Whether you regret getting a tattoo or it did not turn out the way you wanted it to, you need to get it removed. You research different clinics and all of them guarantee that they can remove your tattoo, but this is your body and do you want to take a chance attending a clinic that is not reputable? There are certain factors to consider before making an appointment to ensure that the clinic you are considering will in fact meet your needs and below are the most important ones you need to be mindful of.
1. Certified
A reputable tattoo removal clinic will be certified which will show that they are trained and experienced in tattoo removal. The person that will be removing your tattoo should be a certified laser specialist and trained in laser safety. Certificates are usually on display in the clinic. If they are not, ask to see them. Confirm that they are from a reputable training institute and the name matches the person who will be treating you. Do not be afraid to ask any questions that you have. A reputable clinic will have no issues answering them all. It is your body that treatments will be performed on so you want to make sure you are going to receive a high standard of care from certified professionals.
2. Able to remove the tattoo
Laser treatments are effective in tattoo removals because, although clinics differ in their practices, the common process is the laser uses powerful energy bursts to break the pigments of a tattoo into tiny pieces that are then removed from your body. Nonetheless, you want to confirm that your treatments will be effective. Your skin has many different layers and different colours of a tattoo will settle on all different layers. Therefore, it is essential that you make sure that the laser treatment will go deep enough to penetrate the skin especially if you have darker colours which usually settle on deeper layers of skin.
Laser treatments use different wavelengths for different colours as well so you want to also confirm that the clinic has the equipment and capability to use the wavelengths required to remove as much colour as possible. You would hate to go for numerous treatments that can be painful at times and cost lots of money to find the tattoo is not being removed as anticipated.
3. Medical component
While the oversight of a medical doctor is not a requirement for a tattoo removal clinic to operate it would benefit you tremendously to find one that does. Most certified laser technicians are not medical doctors so it is helpful to have a doctor on site that can provide medical advice and direction if needed. A medical doctor can also monitor how well you are reacting to treatments and how well the skin is healing after every appointment.
There have not been many medical emergencies during the tattoo removal process but it is obviously beneficial to have a doctor on site to assist in the event one occurs. Policies and procedures developed with medical oversight can confirm that the clinic is operating safely with the best interests of clients in mind.
4. Quality of care
You would be very disappointed to find that you wasted time and money on a tattoo removal process that did not work as planned. When you go for an initial consultation, the clinic will usually estimate how many treatments it will take to remove the tattoo. If 10 treatments are recommended and after 10 you are not satisfied with the result, a reputable clinic will usually perform additional treatments needed free of charge.
Be cautious of clinics that guarantee full removal of the tattoo at the initial consultation because the truth is, some tattoos cannot be completely removed and how effective the treatment will be can only be measured as you progress through. Remember that your skin will be delicate and sore after treatments and reputable clinics usually offer a standard of aftercare to confirm that you are healing as you should.