Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Easy Ways to Minimize the Pain-Laser Tattoo Removal

Laser tattoo removal is considered to be the most effective method today for tattoo removal. But everyone agrees it is painful-even more painful than when you got your original tattoo. Here are some things you can do to minimize the pain.

Tattoos are painful both coming and going. They hurt when they are placed on the skin and they are even more painful when they are removed. Many describe the feeling of laser tattoo removal as being similar to several rubber bands being snapped on the skin in rapid succession as the laser generates its pulses of light.

The pain will be tolerable for some and almost unbearable for others. A lot will depend on each person's individual threshold for pain tolerance. It will also vary depending on the part of the body where the tattoo being removed is located. Areas like the toes and feet will be much more painful than other parts of the body.

To minimize the pain there are a few things you can do. These are offered as information only and you should always check with a certified medical professional first.

First, many tattoo removal professionals and physicians will recommend you take Tylenol a couple of hours before the procedure. To further decrease the pain a local numbing ointment can be applied to the tattoo before the procedure begins. In some extreme cases physicians have even injected local anesthesia to completely numb the area.

There are other things you can do to minimize the pain. If you put your mind in the right place during the procedure, that can help. Be aware ahead of time that it is going to hurt and tell your self you are capable of handling it. You can listen to music. The music can take your mind to a place where you are more comfortable.

After the procedure, you may experience a "sunburn" type feeling. Bruising and slight bleeding can also occur.

The best part about laser tattoo removal is that it goes pretty fast. Depending on the size of the tattoo you can be done in five or ten minutes. So keep reminding yourself how short the session will be. Obviously this is simply mind over matter advice-but it works.

Do not have your tattoo removal done under the influence of alcohol or drugs. This may cause thinning of the blood and that can lead to increased bleeding and other more serious problems.