Removing Piercings and Tattoos
It is possible to remove piercings and tattoos. In many cases, however, removal is more involved, painful and costly than getting a tattoo or piercing in the first place. Removal may not be perfect and can leave a scar.
- Piercing removal – To get rid of a piercing, just take out the jewelry. If the hole has healed, however, it won’t close up on its own. The only way to fix the hole is to repair it surgically, which can be expensive.
- Tattoo removal – There are several methods to remove tattoos, including laser surgery, surgically cutting it out, dermabrasion, salabrasion (removing the top layers of the skin) and tattooing over the old tattoo with a new one. Removing the tattoo can take several – even many – treatments over weeks or months, and an outline or shadow of the tattoo still may be visible. Removal results depend on the inks used and depth of the tattoo. Tattoos made of dark blue, red, green and some lighter blue inks are more likely to respond to laser treatment, but other colors may be more difficult to remove. Light-skinned people with black ink tattoos are likely to have the best results.
If you are interested in piercing or tattoo removal, consult with a dermatologist, who can suggest the best options. Some dermatologists specialize in tattoo removal.
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