Every year, more and more people get tattoos. And every year, more and more people want to get rid of them. If you were in the first category, and now you’ve moved into the second, welcome to the club. In fact, by some estimates, almost 80% of people with tattoos regret at least one of them.

At Shore Vascular and Vein Center in Somers Point, New Jersey, we want you to feel comfortable in your skin, and if that means you want it tattoo-free, we help you get there. Jeffrey Gosin, MD uses the state-of-the-art enlighten® III laser by Cutera to fade away your unwanted ink.

If you’re unsure about laser tattoo removal, however, you may have been exposed to some of the myths surrounding the process. Here Dr. Gosin dispels the most common myths so you can reclaim the blank canvas of your skin.

Myth 1: You can remove your tattoos yourself

If you consult Dr. Google, you may come away with the idea that you can remove your tattoos at home, using various techniques such as salt scrubs or acid peels.

Fact: Trying to remove your own tattoos will damage your skin. Tattoo ink doesn’t sit on the surface of your skin. When you got your tattoo, your artist used a needle to burrow the ink deep into the inner layers so it would last a lifetime. To remove your tattoo yourself, you’d have to scrub away each layer of your skin, which could lead to wounding and infections. And, more likely than not, you’ll still have the tattoo.

Myth 2: Laser tattoo removal is painful

Some of your friends may have had a bad experience with laser tattoo removal and think it’s too painful or not effective enough to be worth the time and expense.

Fact: In the hands of a medical professional who uses the latest technology, tattoo removal is no more painful than getting stung with a rubber band. In fact, it’s far less painful than getting a tattoo in the first place.

The enlighten features a dual-delivery system that breaks up the pigment in your tattoo with zaps of energy that only last two nanoseconds — about 0.000000002 seconds! Dr. Gosin then breaks up the smaller pigment into even tinier pieces with pulses that last only 750 picoseconds — one trillionth of a second.

Myth 3: Laser tattoo removal burns your skin

Because laser tattoo removal is a light-based therapy, some people fear it could burn their skin.

Fact: The enlighten laser doesn’t use heat to shatter the pigment in your tattoo. It uses nonthermal, mechanical energy to break up the ink. The mechanical energy is targeted to the pigment, and not to your skin. Your skin stays safe and never burns or overheats.

Myth 4: Laser tattoo removal takes a long time

Fact: Each treatment with enlighten only takes about 15-30 minutes. Because Dr. Gosin must break up the pigment in your skin one layer at a time, he can’t fully remove the tattoo in one session. Instead, you undergo a series of tattoo removal treatments, leaving about a month in between each session so your body can eliminate the shattered pigment.

How many sessions you need depends on a variety of factors, including the type and color of the ink, and how old the tattoo is. Dr. Gosin gives you a timeline estimate before he starts your removal session.

Myth 5: Laser tattoo removal doesn’t work on all ink colors

Fact: The enlighten features three different wavelengths — 532 nm, 1064 nm and 670 nm. These different wavelengths mean it can handle a wide range of pigments, including hard-to-remove blue and green ink.

Myth 6: You can’t completely remove a tattoo

Fact: In many instances, the enlighten will completely remove a tattoo, especially if it’s relatively new. Older tattoos may fade significantly but not entirely. Dr. Gosin estimates the improvement you can expect, and your timeline, when you come in for your consultation.

Myth 7: You can’t tattoo over an old tattoo

Fact: You can choose to fade your tattoo to the point where you can then redo it or create another tattoo in its place. You can also request that only a portion of your tattoo be removed or faded.

You don’t have to keep hanging out with an old tattoo: get rid of it and start fresh with laser tattoo removal today. Call us at 609-297-5992, or use the handy online contact form to request an appointment.