In hopes to broaden my own knowledge as well as providing even more relevant content here at Pounded Ink, I have added a forum to the site.

The forum contains several sections to discuss any form of body modification. There is even sections where you can upload pictures of your own modifications for the world to see.

Registration is free and only requires confirmation of your e-mail address to activate, so you can start posting right away.

In time I hope to build a strong helpful community devoted to every aspect of body modification. No procedure is too extreme to talk about.

What are you waiting for? Click here to see what all the fuss is about.. Stop by, say hello, and tell the world what you think. The more the merrier. See you on the forum!

Will Laser Tattoo Removal Completely Get Rid Of My Tattoo?

The top laser tattoo removal clinics claim that 95% of tattoos can be completely removed with the latest lasers and techniques.  There is always a chance that scarring of the skin occurred at the time the tattoo was applied, in which case an obvious outline of the tattoo will be forever visible unless you get a skin graft.

Some Laser Tattoo Removal Facts

Black and dark blue ink responds best to laser tattoo removal, while green is one of the most difficult colors to remove.  Although black and dark blue respond the best they also are the most painful colors to have removed.

Laser removal takes several sessions which can vary greatly depending on the complexity and experience of the artist who tattooed you.  There are over 100 different FDA approved tattoo inks on the market so until the removal process has started there is no way to tell the quality of the ink which will determine its ease of removal.

Tattoo techniques, equipment, and inks have changed greatly within the last ten years.  Newer tattoos are much harder to remove then tattoos applied longer then ten years ago.  Professional tattoos are also much more difficult to remove then homemade tattoos.

Laser tattoo removal is expensive.  If you paid a lot for your tattoo when you got it expect to pay substantially more to get it removed.

There are programs available throughout the country that offer free laser tattoo removal for former gang members.  You can check your local state agencies for availability.

Alternatives To Laser Tattoo Removal

Dermabrasion – Basically scrubbing the skin with a coarse abrasive like sandpaper until you reach the layer of skin the ink rest in.  This method can take weeks to heal and is prone to infection.

Salabrasion – The same thing as dermabrasion with the addition of salt to lighten any pigment not removed by the sanding process.

Cryosurgery – removal of a tattoo using extremely cold liquid (liquid nitrogen) to destroy tissue including the layer of skin the tattoo ink resides in.  Cryosurgery, although effective, has a high rate of scarring which will be determined by your body’s natural healing properties.

Excision – physically cutting out the skin where the tattoo resides.  This method of tattoo removal is often combined with skin grafts to minimize scarring and create a more natural look once healed.

To Understand how a tattoo is removed you must first understand how a tattoo works. Tattoos are applied beneath the outer layer of skin (in the dermis). The dermis does not break down foreign objects like the epidermis does (the outer layer of skin). This occurs because the molecules of the ink are larger than the adjacent bloodstream. In order to remove a tattoo you must get through or around the outer layer of skin.

There are several ways to remove an unwanted tattoo but as I said before these are not pleasant procedures.

Laser Tattoo Removal

This is the newest, most effective and less painful alternative to remove an unwanted tattoo. Available only since the late 80’s this technique has gone leaps and bounds in recent years. The process involves shooting a specific spectrum of light through the outer layer of skin to the dermis, which holds the ink. This light breaks apart the molecules of the tattoo ink so they are small enough to be carried away naturally by the bloodstream.

Laser removal can be a long and involved process that requires many sessions. With typical sessions costing $500 dollars a piece this method is the best available but quite pricey.

There are even free laser removal clinics that cater to former gang members. Some even provide their service for free, which in my opinion is a wonderful cause.

After a few sessions of laser removal you will see your tattoo slowly fade into oblivion. The process is the least painful of all removal options with discomfort commonly referred to as no worse than a mosquito bite.

Surgical Excision

This is an immediate and extreme way to remove a tattoo. The process involves physically cutting out the tattooed skin which of course is below the first layer of skin. That means that the outer layer of skin is going to have to go with it. This method will without a doubt remove your tattoo. It is also the hardest removal procedure to heal and extremely prone to infection as you will have large areas of missing and exposed inner flesh.

The healing process of an excision is not very controlled. You may see extensive scarring that looks worse than any tattoo ever could.

Dermabrasion

This method is slightly less damaging as excision but still a risky process. The idea behind dermabrasion is to remove layers of skin until the tattoo ink is wiped away. For years this was the only way to remove a tattoo and is still a popular method as it can cost almost nothing.

A steel wool pad, belt sander, hot iron, or some high test sand paper will do the trick. Just start sanding down your skin until you don’t see any ink. This is also a risky process prone to infection but slightly less risky as excision.

Where Do I Start?

If you are thinking of removing an old or outdated tattoo I suggest that you consult a medical professional specializing in dermatology. No one will give you better advise than a licensed practitioner.

Be aware that any effective solution to removing a tattoo is going to be very expensive. If you paid a lot for your tattoo expect to pay even more to get rid of it.

Let’s examine some of the ways to remove that once great idea.

Removal Creams – These things don’t work. No matter what the claim you will not remove a professionally inked tattoo with any cream. The best you could hope for by using one of these products would be fading. These creams do not require a medical prescription, so how good could they be? The truth is that these creams will not do anything for modern tattoo ink.

Laser Removal – Now we’re talking. Blast that bad tattoo right off of your flesh with space age technology. Modern science has created very efficient lasers that break up the tattoo ink so it can be absorbed by the lymphatic system.

This relatively new process has spawned many tattoo removal clinics to pop up across the country with no sign of slowing down any time soon. Be prepared to shell out $500-$1000 per treatment, and yes it will take more than one. Large professionally inked pieces may take as many as ten sessions to remove.

Remember that even if you remove a tattoo and break up all the ink under your skin, you may still have a mark where the tattoo once was. This mark is actually scar tissue that was created when the tattoo healed long ago.

Cover-Up – My favorite option for removing an unwanted piece of body art. What better way to cover a tattoo than with a larger tattoo?

There are some things that you must consider when choosing to cover an existing tattoo.

1. The Cover-Up art will usually be darker in color than the existing tattoo.
2. The Cover-Up will be larger than the existing tattoo.
3. The new artwork will be designed around the form of the existing art (this means that you can’t just bring in a sketch)
4. If your tattooist messed up your tattoo don’t let the same person try and fix it.
5. Any tattoo can be covered up.

One technique that I have seen work wonders for cover-ups is taking a session or two just to pound white or flesh tones into an existing tattoo, kind of a way to clean the canvas. This is not a pleasant process as you will be tattooing the same area multiple times. I have seen this technique lighten professionally applied black to a workable tone in which almost anything could be designed over top.

Above I posted pictures of my latest cover up. In the before picture you will see a black and grey spikey eye that I got when I was probably 19 or 20. I am in the process of completing my second quarter-sleeve and my tattooist suggested that I just let him cover it. I agreed as I would rather have color pieces and the idea of a clean arm to work with is just what I needed. As you can see he changed a spiked off center design and created an organic figure out of it that has no sign of the original tattoo, except the eye in the center. You can see there is quite a bit of white that was pounded into this in order to remove the harsh edges of the old spikes. Don’t mind the dead skin on the after picture, I’m still healing from my last session.

A good tattooist can make a bad tattoo, a great tattoo.