Table of contents:
- Why are permanent tattoos so difficult to remove?
- Some considerations before deciding to remove a permanent tattoo
The term tattoo comes from "tattau", a Tahitian word defined as "sign". Nowadays tattoos have become a popular body makeup for many people. Unfortunately, there are some people who regret getting permanent tattoos and intend to remove them. Either because the design is not suitable, or because there are other things that require them to remove tattoos, such as job demands.
However, removing tattoos is not as easy as one might imagine. Because of their permanent nature, tattoos require a special method and time to get lost on the skin.
Why are permanent tattoos so difficult to remove?
Permanent tattoos are difficult to remove because tattooing requires injecting colored ink into the deepest layer of the skin, which is known as the dermis.
When the ink is injected into the skin, your immune system recognizes the ink substance as a foreign intruder, so the white blood cells send out troops to try to fight back and engulf the ink particles. The white blood cells then escort the ink particles to the liver, where they are processed and secreted.
Unfortunately, the ink particles are much larger and more numerous than white blood cells. This is what makes tattoos take a long time to fade. Although it can fade, the tattoo will not completely disappear naturally. This is what makes tattoos permanent and difficult to remove.
In addition, the color and type of tattoo ink used and the skin color of the person being tattooed are also reasons why tattoos are difficult to remove. Certain tattoo colors like black, green, and dark blue will be easier to remove than red, orange, and white.
As for skin color, people with dark skin will find it more difficult to remove tattoos than people with lighter skin tones. Not only that, in dark skin people there is a risk of scarring or loss of natural skin pigment even if done using laser techniques.
Some considerations before deciding to remove a permanent tattoo
Each tattoo has a unique pattern, so the technique for removing it must also be adapted to each person's case. If you may have plans for tattoo removal, you should be prepared for the following consequences:
- Although now there are many techniques offered to remove tattoos on the skin, in fact tattoos cannot just disappear without leaving scars and other side effects. Scarring is the most common side effect of tattoo removal. So before removing it, make sure you know that the scar may be unsightly later, depending on the method used.
- Tattoo removal can be very painful - like being stapled by a rubber band followed by a burning sensation.
- The costs involved in removing tattoos can vary according to the method used. In the laser method, for example, depending on the size of the tattoo, laser removal can cost a minimum of 3 million per session.
- The tattoo removal process is not enough just one action. It may take you 1-10 sessions to make your tattoo completely disappear.
- Even the most advanced tattoo removal techniques don't work for everyone. The reason is, this depends on the skin color, ink pigment, and the size of each person's tattoo.
In essence, sooner or later tattoo removal depends on the quality of the tattoo, both color and size. This treatment difference will also depend on skin color, age, the depth of tattoo pigment, and the type of tattoo you have. So, between one person and another person will undergo the procedure and get different quality results.
