Tattoo removal: It's painful and pricey

The uptick in people sporting tattoos seems to have brought with it a boom of another sort.

Increasing numbers of people are having changes of heart, say Long Islanders who remove body decoration that was intended to be permanent.

So how to get your ex's name swiped from your shoulder (or elsewhere)?

"Today, the best option by far is to use lasers specifically designed to target the ink in the tattoo," said Dr. Laurence Glickman, a board-

certified plastic surgeon at Long Island Plastic Surgical Group in Garden City.

Lou Rubino Jr., a second-generation tattoo artist and president of Tattoo Lou's, which has multiple locations on Long Island, noted that creams, acids and lightening the ink for a cover-up tattoo all can be used. But he agreed that the most effective way to get rid of an unwanted tattoo and keep the skin cleanest is with laser treatment.

Better yet, he said, is to "think before you ink." Rubino said he tries to tell clients to choose something they can "take to the grave." But tattoo seekers may not be listening, given the amount of tattoo removal Rubino said he's doing at his other business, Fusion Skin Spa in Deer Park.

LASER REMOVAL

The Nd: YAG laser, one of many different lasers used in tattoo removal, emits two separate beams of high-

energy light at two different wavelengths, Glickman said. The laser penetrates the skin without burning it, and the energy is absorbed by the pigment within the tattoo. Results aren't immediate, though.

"One of the common misconceptions is that you zap it and it's gone," he said. "That doesn't happen." He said it takes multiple sessions, often three to eight and sometimes more, spaced four to six weeks apart.

The pigment colors get absorbed at different rates. "The best colors to remove are the dark ones -- blacks, browns, blues," Glickman said. "The hardest to remove are yellows, greens and oranges." He added that "some tattoos are not possible to remove, especially the multicolored ones."

And where on the body the tattoo resides doesn't matter, he said. Rather, it's the skin thickness in that area, the type of ink and how much ink was used that can make removal tricky.

Glickman also urged anyone considering tattoo removal to check that the technician who will operate the laser has been licensed by the state to do so. In New York, for instance, the Nd: YAG laser must be operated by a physician's assistant or a doctor, Glickman said.

WHAT TO EXPECT

For tattoo removal, Glickman said, patients are asked to come in about 45 minutes before their appointment so a numbing cream can be applied. Then, each session takes 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the tattoo.

As for pain, there could be "quite a bit," Glickman said, adding that it's something he always prepares his patients for. Mild discomfort might linger for a day or so after the treatment, he said.

The main risk is scarring, though he said that is unusual. But the skin won't look exactly like it did pre-tattoo. "There's always a shadow or some discoloration -- a reminder that you had a tattoo there," Glickman said.

Laser treatment is not cheap. Depending on the size of the tattoo and the complexity, getting rid of it can cost $200 to $600 per session, and Glickman said it's not covered by insurance. At Rubino's spa, a package of six visits with a Medlite laser starts at $600.

Mia Massoomi, a cable station director from Farmingdale, didn't want to be bothered using makeup to try to hide her noticeable tattoo, so she recently opted for laser removal. She said it was much easier than anticipated. "It was painful, but not as bad as I thought it would be," Massoomi said. "It wasn't a very big tattoo, so it was quick."