Surgical Tattoo Removal

Carpal Tunnel | Gangion | Lipoma | Surgical Tattoo Removal | Sebaceous Cyst | Moles | Scar Revision | Sweat Glands Removal

Tattoo removal (Surgical excision of Tattoo)

At Doctors Makeover, our cosmetic surgery clinic which has already been registered with the Care Quality Commission for “Surgical Procedures”, our experienced and highly qualified doctors who are Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS) or/and specialist plastic surgeon and are fully registered with the GMC in the United Kingdom will explain the procedure in detail and possible risks and complications at the initial free no obligation consultation and answer your questions. The operation is safe, effective, quick, affordable and straightforward. 

• What is a tattoo?

  Tattoos are artificial intra-dermal colouring for decorative purposes, commonly enhancing lips, eyebrows and between the eyes.

   

• What are the reasons to have a tattoo?

  Cultural tattooing in many parts of the World.
  Commonest and Decorative reasons: cosmetic reasons to have tattoo
  Tattoos to cover skin discolourations, moles and abnormal skin areas.
  Memorial reasons, to remember and mark relationship
  Magical in some characters
  Religious, in some sects
  Identification with a particular group
  Belonging to a gang
  Belonging to an ethnic group
  Forensic and identification purposes
  Generally speaking, the adverse effects of having a tattoo should be weighed against its benefits in the long-term.

• How common are Tattoos in the population?

  Various surveys in the USA reveals on average that about 35% of Americans aged between 18 to 29 and about 25% of those between 30 to 40 years and 10% of those between 40 to 49 years have tattoos.  About 15% of males are more likely to have a tattoo, compared with 12% of females. Therefore, having a tattoo depends on the cultural background, age, sex, ethnic group and probably social class in any society. 

• Where should I go to have a safe tattoo?

  Apart from the art work, equipment and the artist’s technical skills, it is important to be aware having a tattoo carries some risks.  The risks include pain, bruising, swelling, infection and scar formation, apart from transmission of infections such as Hepatitis B, C and HIV. There is also a risk of the tattoo being imbedded too deeply into the skin with colour changes and reaction to local aesthetic drugs and sensitivity to the ink. Usually, the tattoo should be wrapped for at least a day and should not be exposed to sun, ideally, for several months.

• What are the main reasons for tattoo removal?

  In a survey in 2008, 17% of individuals with tattoos expressed regret.  The common reason for regret was that they had the tattoo when they were too young and almost all of these people had the tattoo in their late teens, followed by reasons such as “it is permanent and I was marked for life” or they just say they did not like it anymore. There were also a significant number of people who stated that they suffered embarrassment, some of the people asked for removal before starting a new job or other life events such as having a baby, going through a divorce or preparations for a wedding.  It seems that with ever changing trends and mood of the people it is no wonder that a growing number of people might get bored with their tattoos and want to remove them. It is also thought that unlike the past time tattoo removal methods have become more developed and they are more readily available and somewhat easier nowadays; surgical excision of tattoos is most highly efficient for tattoo removal by a qualified surgeon. Infection is probably the main dander during making and removal process of tattoos and need special care and consideration. 

• What are the options for permanent tattoo removal?

  There are several options for permanent tattoo removal: 
  1.  Cover-up tattoo. When an individual has not made a decision on permanent tattoo removal, the tattoo can be covered by a wide variety of techniques, depending on size, shape and colour of the tattoo.  There are some people who might cover-up the tattoo by another tattoo. 
  2. Dermabrasion and salabrasion which are involved rubbing off the tattoo physically by sand-like coarse surface or in salabrasion a mixture of water and glandular salt particle are used to rub the tattoo to the point of bleeding and softening the surface of the tattoo. Dermabrasion and salabrasion need to be repeated on many occasions and it is not effective against deep tattoos. Dermabrasion and salabrasion are painful and need local anaesthetic before their application. Both dermabrasion and salabrasion are ineffective with many side effects including tendency for scar formation.    
  3. Laser tattoo removal, which is one of the commonly used methods.  The laser breaks down and burns some of the ink and other parts of the ink will be absorbed and exposed by the body.  The colour of the tattoo and the nature and wavelength of the laser machine are important factors.  Black, dark and blue tattoo colour can be treated better by laser than other colours.  It is necessary for laser tattoo removal to be repeated under several sessions; the most commonly used laser machine is Q-Switched Laser but like other similar methods, has been attributed to scar formation. 
  4. Manual tattoo removal which uses a specialised gel mixed with a normal saline to be applied to the tattoo area causing the ink to bond with the gel and be displaced to the surface of the skin (epidermis).  However, there is a high risk of scar formation with scar Keloids formation, prolonged healing, changing the colour and texture of the skin and discomfort and pain.  The overall manual method is not very effective and has been replaced by different laser equipments and surgical excision of the tattoo. 
  5. Tattoo removal by Cryotherapy and Thermal Injury has been practiced but the results are unpredictable with several serious side effects.
  6. Surgical excision of tattoos.  Surgical excision is a permanent removal of the tattoo by using a surgical knife under local aesthesia. Surgical removal of tattoos has been practiced since tattooing began in ancient times. The reason for tattoo removal are different, the main reason is cosmetic reasons but some are worried about the prospect of their employment or they have become fed-up with the sight of their tattoos, many simply regret their youth decision.  Surgical removal can deal with variable sizes of tattoos regardless of their colour, site and even size, provided that enough skin can be utilised to compensate for the area from which the tattoo has been removed.

