Laser hair removal has quickly become an incredibly popular cosmetic treatment. It can effectively and permanently rid the body of unwanted hair while diminishing scars. Furthermore, it does away with depilation, waxing or shaving in its wake as well as helping alleviate symptoms associated with folliculitis and discoloration of skin conditions such as acne.
Tattoo removal is also a popular procedure, but does it cause more discomfort than laser hair removal?
How Does It Work?
Laser hair removal utilizes light-amplification by stimulated emission of radiation (LASER). It uses targeted light pulses that target pigment in your skin and destroy hair follicles without harming other body tissue – an excellent choice for people with tattoos looking to remove unwanted hair. However, it must be noted that treatment cannot take place directly over it as too close could result in blisters, fading, distortion or distortion to your body art if done too close by the laser technician.
At laser hair removal sessions, technicians use numbing gel to protect your skin before beginning. Once this has taken effect, laser beams will be passed over tattooed areas in order to destroy hair follicles and stop hair growth in future sessions. Up to six sessions may be necessary before you can reach desired results.
Tattoo ink lies beneath your skin’s upper layers while hair follicles targeted by laser treatment are located in the dermis layer of skin. Therefore, when selecting a qualified and experienced laser hair removal specialist it is vitally important that they use only safe laser technology; using any other kind of laser can be extremely dangerous and could even result in third degree burns and permanent scarring.
Note that before getting laser hair removal treatment, it is wise to avoid waxing or tweezing as these actions can interfere with its efficacy. Furthermore, tanning should be done two weeks prior as this causes your skin to absorb melanin found naturally present in hair, potentially hindering its effectiveness and decreasing effectiveness of treatment.
Do You Need to Wait for Your Tattoo to Be Old and Faded?
Prior to beginning laser hair removal on tattoos, it is important to protect the skin with which they reside in order to prevent damage or discoloration from taking place.
If you are concerned about damaging the skin underneath your tattoo, it is advisable to seek advice from a dermatologist or licensed esthetician before beginning hair removal treatment. They can advise you on safest methods of hair removal tailored specifically for your skin type and tattoo placement as well as aftercare instructions that can help avoid potential side effects.
Time of Fading of Tattoos||Depending on a variety of factors, including the quality of both the artist and equipment used to create it, as well as color of ink used, darker hues will fade faster. Furthermore, location can have an effect as blood circulation is weaker in arms and legs which causes it to fade more slowly than elsewhere on your body.
Tattoo removal may become necessary when one no longer enjoys their artwork on their bodies; others may wish to fade their tattoos so as to cover them up with something newer and fresher.
Laser tattoo removal can be a lengthy process that may take months for its full effects to take hold, but with patience and an understanding of how the laser works, progress will be visible as time goes by – leading to a satisfying final result!
Can You Get Laser Hair Removal Over Your Tattoo?
Laser hair removal treatments should not be done over a tattoo, as this could damage its ink pigments which lie deeper within the skin than hair follicles and thus are more likely to be damaged than your hair follicles. Furthermore, such powerful laser treatments could lighten or fade your tattoo permanently and even make it appear blurrier or unattractive altogether.
An electrolysis treatment could provide an effective solution, without causing any further harm to the tattoo itself. Before booking any appointments for electrolysis treatments, consult an experienced practitioner first so they can advise you of all available solutions and recommend one that’s most suited to you and all available treatments are explored and explained thoroughly.
On top of this, other safe methods of hair removal may also work on areas of your body where tattoos have been applied – for instance epilation, waxing and shaving can all be employed once your tattoo has healed and your stubble has returned. At risk is damaging new skin and distorting your tattoo. To minimize pain and discomfort during treatment, ask a dermatologist or laser technician for an analgesic topical medication to numb the area beforehand. However, it’s always better to avoid pain or discomfort as this could significantly decrease the effectiveness of treatments and lead to less desirable results. Therefore, before proceeding with any medi-aesthetic procedures that use laser technology such as Botox treatments or fillers, ensure you contact an experienced practitioner for an initial consultation who will give practical and straightforward advice and help you achieve what results you’re hoping for.
Can You Get Laser Hair Removal on Your Underarms Over Your Tattoo?
If you have both tattoo and laser hair removal treatments at once, they won’t just blend seamlessly together like shaving over. Certain precautions must be taken, yet both treatments can still take place at the same time.
At your laser treatment session, the technician will first create a template around your tattoo to protect it. This step is essential as different ink absorbs light differently and could damage its pigment. After creating this barrier, he or she will perform laser hair removal over the tattoo, which may feel like series of quick needle injections depending on your skin sensitivity and intensity of laser used.
Laser hair removal is gentler than tattoo laser removal and should pose less of a risk for most people with tattoos. There may still be redness and swelling after your treatment due to your body removing pigment from hair follicles; this is completely normal and necessary as you move through this process.
If you have undergone laser hair removal, it is wise to wait a few months before getting a tattoo to give your skin time to heal and ensure there are no compatibility issues between tattoo and skin color.
If you have tattoos and want laser hair removal, first consult with your provider to assess whether it is feasible. If not, there may be other methods of hair removal which won’t damage them; or continue shaving any areas where tattoos appear; but just remember that your tattoos won’t be protected against hair growth in the future!
Can You Get Laser Hair Removal on Your Thighs Over Your Tattoo?
Laser hair removal is an effective and safe solution to unwanted body hair; however, tattoos present unique challenges; lasers used for hair removal cannot differentiate between the pigment in your skin and tattoo ink, potentially resulting in blistering and scarring of your tattoo.
Tattoos contain large patches of dark pigment which absorb more heat from laser treatments when passed over them than hair follicles which only contain small amounts of pigment and thus are much easier to treat.
As such, laser hair removal cannot be applied over tattoos directly; however, you can have it done on other areas of your body where there are no tattoos present – just be sure to inform the practitioner prior to starting their session that there are tattoos present so they can take extra precautions in order to protect them.
As part of your laser hair removal treatments, it’s also crucial that you wear sunscreen and shave prior. This will protect your tattoo from exposure to the sun’s harmful rays, decreasing blistering and scarring risk and improving results. For optimal results if you have a tattoo it may also be beneficial to apply numbing cream prior to treatment.
Are you ready to put an end to unwanted hair growth and say goodbye with laser hair removal at our medical spa in Burleson, TX? Contact us now and schedule either an in-person or virtual consultation for laser hair removal at our medical spa! We look forward to helping you achieve smooth, hairless skin!
