Did you get a tattoo to make a fashion
statement or to please your girlfriend/boyfriend and now regret it? Removal of
the tattoo is of course possible but it’s no easy task and is best done
professionally.
How quickly the tattoo can be removed and
the cost of removal will depend on the number of sessions needed.According to the Dr.
Will Kirby and Dr. Alpesh Desai, two renowned dermatologists,it is possible to
find the number of sessions required for successful tattoo removal through a
predictive method called the Kirby-Desai Scale. Clinics all over the world apply
this model to figure out the total sessions required for permanent tattoo
removal.
In this post, we will focus on six major factors
which are to be considered for laser tattoo removal. Here we go!
1. Tattoo Location
The first factor to be considered for the
successful removal of tattoos using laser is the tattoo’s location. Tattoos located
in areas that are close to the heart are removed faster compared to the ones
that are on other areas. The Kirby-Desai scale shows that tattoos located in
the upper body fade faster after laser treatment than tattoos on the lower part
of the body.
Tattoo Location
|
The Kirby-Desai Scale
Points
|
Head and neck
|
1
|
Upper trunk
|
2
|
Lower trunk
|
3
|
Proximal extremity
|
4
|
Distal extremity
|
5
|
2. Skin Tone
Laser removal of tattoo is possible for
all skin types. However, people with darker skin tone may need a few more sessions
for removing tattoos completely due to the high levels of melanin in their skin. The
Kirby-Desai Scale explains that it is easier to remove tattoos on lighter skin
tone.
FitzPatrick
Type
|
Skin
Color
|
Points
in Kirby Desai Scale
|
III
|
White or olive skin tone
|
3
|
IV
|
Brown
|
4
|
V
|
Dark brown
|
5
|
VI
|
Black
|
6
|
3. Ink Usage
The amount of ink used in tattoos also determines
the number of sessions required. In the case of amateur tattoos, the amount of ink
is usually less and uneven over the skin layers and hence easier to remove. On
the other hand, professional tattoos have higher ink density and the ink enters
several layers of skin which makes these tattoos stubborn.
4. Ink Color
The ink colors used in tattoos also determine
how many laser removal sessions are needed.Generally, black and red pigments
are easy to remove because they absorb all wavelengths and lack metallic
elements.Orange, yellow and green are the most difficult to remove.
Color of the Pigment
|
The Kirby-Desai Scale
Points
|
Black only
|
1
|
Mostly black along with red
|
2
|
Mostly black/red along with other colors
|
3
|
Various colors
|
4
|
5. Cover-up Tattoos
Getting cover-up tattoos to hide unwanted
tattoos is a mistake many people make. In most cases, cover-up tattoos are
bigger in size than the original tattoos and contain more ink. A laser technician
first needs to remove the cover-up tattoo before working on the original one. Due
to this, the number of tattoo removal sessions and consequently the cost may increase.
The Layering of Tattoo
|
The Kirby-Desai Scale
Points
|
No
|
0
|
Yes
|
2
|
6. Scarring Issues
Tattooing often causes tissue damage or
scarring particularly for dark skin tones.This is because the level of collagen
deposition in the skin increases which in turn leads to scarring.
The Way Forward
To get rid of unwanted and stubborn
tattoos, we are the go-to clinic in San Jose, California with experienced and
qualified medical practitioners.
For more information, call us at 408-294-2399 or fill out this contact form and we will get back
to you shortly.
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