—it’s very common for people to end up regretting getting tattoos somewhere down the line.
When it comes to choosing the type of method you want to use, however, it’s important to be informed. Laser tattoo removal tends to be the most effective and safest way to remove unwanted ink. Here’s everything you need to know about the risks and dangers of non-laser tattoo removal methods:
Picosure Laser Tattoo Removal
Dermabrasion Tattoo Removal
Before machines, people used the dermabrasion technique to remove their ink—and some people still pursue this method today in hopes of removing their tattoos.
This method involves sanding down the skin or scraping it away using an abrasive device, like a diamond wheel, wire brush, or sterilized sandpaper. The procedure causes an extreme level of pain and, therefore, usually requires a local anesthetic.
If the procedure itself doesn’t sound unpleasant enough, then let’s take a look at the risks involved. The procedure can result in burning, weeping pores, bruising, scabbing, swelling, infection, and permanent scarring. The wound may take months to properly heal as well.
Salabrasion Tattoo Removal
This method is very similar to dermabrasion, but it uses granular salt and water in addition to an abrasive material. Rather than using sheer force, the salt involved in the process is intended to peel and rub away at the skin’s upper layers. The process involves vigorously rubbing at the inked region, and applying an antibiotic ointment with a sterile gauze dressing.
A few days later, the process is repeated. Like dermabrasion, this is an incredibly painful method. It results in a visible scar and may even result in infection. It’s also likely that the procedure will not be effective enough to reach the ink.
Side effects include burning, itching, weeping pores, scabbing, bruising, swelling, bleeding, discoloration, infection, and permanent scarring. Most experts think it’s better to bypass these side effects altogether and simply stick to Picosure tattoo removal in NYC.
Surgical Excision Tattoo Removal
If you felt your stomach turn at the description of dermabrasion and salabrasion, then you definitely don’t want to hear about surgical excision removal. Brace yourself for this one: a surgeon removes your ink with a scalpel and stitches the wound shut. So much more painful than it has to be when you could find a professional dermatologist in Manhattan to do it with Picosure.
There are many problems with this method. For one thing, the cut often doesn’t go deep enough to actually remove all of the ink and pigment in the way that a dermatologist in NYC can through Picosure tattoo removal.
Other side effects include discoloration of the skin, thickened or raised scars, infection, swelling, bruising, and pain. Experts point out that this method leaves permanent scarring and loss of pigmentation and most point to the option of a dermatologist in NYC as a solution instead.
Picosure Tattoo Removal
Laser tattoo removal in NYC is by far the best option for tattoo removal. Experts across the board widely agree—it is the safest, most effective method of removing the ink from your skin in a way that does not cause painful or harmful side effects. Skip the dangers of non-laser methods and opt for laser removal! If you’re looking to hide unwanted ink, then your skin will thank you for choosing this method.
The Verdict: Laser Tattoo Removal is the Best Method
In the past, with little other options available, it is understandable why so many turned to some of the methods described above. However, with the rise of laser technology, there’s little reason not to opt for laser tattoo removal in New York. Most experts agree that it is the safest, most effective method that doesn’t result in a long list of side effects.
Arash Akhavan, MD is founder and owner of The Dermatology and Laser Group, one of the top centers for cosmetic procedures in New York City for over a decade. Arash Akhavan, MD, FAAD is a Board Certified Dermatologist and an Associate Professor at The Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Dr. Akhavan is a Castle Connolly Top Doc, New York Magazine Best Doctor, and Super Doctor featured in The New York Times. Dr. Akhavan is a key opinion leader that has been featured on hundreds of media publications including The New York Times, Allure, Marie Claire, Women’s Health, Cosmopolitan, ABC News, Fox News, Fox 5, NY1, WPIX, and more. He has been featured on nationally syndicated television programs such as The Doctors.
Dr. Akhavan serves as an educator and lecturer for multiple aesthetic device and injectable companies. This allows his office access to newer technologies at an earlier date than other offices, as well as a higher level of expertise in the use of these devices. This, in turn, translates to more effective and safer treatments for our patients.
