Expert Tattoo Removal
Q & A

What is a tattoo?

A tattoo is a cosmetic procedure where the pigment is injected into the skin using needles, creating a change of color on the surface of the skin. A tattoo involves multiple layers of skin, including deeper layers that do not slough off as part of the normal skin turnover process.

This makes the color permanent. As the skin changes with age, the lines and color may appear less sharp, but it will not fade or disappear completely without a specific intervention to do so.

An estimated 10% of the population in the United States has a tattoo, and eventually, as many as 50% of them may choose to have a tattoo removed.

Why do people undergo tattoo removal?

Whatever the reason you get a tattoo, it is possible that later in your life you’ll decide that it no longer is something you want on your skin.

People choose to remove a tattoo because they feel it:

• No longer represents beliefs or feelings
• No longer is aesthetically pleasing
• Hinders job prospects
• Does not work with their clothing style
• Lowers their self-image
• Causes them embarrassment
• Causes an allergic reaction or scarring

Whichever reason for tattoo removal applies to you, it is possible to do so effectively with PicoSure laser treatment at Altoona Laser.

How does PicoSure effectively remove a tattoo?

If you choose to have your tattoo removed, you have the option of three main methods: dermabrasion, surgery, or laser removal. Each of these methods has their own pros and cons. The laser method is the method of choice for Altoona Laser.

The PicoSure laser utilizes high-energy waves and precisely applied pressure to break apart the tattoo ink into tiny particles. These particles are then naturally absorbed by the body, removing the pigment from your skin and diminishing the appearance of your unwanted tattoo.

Treatments usually take around 10 minutes depending on the characteristics and location of your tattoo, and are repeated every 6-8 weeks until ideal results are reached. Larger, more elaborate tattoos may take a number of treatments to effectively remove. Your treatment plan is specific to you and your tattoo, to give you the best results possible.