About Laser Tattoo Removal

Although tattoos are permanent, the mindset and life circumstances you experienced at the time that the tattoo was placed may have changed quite a bit. Whether you are looking to completely remove an old tattoo that has lost its luster, fade a tattoo to make way for a new cover up piece, take control of your life by physically removing the unpleasant memories associated with the tattoo, or remove a cosmetic tattoo whose shape/color has started to change with time, the Gateway Aesthetic Institute and Laser Center can help you. Types of tattoos that our physicians commonly remove include:

• • • Decorative/ornamental tattoos on the face and body
    • Cosmetic tattoos such as eyebrows, eyeliner, lip liner, freckles, and beauty marks
    • Radiation tattoos placed during cancer treatment
    • Traumatic tattoos from pencil graphite or asphalt

We are well-equipped with a comprehensive selection of 7 state-of-the-art lasers, as well as decades of combined experience among our physicians, to meet your unique needs. Our pico- and nanosecond tattoo removal lasers are the most advanced devices on the market today and encompass every available wavelength and color of laser light currently available.

They include:

• • • Fotona PQX
    • Fotona Starwalker
    • Fotona QX MAX
    • Cynosure PicoSure
    • Quanta Discovery Pico
    • Lumenis VersaPulse
    • Q-switched Ruby Laser

At Gateway Aesthetic Institute and Laser Center, our board-certified dermatologists can utilize a number of other strategies to expedite the removal of your tattoo, remove stubborn tattoos, or remove tattoos that have failed treatment elsewhere. In addition to optimizing settings on our advanced lasers, our dermatologists may also employ the following approaches to remove your unwanted tattoos with fewer treatments and better results:

FracTat: FracTat stands for “Fractionally ablative laser tattoo removal.” This technique is used to further break down pigment and enhance the rapid expulsion of tattoo pigment particles from the skin, after an initial pass with one of our above-listed tattoo removal lasers.

Zimmer Z-wave: This acoustic wave therapy enables your tattoo to undergo additional passes with the tattoo removal laser, enhancing and expediting the laser removal process.

Fully ablative CO2 laser: Although not a first line approach to tattoo removal, fully ablative CO2 laser can be utilized to remove ink that is not responding to conventional tattoo removal lasers either because it is placed too deeply in the skin, or because it is a difficult type/color of ink to treat. Laser ablation can also be used to treat allergic tattoo reactions.

Surgical removal: This is a one and done approach to tattoo removal. For tattoos that are an appropriate shape and are located on an anatomic area with sufficient skin laxity, our board-certified dermatologists, all of whom are highly experienced skin surgeons, can surgically remove your entire tattoo (or a portion that is unwanted) during a single treatment session.

What kinds of tattoos can be removed with lasers?

At the Gateway Aesthetic Institute and Laser Center, we can remove every type of tattoo, including decorative tattoos placed with a tattoo gun, stick and poke tattoos, traumatic tattoos, and radiation tattoos. We are also experts in removing cosmetic tattoos such as eyeliner, eyebrow, lip liner, freckles, and beauty marks.

Who performs laser tattoo removal at Gateway Aesthetic Institute and Laser Center?

Our board-certified dermatologists, who are skin and laser experts, perform all our laser tattoo removal treatments.

How are lasers able to remove tattoos?

When colored ink particles that comprise the tattoo absorb the energy of the laser, they break apart in a manner akin to a porcelain tea cup breaking apart when dropped on the ground. These much smaller and fragmented tattoo ink particles are then removed by a combination of different mechanisms. Some of the particles leave the surface of your skin in the scab that forms after treatment, some of them are engulfed by the cells of your immune system and carried away into your lymphatics, and some of them are broken into such tiny pieces that they are no longer visible.

Why is laser tattoo removal the best approach to tattoo removal?

Laser tattoo removal, in the hands of the highly experienced board-certified dermatologists at Gateway Aesthetic Institute and Laser Center, has the advantages of being safe, effective, painless, and easy to recover from. Although your esthetician or tattoo artist might suggest using a topical cream or injection (saline or chemical solution) to fade your tattoo, these approaches are either frankly ineffective, or fraught with a high risk of complications such as irreversible scarring. There is no topical cream that exists that can remove a tattoo and injecting highly irritating solutions into the skin in an attempt to “draw out” tattoo ink is more likely to cause complications than a desired outcome. Laser tattoo removal with a state-of-the-art device, in the hands of a highly experienced board-certified dermatologist, is the safest and most efficacious approach that you can take to removing your tattoo—and that is exactly what we offer here at the Gateway Aesthetic Institute and Laser Center.

Am I a good candidate for laser tattoo removal?

