I Always Wanted a Tattoo, but Now I'm Getting Mine Removed

I asked Dr. Rick Noodleman of The California Skin Institute, where I am treated, to give me a simplified explanation of the science behind tattoo removal: "The laser breaks up the pigment particles, and then your body digests them [through your bloodstream] and gets rid of them." Newer lasers break up the ink particles into smaller pieces, which allow them to be more easily digested. In the past, certain colors were more difficult to remove, but as lasers advance, more tattoos are candidates for removal.

While getting my tattoo removed, I picked up some interesting advice from the nurses, as well as theories on what can affect tattoo removal success: namely, that tattoos closer to your heart are easier to remove because there's more blood flow, that the extra ink in my tattoo may require more sessions, and that a diet high in antioxidants could aid the process. While Dr. Noodleman was quick to refute these as minor to non-factors in aiding removal, I figure taking this dietary advice certainly can't hurt.

For a typical appointment, you can ice the area for a few minutes before treatment or apply numbing cream about 30 minutes in advance. Because the ink is actually below the surface of the skin, numbing isn't 100 percent effective, but it does help. The removal is more painful than getting the tattoo, but it is over quickly: my tattoo is a little larger than one square inch, and each session lasts under 30 seconds. After the appointment, it's important to ice the area and let the tattoo breathe, because covering or wrapping the tattoo can trap the heat from the laser and lead to scarring. It is also important to protect the area from the sun and any physical trauma for a few days after each treatment.