On Second Thought, laser tattoo removal. Springfield Tattoo Removal

Many patients call us at On Second Thought... Laser Tattoo Removal (417-889-8408) to learn more about how laser
tattoo removal works and what it would take for us to remove their tattoo for them. Laser tattoo removal is a medical
procedure that deserves research and careful consideration. We hope this list of Frequently Asked Questions will help
you learn more about our procedure and feel confident in visiting our facility.

Questions on How Laser Tattoo Removal Works

Can all Tattoos be removed? Unfortunately, not all tattoos can be removed completely, but the majority can be. Tattoos
are meant to be permanent and with recent ink technology and professional tattoo artists improving their skills, tattoos
imprinted in the last decade are very difficult to remove. Even with the best technique, some residual scarring remains in
a few cases.Some colors (light blue, light green, and teal/turquoise) are difficult to remove completely and patients
should expect that no more than 70-80% of this ink can be removed unless the tattoo is very old (20 years or more).

What do you use to remove a tattoo? On Second Thought...uses the world's most advanced tattoo removal laser,
Cynosure's Affinity QS laser system. This Q-switched Nd:YAG laser is highly effective at removing a wide range of
colored ink with only minimal side effects. This laser is FDA approved for the removal of dermal pigmentation (i.e. tattoo
ink) and is the latest in a string of medical lasers designed to remove unwanted tattoos.

How do lasers remove Tattoos? Lasers work by directing energy toward ink in the skin with highly concentrated colored
light beams, a process known as Selective photothermolysis. These laser beams break up ink particles into tiny
fragments which are later cleared up by the body’s scavenging cells. This process of fragmenting the ink particles
requires numerous sessions depending on the depth of the ink level. The procedure is bloodless and no incisions are
made. The laser selectively targets the pigment of the tattoo without damaging the surrounding skin. With deeper
penetration of the skin and multiple sessions however, the heat generated by the lasers may cause pain and blister
formation.

Why do I need multiple sessions? All tattoos layers of ink, stacked on top of each other and a thick concentration of
pigment particles that cannot be completely broken down in one session. At On Second Thought..., we'll go over your
entire tattoo with the laser, breaking up as much ink as possible in every session. Each session will produce some level
of fading, although for very new tattoos the fading may not be as visible because the ink is still so thick and dense. If
your tattoo has shading, it will be removed with some degree of ease because shading is just a tattoo without much ink
density. It may only take a few sessions to remove this shading.

What is the cost of every session? The cost of each session depends on the size of the tattoo being removed, with
sessions as low as $100 per session. We'll price each session during the free consultation, but it is very hard to give
an estimate over the phone.

How many sessions will I need to remove my tattoo? The number of sessions needed to remove a tattoo depends on a
number of factors: the age of the tattoo, the age of the patient, the color of the ink, the color of the skin, the location of
the tattoo, the patients individual immune system, the type of ink used (there are hundreds of inks available), and the
density of the ink.

..... Older tattoos can be removed with less treatments than newer tattoos. A black ink tattoo that is 10 years old may
take one or two treatments less than a 1 year old black tattoo. A 20 year old tattoo may take two to three treatments
less than a 1 year old tattoo. A name tattoo written in black (also called "dark green") ink that is 1 year old may take 5-7
sessions to be removed completely.

..... Certain colors are more easily removed than others. Black and red tattoos are the easiest to remove. Orange,
yellow, pink, purple, brown, and other shades are slightly more difficult to remove. The most difficult colors to remove
are light green, light blue, and teal/turquoise. During the free consultation we'll discuss the number of treatments you'll
need to remove certain colors, but expect that you'll need a few more if you have a difficult color, but the most difficult
colors may not be able to be faded down completely.

..... Age of the patient will effect a person's immune system. As we all know, the younger we are, the faster we heal.
Since the use of the laser is actually doing 'damage' to the ink, and the body's immune system is absorbing the
fractured pigment, the slower our body heals, the slower the process may take.

..... The color of a person's skin is also very important. The laser targets color. Its difficult to distinguish the color of the
natural melanin of the skin and the ink/pigment that we inject into the skin. In order to avoid skin damage, and/or take
the chance of hypopigmentation, a CLS may have to take the color of skin into consideration before administration of
laser treatments.

..... The type of ink used will be a factor. This, unfortunately, can not be determined by the patient or the CLS
administrating the laser treatment. There are literally hundreds of inks available to be used for tattoo injection. As an
example, one manufacture may use tiny flecks of metal to give a certain color/density/consistency to the ink. Obviously
this would effect how the laser light hits and breaks apart the target pigment.

.....A person's individual immune system is unique. One person can heal from a minor abrasion in a single week while it
may take another person, with the same abrasion, 2-3 weeks to heal.

.....Density of the Ink. Shading in a tattoo is easily removed. Some tattoos with letters use shading to fill in the outlines of
the letters. Some tattoos with certain designs use shading for clouds or other visual effect. Shading will be removed in
only a few sessions in most cases.

Are there other Tattoo Removal methods? There are other methods of tattoo removal, though most of them are
generally ineffective at permanent removal and may result in a greater risk of scarring. Today laser therapy has
replaced most other treatment options and most tattoo removal specialists utilize laser technology as the sole tattoo
removal treatment option. Some of the other methods include dermabrasion, camouflage, and excision of the tattoo.
These methods may result in more damage to the skin and excess scarring. These techniques are usually used when
laser is not an option. There are also tattoo removing creams on the market which are not proven to work. They are
thought to assist with sloughing off skin cells and thus the tattoo layer by layer, which usually takes a long time and still
may not reach the depths of the tattoo ink.

Do "tattoo removal creams" help? I get this question all the time. We've seen little to no evidence that magic creams
help fade tattoos. At best, they fade the skin on and around the tattoo, which makes the tattoo look a bit lighter. Looking
at the ingredients and components of such products makes one wonder how they supposedly remove tattoo ink. No
medical professionals that we've ever spoken to has expressed anything different from our view. These creams are a
gimmick, and a waste of time and money.

Will the laser procedure scar my skin? No. This is a question that most new patients ask about, and we understand their
concerns. Modern tattoo removal lasers (Q-switched Nd:YAG) such as the Cynosure Affinity QS will not scar the skin for
two reasons. First, the laser doesn't go deep enough in the skin to cause a scarring response. Second, the pulse from
the laser is so fast that only the tattoo pigmentation is affected and surrounding cells and tissue are left undamaged.
Scarring was an issue 10 or 15 years ago when the equipment used for tattoo removal was rather primitive. There is no
need to be concerned about scarring unless you have a history of keloid scarring, which our provider will discuss with
you.

Does the procedure hurt? I would love to tell you no, but the truth is YES, it does hurt. Almost every patient we treat
compares the pain to getting the tattoo applied. A key difference is that laser tattoo removal is much quicker - most
treatments take between 5 and 30 minutes, with the average being around 10-15 minutes. Patients compare the
discomfort with that of a rubber band snapping against their skin. Black ink tattoos are slightly less uncomfortable to
remove than colored tattoos due to the wavelength of light we use to break up the ink. If you find that the procedure is
uncomfortable, there are a few things that may help. Just be sure to ask when you come in for your Free
Consultation.

What side effects might I experience? Most patients experience some redness, swelling, and minor blistering of the skin
after a laser treatment. These side effects are temporary and your skin will heal back completely. We provide our
patients detailed after-care instructions to help them manage their skin after the treatment.

Please call the laser tattoo removal experts at On Second Thought... to schedule a Free Consultation at 417-889-8408