Before and After Your Treatment
Prep Yourself for Treatment
Like any other medical procedure, laser tattoo removal has the best results when you properly prepare for treatment. Follow these tips to facilitate the tattoo removal process:
On the day of your appointment, wear comfortable clothing that won’t rub against the tattoo. If the tattoo is on your waistline, wear looser fitting pants (or sweatpants) and don’t wear a belt. The area will be sensitive for the following couple of days, and you don’t want to cause irritation.
Have non-stick bandages and ointment (Aquaphor or Neosporin) at home. You will have to keep your tattoo bandaged for three days, and it’s a good idea to have a fresh bandage for each day
Before your appointment, make sure that the treated area is clean. If the tattooed area is very hairy, it may be a good idea to shave, so that you make the procedure easier for the laser technician.
If you are on an antibiotic, or have just had surgery, are ill, etc. we will need to postpone your appointment. Tattoo removal relies on your immune system to work, so if it is busy fighting another illness or infection, we cannot give you a treatment. Antibiotics will make you more sensitive to the laser and may cause unwanted side effects.
Confirm with your schedule that you don’t have plans to go swimming/hot tubbing/etc. for the few days after your removal treatment. To prevent infection, we advise that you do not soak the treated area for three days after treatment.
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For a toenail treatment, please remove all nail polish, and file down the length and surface of the thickened nail as much as possible without injuring yourself to enable the laser to penetrate down to the nail bed for an effective treatment.
Have the Best Results
Proper aftercare is necessary to prevent infection, skin texture change, or other unwanted side effects. When you visit us at Worcester Tattoo Removal, we will give you aftercare instructions to take home after your treatment. Tattoo removal is a relatively simple outpatient procedure, but we take care to inform you of the important steps you can take to achieve a great result.
The laser tattoo removal treatment creates a superficial skin wound. Some patients may experience bruising or swelling. There is immediate whitening of the treated area, which usually lasts for several minutes. Some clients then develop blisters, crusts, or scabs within 8 to 72 hours, which may last for 1 to 2 weeks or more. The treated areas may be pink or pale after the scab separates. Scarring, which can be hypertrophic or even keloid, can occur but is exceptionally rare. Reduced or excess skin pigment in the treated area can occur, and is temporary except in very rare cases. Healing is usually complete within 4 weeks, although this may vary.