• What are the advantages of surgical tattoo excision over the other methods?

  Surgical excision of tattoos is highly effective method of cutting out the entire tattoo and stitching the skin together at a single session. Surgical excision of the tattoo is the quickest and relatively simple operation with immediate result and a linear scar which fades away after about 8 months. Surgical tattoo excision procedure is most probably the cheapest effective way of complete tattoo removal which is carried out under local anaesthesia. It means it is painless and you can go home after the operation without interruption to your routine daily activities and stay away from your work. However large tattoos might skin grafting
   and/on removal on more than one occasion.

• What are the disadvantages of surgical tattoo excision?

  The effectiveness and success rate of surgical excision of tattoo in skilled hands overweighs some minor side-effects. Surgical excision of tattoos is a safe and the most effective method of tattoo removal. However, it involves injection of local anaesthetic before carrying out a minor operation. There is a chance of reaction to drugs and the area from which the tattoo has been surgically removed is tender and probably painful for a few days. The wound needs special care to avoid infection and might leave a permanent scar. Surgical excision of tattoos also depends on the skills of the surgeon with no universal standardised outcome.

• How do you surgically excise a tattoo?

  At your initial consultation we will review your medical history and ask you about your general health, allergies and if you are taking any medication.  We assess the suitability of your tattoo for surgical removal and provide you with information.  On the day of your operation, we will numb the tattooed area with local anaesthetic and surgically remove the entire tattoo and stitch up the edges of skin gap which has been created by surgical removal of the tattoo.  Our aim is to remove the whole tattoo in one session but larger tattoos might need two or more sessions to be removed completely. If more than one session is necessary for surgical removal of a large tattoo, each session of surgical excision of the tattoo needs to be repeated after complete healing of the wound.  We carry out tattoo removal under local aesthetic which means you are fully awake during the procedure and you can go home after completion of your operation.

• What aftercare do you offer after surgical excision of tattoo?

  Your tattoo will be removed under hygienic and sterile conditions and we normally remove the stitches about ten days after the procedure.  We provide you with contact numbers to have access to your surgeon during the day and night if you have any concerns or questions. 

• Is surgical tattoo excision a safe procedure?

  Yes, surgical excision of the tattoo is a safe procedure, however, there are factors which may affect the outcome; these factors depend on the patient, the environment under which the procedure has been carried out and the skill of the surgeon.  Your general health and well-being and your tissues power of repair and healing plays an important part in recovery, so that if you are in good health and not suffering from chronic ill-health you should have uneventful course of recovery and recover within two weeks without problems. The environment and conditions under which the operation has been carried out is important because the risk of infection.  The skills of the surgeon, plays a crucial role on the overall outcome of your tattoo surgical removal because apart from doing the operation, the surgeon can also influence the selection and preparation of the patient for operation and making sure the operation is carried out under sterile and aseptic conditions.

• What are the main complications after tattoo removal?

  Early post-operation complications of surgical tattoo excision are: discomfort, bruising and swelling at the site of the operation and the area remains tender and slightly painful for up to 48 hours. Bleeding and infection are rare. The wound needs to be kept clean to prevent infection and avoid direct exposure to sunlight to avoid scar colour changes for several weeks after surgical excision of tattoo.

• Why should I use your services to remove my tattoo in your clinic?

  We remove tattoos under local anaesthesia by surgical excision at Doctors Makeover, our cosmetic surgery clinic which has already been registered with the Care Quality Commission as a Day Surgery Hospital for “Surgical Procedures”. Our experienced and highly qualified doctors who are Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS) or/and specialist plastic surgeon and are fully registered with the GMC in the United Kingdom. We carry out surgical excision of tattoos, of different sizes and shapes on any part of the body. Among the advantages of surgical excision of tattoos, we offer affordable prices with immediate a better cosmetic outcome. Tattoo surgical excision is carried out in our “Day Case Surgery”, this means it is safer and you are able to go home on the same day, after surgical excision of your tattoo.

  As a matter of routine policy in our cosmetic surgery clinic, we also provide all our clients with the 24-hour contact details of the responsible doctor after any procedure.