Times Test Tattoo Technology

Tattoos have been around for forever, but they are especially popular today because they represent a way to identify with a cause or to make a statement about your feelings or thoughts.


A tattoo is applied by an artist using an indelible ink to change the pigment structure of the epidural layers of the skin. Most tattoos are permanent and are not intended for removal. Tattoos are relatively expensive, ranging in cost from several hundred dollars to several thousand depending on complexity of the design.

The most common method of tattooing is by using a machine, according to Wikipedia. The unit inserts ink into the skin by using a group of needles which are soldered onto a bar and attached to an oscillating unit. The needles rapidly drive ink into the skin at a frequency of about 80 to 150 times a second. As long as sanitary precautions are applied, the procedure is relatively safe.

There are many reasons why some people may want to have their tattoos removed. Some people seriously regret their tattoos since it may keep them from getting particular jobs or attaining goals. In some workplace situations, employees are required to keep prominent tattoos covered (i.e. wearing long sleeves to cover designs on the lower arms).

You may have a gang-related tattoo, but are no longer associating yourself with that group, so it may be in your best interest to have it removed. If you have a tattoo that symbolizes hate or prejudice, you may have changed your views.

Others may wear a tattoo of someone special, but the relationship may have soured. It would be unkind to your new love not to have it removed. Still others wear tattoos as memorials to deceased family members and loved ones.

If you have a tattoo that you want partially or completely removed, there are several methods that might work. But the level of pain, effectiveness and cost can vary widely.

Laser Removal

This is the most common method for tattoo removal. Laser removal targets the ink with pulses of highly concentrated light that break the ink into tiny fragments. These fragments are carried away by our immune system.

This takes many treatments. The more treatments the patient has, the more apt the patient is to skin damage. Blisters and scabs can form and eventually lead to scarring. Experts claim this procedure has improved over the years and scarring is now minimal or non-existent.

An individual may need to complete from one to 10 sessions, and the costs usually range from about $250 to $850 per person. A large body tattoo can cost thousands to remove, and there is no 100% guarantee that it will be completely effective.

Intense Pulsed Light Therapy

Intense Pulsed Light Therapy, or IPL, is a dermal enhancer currently being used in some spas. Instead of laser light, it uses high intensity light in pretty much the same manner. A gel is applied to the skin and then a wand is used to emit pulses of light onto the skin area being treated.

This method is said to be less painful than laser therapy and more effective, resulting in fewer treatment sessions. The bad news is that it also carries a heftier price tag – one clinic offers a price of $10 per pulse. Depending on how many pulses per session your tattoo requires, this could add up to a significant amount of money.

Cream Removals

Surprisingly, this method tends to be effective. Many of these creams are advertised on the Internet and they are relatively inexpensive. The Tattoo Removal Institute has tested several of these products and determined some of them live up to their expectations.

Products known as TatBGone and Tattoo0OFF exhibited significant fading without pain and skin damage, according to the institute. A two-month supply typically costs about $125, and it will take several months to get the desired results.

Other Removal Methods

There are many other tattoo removal methods, but many of them are so painful and ineffective that laser removal replaced them as soon as it became available in the marketplace.

Eseticians may use derm-abrasion which actually “sands” away the top layer of skin. Another method is called excision. This is where the tattoo may be cut away and then the skin sewn back together. These methods have been proven to cause quite a bit of damage resulting in scarring and are only used in extreme cases.

When contracting for tattoos today, most people have them applied permanently. But there are specially designed tattoos that can be applied temporarily (i.e. so-called rub-ons).

Although tattoos may carry some degree of social unacceptance and stigma for some people (generally older people), it is a relatively easy procedure to reverse the artwork through the processes described above. At the same time, each of these methods described are under development, with new ones on the horizon.

The one common thread of advice to anyone considering a tattoo, a highly unique form of personal expression, is to think twice before getting one by considering all factors. Age, extreme weight loss, placement, ink quality, and artistic ability are just a few of things that could affect the final outcome.

This post is courtesy of TechMan who blogs about trends, ideas and issues affecting business, industry and technology.