Questions

TATTOO ERASE

WHAT DO YOU DO?
We work over the area of the tattoo in a series of small circles using a needle similar to a tattoo needle, introducing the natural Tattoo Erase fluid. The areas treated will look like small chicken pox scabs which are covered with a light gauze for an hour or so. After this, the gauze should be removed allowing the treated area to dry out and for the scabs to drop off naturally. An aftercare leaflet and advice will be given to you which you should follow.

WHAT WILL MY SKIN LOOK/FEEL LIKE?
The treated area will be covered in small scabs which will drop off naturally over 3 - 21 days.  After this,  the treated areas will look quite red, fading to pink and can be slightly raised and/or itchy. so we leave time for this to heal before repeating the process. By treating small areas at a time we are not overloading the body - the healing process is faster and there is less risk of scarring.

HOW LONG DOES THE TREATMENT TAKE?
The length of a treatment is determined by the size of the tattoo.  Smaller tattoos take 15 minutes to treat per visit.  Larger tattoos can be teated for up to an hour in one sitting.  It may even take more than one hour for an extremely large tattoo or to treat multiple tattoos.

WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE?
It feels just the way it did when you had your tattoo put on. If you found it painful then you will find the removal much the same. Our feedback is that it is less painful than laser treatments.

WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES?
Apart from surgery, the only real alternative is either Ruby or Yag laser which can be ineffective with some of colours Greens and   reds can be particularly difficult for lasers to treat. However, it really depends on your individual tattoo which is best for you, or a combination of Tattoo Erase and laser can used. Lotions, creams and potions which are often advertised cannot get through the skin’s barrier and just don’t work.

AM I SUITABLE FOR THE TREATMENT?
The initial consultation will determine this.  You may have treatment if you had no previous ill effect from your tattoo and if you are over 18, not pregnant or breast-feeding and have no history of abnormal scarring reactions.  New tattoos can be treated as long as the skin is fully recovered. We can still treat you if you have had previous laser treatments (although we may suggest a test patch and you will usually need more treatments than normal). We can treat all sorts of tattoos except on the face, including cover-ups. A test patch can be done for a reduced fee.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I HAVE A TREATMENT DONE?
You must leave a minimum of six weeks between each treatment.  The skin remains pink once the scabs have dropped off and this skin must be allowed to fully heal before another treatment is done. The average time between treatments is around 8-10 weeks depending on your individual healing process.

WILL IT LEAVE A SCAR?
Whenever we break the skin there is always a risk of scarring so we cannot guarantee that this will not happen.  Because there is no heat produced in the skin the pigment cells cannot be damaged.  We know that the risk of scarring is minimal providing you adhere to any aftercare advice given to you by your therapist. If you wish you can even have another tattoo put on once the old one has been removed!

WHAT TYPES OF TATTOO CAN BE TREATED?
All ages, sizes and styles of tattoo can be removed. Our treatment does not recognize the colour of the tattoo - only the ink. Older tattoos can be more stubborn because the ink ‘sinks’ deeper into the skin over time, making it harder to draw the ink out - they usually need more treatments as do tattoos previously treated with lasers.

IS THE TREATMENT SAFE?
We use a new, sealed sterile needle and cartridge assembly for each treatment and the fluid we use is a natural acid found in the body and the food chain and so is perfectly safe - even to drink (but it’s not very nice, a bit like vinegar).

Nd YAG LASER

WHAT DO YOU DO?
During the treatment the laser is passed over the tattoo releasing quick, short pulses of intense laser light. A ‘clicking’ noise is heard as the ink particles shatter.  During the treatment protective eye wear must be worn at all times.  Immediately after the treatment a soothing antiseptic lotion and a light gauze dressing are applied.  An aftercare leaflet and advice will be given to you which you should follow.

WHAT WILL MY SKIN LOOK/FEEL LIKE?
There is an instant whitening or blanching of the skin immediately after the treatment but this fades quite quickly.  The area will be tender for several hours and can be red and swollen for up to 48 hours.  Some tattoos can form a graze which must be left to heal naturally. The tattoo will gradually fade over the next 4-8 weeks as the body disperses the ink.

HOW LONG DOES THE TREATMENT TAKE?
The length of a treatment is determined by the size of the tattoo, the density and type of ink used.  Smaller tattoos take 15 minutes to treat per visit. Larger tattoos can be teated for up to an hour in one sitting.  It may even take more than one hour for an extremely large tattoo or to treat multiple tattoos.

WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE?
Most people describe the sensation as similar to a hot pin prick or the flick of an elastic band How it feels depends very much on how much ink there is to absorb the energy, the denser the ink the more intense the sensation will be.

WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES?
Apart from surgery, the only real alternative is Tattoo Erase which is probably better for new tattoos or for large, coloured tattoos with areas of dense ink. It really depends on your individual tattoo might be the best option for you. Large or coloured areas can be removed with Tattoo Erase and followed by laser. Lotions, creams and potions which are often advertised cannot get through the skin’s barrier and just don’t work.

AM I SUITABLE FOR THE TREATMENT?
The initial consultation will determine this.  You must be over 18, not pregnant or breast-feeding. A test patch can be done for a reduced fee.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I HAVE A TREATMENT DONE?
You must leave a minimum of four weeks between each treatment.  The skin must be allowed to fully heal before another treatment is done. The average time between treatments is around 4-6 weeks depending on your individual healing process.

WILL IT LEAVE A SCAR?
Laser removal has proved to be relatively safe with most tattoos being removed with little or no scarring. The risk of infection is also extremely low if you follow the recommended procedue after treatment.  There is a small  risk is that your skin texture or colour can change after treatment. There is no guarantee (no matter which method of tattoo removal is chosen - there is always a minimal risk of scarring)

WHAT TYPES OF TATTOO CAN BE TREATED?
All ages, sizes and styles of tattoo can be removed. Older tattoos can be better with laser because the ink ‘sinks’ deeper into the skin over time and as the laser targets the ink no matter how deep it is in the skin.  Amateur tattoos or linear tattoos are easily treated with laser. As long as there are no big areas of dense or coloured ink, most tattoos are suitable.

IS THE TREATMENT SAFE?
We use a new, sealed sterile needle and cartridge assembly for each treatment and the fluid we use is a natural acid found in the body and the food chain and so is perfectly safe - even to drink (but it’s not very nice, a bit like vinegar).