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New technology makes tattoos easier to remove, but think before you ink
By Brian Alexander
On April 26, 2012
Good news for all those who regret going under the needle: a new tattoo removal technique could
drastically cut the time necessary to get rid of your unwanted ink.
Using the new laser technology known in medical circles as "R20," certified physicians can now make
up to four passes over a tattoo per session, spaced 20 minutes apart, to remove a significantly greater
amount of ink than the conventional method. According to a study by the Journal of the American
Academy of Dermatology, although the new method caused more upfront injury to the skin, it caused
no more scarring or adverse effects.
So as long as you have a couple thousand dollars to spend, depending on the size of the art, the tattoo
you purchased with the permission of vodka or a former lover's passion could be gone in as few as two
sessions.
But a tattoo shouldn't be something you get with removal in the back of your mind.
With a new generation of artists helping to develop the practice, tattoos are much more socially
acceptable now than ever before. This is great, save for a growing minority who want to get tattoos just
because they think they look cool.
If you're of age and you feel like getting a tattoo because it's Tuesday, it's every bit your right to do
that. Just be warned that the area code on your forearm or the generic tribal design on your neck might
not always be the sign of rebellious youth you hoped it could be.
Tattoos can be a great and almost necessary way of marking important times in your life. So, now that
tattoos have become almost a rite of passage for American youth, it's more important than ever for
them to get something meaningful.
My ink, a cardinal over my heart, is a symbol of loved ones passed. Specifically, my grandfather who
died of cancer when I was very young, and my brother who was killed in a car accident last summer.
Cardinals have always been important to my family. My house is filled with them - in paintings, small
trinkets and even carvings. They give us hope that the ones we cherished are still watching over us, and
when I look down at my tattoo each day I feel a deep connection to those values.
I couldn't imagine a time I would ever want to get rid of that.
I'm not saying every tattoo you get has to be indicative of a major, life-changing occurrence. But if
you're going to spend several hours of pain and several hundred dollars letting someone pierce your
skin with a mechanical needle, it should mean something.
Put some thought into it. Take the time to research different shading styles and line techniques, and get
quotes from different shops around the city to see which artist will do the best job. Then, if you have
friends or family with tattoos, ask them to share their experiences with you.
Most importantly, though, make sure that ink is going to be something you'll want to see every day for
the rest of your life. Permanence is not something to be taken for granted.
Brian Alexander can be reached by email at alexander.record@live.com.
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