The vast majority of individuals who desire to have their tattoos removed are good candidates for laser tattoo removal. And for those individuals who might be suffering from an allergic tattoo reaction, tattoo removal is the only treatment option that will definitively treat it. Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should wait until after delivery or weaning to have their tattoos removed. Although laser tattoo removal is a safe treatment, the body’s immune system is involved in the removal process. The is why we recommend, out of an abundance of caution, that women who are pregnant or breast feeding do not undergo laser tattoo removal.

How many laser tattoo removal sessions will I need?

Successful removal of each tattoo varies with the type of tattoo, the color of the ink, the density of the pigment, the size and depth of the tattoo, and the body’s reaction to the treatment. Tattoos that are partially faded, older, homemade, consist of only black or dark blue ink, and/or are centrally located on the body, tend to be the easiest to remove. Multi-colored tattoos, especially those with yellow, purple, or brighter colors, may be more difficult to remove and thereby require more treatments.

Although it is not possible to predict the exact number of treatments that will be required, you can trust that our advanced laser technology coupled with our dermatologists’ expertise will help you reach your removal goals in the fewest number of treatments possible.

Is laser tattoo removal painful?

At Gateway Aesthetic Institute and Laser Center, we strive to provide you with a painless tattoo removal experience and have a number of different techniques we can use to make you comfortable. These include topical anesthetics, injectable anesthetics, tumescent anesthesia, and nitrous oxide gas.

How long does it take to heal from laser tattoo removal?

Healing from laser tattoo will usually take a few weeks. Tattoos treated on the distal extremities where circulation is less robust, such as the wrists, ankles, hands, and feet, may require a longer healing time in between treatments. During the healing process, gentle cleansing, protection from the sun, continued application of healing ointment, and a protective dressing, is recommended.

What are the possible side effects of laser tattoo removal?

Immediately following treatment, the tattoo will have a whitish or red appearance and develop some swelling, or pinpoint bruising. As you continue to heal from treatment, small blisters may form in the treated area as a result of swelling. It is possible to start to notice some pigmentary alterations in the skin of the tattoo as well as the surrounding skin, which may be attributable to a number of different factors – sun exposure during the aftercare process, injury to the skin when the tattoo was first placed or healing, or other causes. Infection and scarring are uncommon but may rarely occur. Oxidation reactions, where white or red ink turns black because of being exposed to laser energy, are also possible. Although rare, the development of an allergic reaction or hives during the course of your tattoo removal treatments is also possible. This happens when your body’s immune system reacts to the altered shape of the tattoo ink particles in your skin. Our board-certified dermatologists are able to treat you through any allergic reaction that might develop, and are able to medically manage the issue to ensure that your skin heals, and that your future laser treatments proceed safely.

How much does laser tattoo removal cost?

Cost is based on the total laser treatment time required and the extent of anesthesia necessary to comfortably complete the treatment. Small and medium sized tattoos take from a few seconds to a few minutes for each treatment. Larger or multiple tattoos will require a longer treatment time, and consequently a higher cost.

Why choose Gateway Aesthetic Institute and Laser Center for my tattoo removal needs?

Gateway Aesthetic Institute and Laser Center is the most well-equipped tattoo removal center in the world. We are equipped with 7 state of the art tattoo removal lasers, decades of physician experience, and have removed thousands of tattoos safely and effectively. Our highly skilled team of board-certified dermatologists are experts in selecting the most appropriate and customized laser settings to effectively remove your unique tattoo and are furthermore highly adept in managing any complications that might arise during the tattoo removal process, such as allergic reactions to tattoo pigment, pigment oxidation reactions, infections, scarring, and others. Cosmetic tattoos, especially those located near the eyes, require care, precision, experience, and appropriate precautions in order to proceed safely and effectively, and this is precisely what our board-certified dermatologists will provide you with. And for other challenging tattoos that require advanced and creative solutions for removal, our dermatologists have an extensive and proven record of working with patients to discuss all possible avenues to helping you achieve the outcome that you are looking for.

Finally, we understand that for some, tattoos can be closely intertwined with unpleasant past memories, or with prior life experiences that you no longer identify with.  When you seek tattoo removal at the Gateway Aesthetic Institute and Laser Center, you can be assured that you will be treated by caring dermatologists who are sensitive to the emotional and psychological burden your tattoo may be causing, and who will treat you in a manner that is professional, sensitive, and judgement-free.

We also use local or tumescent anesthesia to make tattoo removal almost painless, a benefit that all our tattoo removal patients greatly appreciate.

Call today to set up an appointment to get rid of your unwanted tattoos.  We have the technology and expertise to provide the best laser tattoo removal possible anywhere in the world.