Tattoo Removal Methods include Surgery

When considering tattoo removal methods, the most important question relates to if the removal technique will leave behind a scar.  There are few if any surgeries that can be performed without traces of a scar.

The degree of damage post surgical tattoo removal depends on the size and complexity of the tattoo, and to what extent the surgeon must go to in order to remove it.

Medical Tattoo Removal Options:

Cryosurgery is a freezing technique used to pre-treat tattoo skin area before performing dermabrasion or salabrasion tattoo removal in order to minimize the amount of bleeding that occurs.

Dermabrasion, is a method of removing or sanding down the top layer of skin with a rapidly spinning abrasive instrument wheel or a wire brush.  The procedure tends to be bloody and is usually done under local IV/oral sedation, and often combined with cryosurgery to minimize bleeding.  Post treatment, skin remains raw and red for several days and may take several months to fully heal.

Salabrasion is an older and less common tattoo removal method of aggressively rubbing the tattoo skin with coarse salt or a salt sanding block. Cryosurgery is often performed prior to treatment to reduce the pain caused by repeated friction.

Excision is a method of tattoo removal that is typically used as a last resort for small tattoos or smaller sections of large tattoos.  Excision is a surgical procedure that involves literally cutting away skin embedded with tattoo ink. After the removing the tattoo, the skin is then pulled together and sewn with sutures, resulting in a scar.  This method is not ideal for larger tattoos, as they often require multiple surgical procedures, and tissue expanders or skin grafts.

Tissue Expansion is a surgical technique necessary to expand the skin in order for to excise large tattoos.  The technique requires a balloon to be placed underneath the skin to the side of the tattoo.  Gradually, over several weeks the balloon is inflated and as it increases in size the skin stretches to accommodate the growth. When the skin has ‘stretched’ enough so that enough remains to pull together and suture once the whole tattoo is cut away.

Physicians specializing in tattoo removal make it appoint to stress the fact there are no guarantees when it comes to tattoo removal and predicting the results.

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