A tattoo may seem like a good idea at the time, but you might come to regret your decision later. The good news is that laser treatment is now the most effective form of tattoo removal available.

This laser fires an intense beam of light into the tattoo in a very rapid burst. This heats the pigment within the tattoo and triggers its eruption from the skin. The laser color depends on the color of the ink. Certain colors, like fluorescent yellow, are extremely difficult to remove.

The procedure time varies from 15 to 45 minutes, depending on the tattoo size and the area treated. Topical anesthesia is occasionally used depending on tattoo location, size and the patient's tolerance for the brief burning discomfort associated with each laser burst. Oral or intramuscular sedation can be used at the patient's request.

Following treatment, the wound may ooze small amounts of blood for several hours. The wound must be covered with a dressing for 24 hours and maintained in a moist environment for seven to 10 days.

The risks of scarring with this treatment are low. However, complete removal of the tattoo can be rare. Although multiple treatments are usually required to obtain successive lightening of the tattoo, final results depend on the depth of the tattoo pigment within the skin. On rare occasions, certain uncommon tattoo inks react with the laser to form a darker-colored chemical, which is untreatable.