Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s photos from the Citadel film premiere in London made headlines after fans spotted her sporting her signature ‘Chay’ tattoo, dedicated to her ex-husband, Naga Chaitanya. Samantha and Naga Chaitanya had a fairytale love story and had married in 2017. However, their love story came to an end, and they parted ways on October 2, 2021. Read more on that here
Let’s understand how a tattoo removal is actually done, and whether it’s expensive or painful:
Three Procedures
There are three ways to remove a tattoo:
- Dermabrasion
- surgical excision
- laser removal
Tattoo removal is generally effective, although certain tattoos are far more difficult to erase than others. Older tattoos and stick-and-poke tattoos, for example, are easier to erase than fresher ones, according to a report by Healthline.
Some colours are also easier to remove than others, such as brown, black, dark blue, and green. Larger, more colourful tattoos take longer and cost more to remove than smaller, lighter, and less colourful ones.
Tattoo removal may also be harder if you have darker skin, a prior skin issue such as eczema or herpes, etc., the report says.
What is Dermabrasion?
Dermabrasion is a surgical tattoo removal treatment that uses a medical grinding tool to remove the outer layers of the skin in a controlled manner, according to a report by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. The goal is to remove the skin layers containing the ink particles, hence erasing the tattoo.
Because this treatment is uncomfortable, it is usually conducted under local, regional, or even general anaesthesia.
A dermabrasion session will leave an open wound that must be cared for after the operation. The wound should be cleaned with soap and water on a daily basis, an antibiotic ointment used, and the wound covered with a dressing. Wounds caused by dermabrasion often take longer to heal than those caused by laser tattoo removal. It is anticipated that these will take 10-14 days to heal.
Furthermore, more than one session of dermabrasion may be required to remove a specific tattoo.
Laser Tattoo Removal
Laser tattoo removal works by dissolving the pigment colours with a high-intensity light beam. Because black tattoo pigment absorbs all laser wavelengths, it is the simplest colour to treat. Other colours, depending on the pigment colour, can only be treated by specific lasers, as per WebMD.
Smaller tattoos will require fewer pulses to remove, while larger ones would require more. In either instance, several treatments will be required to thoroughly remove a tattoo. Your tattoo should gradually lighten with each visit.
Although laser tattoo removal is painful, most individuals do not require anaesthesia. One may want to apply a topical anaesthesia cream beforehand, depending on the placement of your tattoo. An ice pack to calm the treated region immediately after the therapy may be required.
Surgical Excision
Tattoos can also be removed surgically through direct excision, ASPS states. This simply entails removing the skin that holds the tattoo. This technique is best suited for small tattoos and may not be suitable for huge tattoos. The skin around the tattoo is then gathered and closed.
Depending on the size of the tattoo, this sort of tattoo removal may necessitate the use of local, regional, or even general anaesthesia. This method of tattoo removal will result in a surgical scar.
Does Tattoo Removal Hurt
It depends, according to a report by Healthline. For a variety of reasons, no two people’s pain experiences are precisely the same, beginning with their personal pain threshold.
The ability and experience of the person performing the removal can also influence how painful the procedure is, which is why it is recommended that it be performed by a licenced dermatologist.
A qualified dermatologist/surgeon can tailor the therapy to your comfort level and use numbing lotion or a local anaesthetic injection to reduce or eliminate pain.
According to studies, stress and other unpleasant emotions can heighten pain perception. On the other hand, the more optimistic you feel, the less pain you perceive.
