Won’t use Lidocaine for Tattoo Removal because staff said I need to feel to ensure laser is working - is this true?

Hello Alex. Run very far and very fast from this facility. What they are saying indicates that they do not know how to perform tattoo removal procedures. If you watch Youtube, you can see that during a tattoo removal procedure there is something called "frosting" occurring. Frosting is the reaction of the skin to the laser treatment and the magnitude of the frosting gives the practitioner an idea of how effective the treatment is going to be. No frosting = ineffective. Too much frosting = blisters or other side effects. It would be very scary to go to a facility that does not know this about tattoo removal. Is this in a state where people besides MDs and Nurses can do procedures? The reason we have this requirement in California is because having a medical license is valuable and so medical professionals get training before performing procedures that might hurt someone. This person does not sound trained. Find another office.

Thanks for your interesting question. I agree with "everywhere else" in that you don't need to feel pain to have an effective removal session. We board certified dermatologists who are properly trained in laser physics and also the use and risks of lidocaine are comfortable injecting fairly small tattoos ( you don't want to give some lidocaine toxicity!) and you just know how to watch the tissue reaction to determine what settings to use. Also the manufacturers of legitimate, FDA approved tattoo removal lasers provide extensive research and training manuals, advising the doctor on what to look for and how to properly operate the laser. I would be very wary of a place that says you have to feel it to see how the laser is working. That's not the way it works. Please see an expert, and don't waste your money.