I have a fairly new tattoo, and I was wondering, do I need to wait about a year or 6 months to have it removed? Also in the meantime, can I use a tattoo removal cream, and then get the rest lasered off? My tattoo is not big at all and its on my inner right wrist, and its all black, which I've heard is the easiest to remove. I just got it like this week. I'm wondering if it's better to remove it as soon as possible, and around how much would I be looking to pay?
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You can start treatment as soon as the skin is healed. This in my experience is roughly 2 weeks after it was placed. I would shy away from creams as they will not achieve what a Q switched laser can with minimal skin change. You are correct that black is a good color to have as far as removal, blue and greens can be quite a struggle even witrh the right lasers.
Dr. Louis M. DeJoseph, MD
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
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As long as your tattoo is completely healed from when you had it put on, then you are safe to begin removing it (6-8 weeks is a sufficient amount of time). Tattoo removal creams can sometimes cause scar tissue which can make it more difficult to let the laser work as well at it can. Wrists do not have as much circulation to clear your ink, so it can require extra treatments, but it should eventually still come out. Pricing will depend on each place you look research, but most places have a smallest category which is what yours should fit into.
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Tattoo removal with the use of an appropriate Q switched laser is most efficacious after approximately one year when an abundance of macrophages are present within the area of the tattoo. The macrophages are the cells within the body which will eventually engulf and remove the tattoo ink particles. You may be able to begin treatments prior to one year but you will likely need additional treatments. I would recommend you not waste time and money with the advertised tattoo removal creams as they have not proven to have any significant effect on tattoo appearance. If the tattoo is primarily black ink and placed on your wrist you can expect to need 5-12 treatments for clearance with a experienced provider using an appropriate laser. Best Regards,
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