There are so many reasons to get a tattoo–or to get “inked,” as they more commonly call it, during your holiday.
For some people, these tattoos act as some kind of mementos, a token from each destination they have set their feet on. They represent the land, the people, and the culture these people encountered with during their journey.
If you’re reading this article, chance is, you’re one of those people we have just talked about. However, it is not really uncommon, either, to have that one tattoo you regret making and want to get rid of once and for all.
You might get a bad reference from your friend, or got scammed by the artist, or you might have done it while you were highly intoxicated, there’s only as many reasons why someone would want to remove a tattoo.
So, you’ve decided to get rid of a tattoo and do a tattoo removal treatment soon. The next question would be, is the treatment actually safe?
Well, thanks to the ever-developing technology, we now have a much-safer technique to remove a tattoo in which a high-intensity laser beam is used to break up the pigment colours of the tattoo.
The energy released from the laser breaks down the ink into tiny fragments which will eventually be absorbed into the bloodstream and, some believe, will be safely passed out of the body.
Because black tattoo pigments absorb the laser wave lengths best, it is typically easier to remove than any other pigment colours.
Now it’s time to ask around for a reliable recommendation. Ask your friends if they’ve had some experience and if they recommend the place.
After you find a trustworthy place to remove your tattoo, don’t forget to schedule for a consultation first so you’ll know how many sessions you’ll need to remove your tattoo completely as it varies from one people to another, based on the size, age and colours of the tattoo you’re going to remove.
While you’re doing the consultation, make sure to ask the cost for the whole tattoo-removal treatment, too. It would be better if you can get these numbers in writing to avoid any suspicious last-minute change of the treatment’s fee.
Of course, you can easily avoid this by choosing a respectable clinic with good client reviews, like Hydro Medical Bali, if you happen to be (or live) in Bali. Whether you check via internet or come by yourself, we guarantee you’ll find us as a perfect place to do the deed.
In addition, you may want to check if the treatment is covered by your insurance company. For the majority, unless you can prove with a doctor’s letter stating that it is medically important for you to have a tattoo removed, an optional procedure such as a tattoo-removal treatment will not be covered by insurance companies.
You can also check how much the treatment cost here in Bali and compare the figures with those coming from other countries if you need more convincing. Due to differing money values, you will find medical expenses to be much lower than what you usually encounter in your own country.
Worry not, though, you will still get excellent service despite the much different cost. Okay, so now you know that a tattoo-removal treatment is relatively safe, how much it costs, and where to do it. Still, you might be wondering if there’s any risks and side-effects.
As any other medical procedures, there are always possible side-effects that may happen afterwards. Doing a tattoo-removal treatment is no different. Other than putting the tattoo removal site at risk for infection, you may also be at risk of having an incomplete pigment removal as the colours yellow, green and purple require more energy (and sessions) to fade than black, blue, and red.
A slight chance (3 out of 100 people) of getting a permanent scar from the laser treatment is another risk you may want to think about before deciding to do t tattoo removal treatment.
Other things that may happen after the procedure are hypopigmentation, in which the tattoo area will be paler than its surrounding area, or the opposite: hyperpigmentation, in which the tattoo area will be darker than its surrounding area. Moreover, depending on the age, size, colours and quality of the tattoo, some parts of a tattoo may fade faster than others, making it kind of odd-looking when your in-between treatments.
Additionally, it can be frustratingly slow process for some people as it may need ten or more sessions to remove a tattoo. In some cases, the tattoos are not entirely removed and some fragments are left in the skin.
An easy solution for the matter is to place another tattoo over the area, but make sure you give your skin enough time to heal and don’t forget to pick a reliable tattoo artist this time. For a solid recommendation of the top 3 tattoo parlours in the area, check out our other article here.
So, as you see, it is actually relatively safe to do a tattoo-removal treatment. But then, you wonder, how is it really done?
Well, typically, this is what you will experience during a tattoo-removal treatment session: first of all, you’ll have to shave if you’re having hairs on the target area. Then, you will have your eyes covered by protective eye-shields to avoid any damage caused by the laser beams.
Afterwards, a small area of your skin will be tested to see how it reacts to the laser in order to determine the most effective energy level you need for the treatment.
The procedure itself is done by placing a hand-held instrument along the tattoo area, from which the laser beams will be released to break up the pigments of the tattoo. Many people described the feeling as similar to the snapping of a rubber band against the skin.
As you may already figure out, smaller tattoos will need fewer pulses, and bigger ones need more. Both kinds will need several sessions that vary from 10 to 30 minutes and multiple visits, so make sure you plan your days accordingly.
Does it hurt? Depending on your pain threshold, you may or may not need some form of anaesthesia or pain killer injections on the affected area, but most people can endure the pain and do not require anaesthesia at all.
The skin may appear red for a short while after you get a session done. As the sessions progress, however, you may bleed around the affected area before the skin scabbed for about a week.
As a post-treatment care, most clinics will apply an ice pack to the affected area to soothe the skin and you may be asked to apply a topical antibiotic cream or ointment to prepare and protect the skin for the next session.
Use a patch or bandage to cover the area and use a high-quality sun block when you go about your day. You may want to take a break from surfing and laying in the sun for some time to avoid further damage to your skin tissue so it won’t leave a scar. Instead, opt for activities that you can do in the shades so your skin can heal much faster.
You also need to avoid using soap or perfume on the affected areas of your skin during the first 48 hours after a session and no swimming or saunas until the scabs have dropped off completely. Use petroleum jelly to take care of your scarring skin and it will be back to its prime condition in no time.
If, by any chance, you’re having trouble with your skin like rashes or changes in skin pigmentation after the treatment, make sure to consult the practitioner who treated you. However, if this is not possible, you should go to your General Practitioner or any local accident and emergency (A&E) department near you.
To minimize the risk, however, there are of course some safety precautions you can do beforehand; like making sure that the facility in which you are planning to undergo the procedure uses sterilized tools and that the treatment itself will be performed by a certified practitioner.
Hydro Medical Bali runs an international standard for each of our procedures. Our staff and medical practitioners are board-certified and always ready to help you out; be it fixing an upset stomach all the way to, you guessed it right, removing that dreadful tattoo your drunk-self decided to make. Be sure to check out and follow our social media handles for more information about our other treatments and monthly promo. Psst, our blog posts are worth checking out, too!
Well, we hope this in-depth article is helpful enough for you to make the decision. As always, we wish you the best time of your life here in this beautiful island. Stay safe, stay healthy, and whenever you need a boost, just come to our clinic and walk back out brand-new.
