JOIN US FOR A FREE SEMINAR! Click to hear more about seminar series Upcoming Seminars Canfield Ohio Tuesday October 5th 7:00 PM Akron Ohio Tuesday October 12th 7:00 PM Leos's Ristorante Niles Ohio Thursday October 14th 7:00 PM Cleveland Racquet Club Pepper Pike Ohio Tuesday October 19th 7:00 PM Dr. Gentile Speaking Engagements 33rd Annual Meeting of the European Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery September 1-5, 2010. Antalya/Turkey American Academy of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Annual Meeting September 23-25, 2010 Boston, MA, USA The 1st World Congress on Controversies in Plastic Surgery & Dermatology (CoPLASDy) November 4-7, 2010 Barcelona, Spain Rejuvenation of the Aging Face January 19-23, 2011 San Diego, California Munich Facial Plastic Surgery 2011 February 14-18, 2011 Munich Germany

Tattoo Removal

At one time, tattoos were considered a permanent mark on the body created to symbolize a temporary situation. People would receive this forever ink for a lover only to be scorned; for youth only to grow old; or for wilder days, only to eventually settle down. Because of cosmetic advancements in skin care and laser technologies, tattoos can now be thought of as fixture of the skin that does not have to last forever.

In order to receive laser tattoo removal treatments performed by Dr. Gentile, you must be a healthy man or woman with an understanding of this procedure as well as potential outcomes and risks. Laser tattoo removal treatments will be explained in detail during your scheduled consultation.

Undergoing a Tattoo Removal Procedure

Prior to the laser treatment, patients with very large tattoos may elect to receive local anesthesia to numb areas, temporarily preventing discomfort and sensitivity. Most patients do not require anesthesia or sedation because the slight, snapping feeling caused by the laser does not often warrant medication. A laser treatment can last as little as five minutes or as long as thirty minutes, depending on the area inked.

Because some tattoo ink colors can be stubborn upon removal, and the pigment may be present at different dermal layers, numerous laser treatments are required. When a laser beam reaches the pigment, the ink absorbs the energy, shatters and is flushed from the body by the patient’s immune system. The treatments are performed every six or eight weeks until the ink has significantly faded or disappears from the skin altogether.

Recovery

Most patients report minor swelling of treated areas following a laser tattoo removal procedure, and a light discoloration of the skin that fades within an hour. Scabbing may occur, which promotes healing of the skin beneath it. One week to ten days after a laser tattoo removal procedure, the skin should look healthy once again. Complications of a tattoo removal procedure are rare, as it is non-invasive and does not require sedation.