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Mangere Community Health Trust's services are designed to improve the health and well-being of the people of Mangere, Auckland, New Zealand.

The Tattoo Removal Process

THE PROCESS

Ink stays in the skin because the ink is too large for the white blood cells in the body to absorb and remove. The white blood cells do “nibble” at the edges of the ink and that is why the tattoo appears to fade over time.

The laser smashes the ink into smaller pieces so that the white blood cells can “absorb” it and carry it away (through urine, sweat or shedding of the skin). This process can take up to 6 weeks, therefore we make appointments once every 6 weeks so that we can see how much ink is left, and if needed, give it another “hit” until it is all absorbed.

If we were to have treatments every week it would be pointless, because we haven’t given the body enough time to break down & remove the ink.

Laser treatment is painful, and it is like hot fat splattering onto the skin when cooking bacon and eggs! Once the laser stops, so should the pain. Immediately after the first treatment the tattoo may look as if it has gone, but by the next day it will have reappeared. Over the next six weeks you may notice it getting lighter.

We are not able to tell you how many treatments you will need. The fading of tattoos depends on many things. Some of these things are, what type of ink was used, how deep the ink is and how well your body gets rid of the ink.

The end result with a black or red coloured tattoo is usually clear skin if there were no complications, though sometimes a small amount of colour from the tattoo or pigment can be seen.

Our laser does not remove professional light green or light blue coloured tattoos, however it may fade them if those inks were used with a mixture of black ink.

PLEASE ENSURE:
1.    You pay the required amount before you go in for treatment (We do not have time payments).
2.    You keep each appointment and are on time.
3.    You cancel appointments 48 hours in advance; this allows us to give the appointment to someone else.
4.    That you advise us of any changes to your address, and/or telephone number so we can let you know appointment dates or cancellations.
5.    You inform us if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

COMPLICATIONS
Complications that can occur while having laser treatment. Not everyone will experience these complications.

Scarring / Tissue Damage
The end result is clear skin, however scarring may occur as a result of blisters, scratching, skin breakage, exposure to chemicals (e.g. washing the skin with Dettol etc… which can burn the skin) or tissue damage which may have occurred when you had your tattoo put on (This scarring becomes visible once the ink is removed, and the laser can not repair this)

Darkened Pigment - Bruising / Staining
The skin may look bruised or as if the ink has run (smudged) under the skin or may leave a brown staining colour after the ink has been removed. This may occur with people who scar or bruise easily or may have occurred when you had your tattoo put on.

Skin Pigment Loss
Sometimes when the laser breaks up the ink, it can also break up the pigment in the skin. This causes white pigment to appear which will re-grow after approximately 9 months, sometimes longer.

Bleeding
Some people may experience bleeding/blood spots either during or shortly after treatment, similar to the bleeding when the tattoo is put on. Sometimes if you have a lot of tattoos, you may experience blood blisters.

Itchiness
The tattoo may become very itchy. Do not scratch, or you will cause scarring. Use an anti-itching cream if necessary.

Swelling / Blisters
The skin may become red & slightly raised (swelled) after treatment. Blisters may occur when there is a large area being treated or if you have sensitive skin. If you have a lot of tattoos, you may experience blood blisters or very large blisters.

AFTER TREATMENT CARE
•    Immediately after treatment you may apply an ice pack, cold water or aloe vera gel to sooth and reduce swelling.
•    You can use a burn cream if necessary, otherwise aloe vera is good to use over the six-week break, either straight from the plant, a cream or gel. Alternatively any other suitable cream is fine.
•    It is important to keep the area clean.
•    Keep the tattoo out of the sun for at least two weeks. If you have to go in the sun, please cover up or use sunscreen. Basically you need to treat it as though it was a burn.
•    You can bath or shower as normal, but do not use hot water.
•    You may swim afterward in only fresh or salt water. Do not swim in a pool that has chemicals in it.
•    The tattoo may get very itchy. Please try not to scratch the tattoo, or you may cause scabbing and scarring. You can apply an anti itching cream available from the chemist, or your Doctor may be able to prescribe a cream.
•    If you experience blisters, please do not pop them, just let nature take its cause and cover & keep the area clean. If you experience very large watery blisters, use a clean sterilised scalpel & cut a small incision to the top of the blister & let the liquid ooze out. Clean the area immediately & cover so as not to allow infection. Please ensure you wash your hands first. Be careful not to bump the area or rub it up against anything, as this could cause the blisters to pop.
•    If you are worried please contact our office or see your G.P.

PAIN RELIEF
For the first treatment we usually prefer that no pain relief be used, this way we can both determine whether or not it is needed. Most people have no trouble with the pain, which is of short duration – lasting for only a few minutes after treatment. Some people say it is about the same pain as having the tattoo put on, while others say laser treatment is more painful.

You may decide to use Emla cream, which partially numbs the area we will be treating. You can purchase Emla cream from a chemist, but it may be best to call and see if they have it in stock first, as not all chemists will have it. Emla must be applied at least 1 hour before your treatment. You need to apply the cream quite thickly. Do not rub it in to the skin, but when you apply it over the tattoo, make sure you can only see white cream and no tattoo. The area must then be totally covered with the patches that come with the Emla cream. Glad wrap will do fine if there are not enough patches to cover the area.

Please Note! Emla cream does not always work well for everyone. Talk with the Pharmacist, who may be able to supply another form of pain relief.

Consuming alcohol or drugs before treatment is not advisable, as it makes you more aware of the pain.

We retain the right to refuse treatment to those displaying symptoms of alcohol or drug use.

Contact Mangere Community Health Trust

Kia Ora! | Welcome!

The Tattoo Removal Process

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