You were so excited about getting your new tattoo and now, you just don’t want it anymore. Whether it’s immediate tattoo regret, the end of a relationship, or you have just outgrown your tattoo, you can safely and effectively get your tattoo removed with lasers
While you are probably familiar with how to care for a fresh new tattoo, there are also specific things you must avoid doing before your tattoo removal session.
Before you go schedule an appointment, be sure you avoid doing any of these things in order to have a safe and effective laser tattoo removal treatment.
Avoid Exposing Your Tattoo To Sunlight
When you get close to your tattoo removal session, avoid direct sunlight exposure to your tattoo. Why? Exposure to UV rays from the sun can stimulate the production of vitamin D and melanin, which can affect how your body responds to light waves during laser treatment. Melanin is best known for helping people achieve a glowing tan, but it can also put you at risk for hypo-pigmentation, or lightening of the skin, if you stay out in the sun close to your tattoo removal appointment.
Avoid Spray Tans And Tanning Lotions
Fake tans don’t endanger you to UV exposure, but they can still affect the tattoo removal process by creating extra work to get rid of toxins and other ingredients that conflict with laser treatment. Because of that you may need additional treatment sessions to get rid of residual ingredients from spray tanning and tanning lotions. Also, some spray tans and tanning lotions contain ingredients that can create irregular pigmentation in the skin and have a bad reaction to the laser treatment.
Avoid Tattoo Removal Right After Getting A Tattoo
Even if you instantly regret your tattoo, you still need to wait for at least three months before beginning any tattoo removal treatment. If you prematurely expose your skin to removal treatments, you could suffer ink retention and scarring. After you get the tattoo, it needs time to heal, because the ink is trapped in the deeper layers under the skin. After three months, you can book your consultation for laser tattoo removal.
Avoid Treatment While Taking Antibiotics And Update Your Medical History
If are on antibiotics, or if you just finished all of your medication, you still have to wait 14 days after completing your medication before your tattoo removal laser treatment. Be honest about your current medications and medical history to avoid the adverse side effects from combining laser treatment with certain medication. Your clinician will let you know whether it is safe to proceed with your treatment, or if you have to reschedule your tattoo removal session.
Avoid Tattoo Removal Creams
Don’t waste your money on tattoo removal creams, because they only fade the tattoo on the surface. The tattoo ink under the deeper layers of the skin will still have to be removed.
If you’ve made the mistake of using tattoo removal creams before your tattoo removal session, wait 6 weeks after your last use before coming to Clean Slate Ink for laser tattoo removal treatments to avoid skin damage.
Avoid Mechanical Epilation And Hair Removal Treatments
Avoid using epilators, or electric devices that pull several hairs and hair follicles out of the skin. Also avoid chemical epilation in the form of depilatory creams, where a chemical cream is applied to the skin and the hair is rubbed off after several minutes. These types of hair removal treatments can damage your skin and delay the healing process.
Avoid Harsh Abrasive Treatments
Although you may be tempted to help the removal process along by trying to remove the tattoo from the surface, don’t do it! These abrasive treatments can lead to uneven tattoo removal and permanent scarring. Do not attempt to remove your tattoo with acid or any other chemicals, as this is extremely dangerous and can result in skin deformities.
On a similar note, don’t try to scrub or scrape away the top layers of your skin using dermabrasion or salabrasion (abrasive salt and water scrub). Excessive scrubbing or scraping at the tattoo could lead to permanent scarring, which will make tattoo removal even more painful.
Get Started By Scheduling Your Tattoo Removal Appointment
Remember to discuss recent sun exposure, medication, and treatment with your technician. Before you come in, be sure to avoid doing the things outlined above. If your skin isn’t ready for treatment, we will reschedule your appointment to a date and time that is convenient for you.
Come to Clean Slate Ink – the best tattoo removal clinic in the North Austin area.