AREN'T THESE VIDEOS FUN

Aren't these videos fun to watch? Have you ever wondered where that tattoo ink goes once it's removed? I'm a dermatologist and you might be surprised to learn that laser tattoo removal doesn't actually erase the ink. Instead, the laser delivers an incredibly short burst of energy that breaks the tattoo ink particles into smaller pieces. Once those particles are small enough, your body's immune system actually comes in and eats them up with macrophages, which then take tattoo ink to lymph nodes and disperses it elsewhere. That's why laser tattoo removal takes so many treatments to work, because you have to wait for your immune system to actually come in and remove the ink itself. Now, if you're considering laser tattoo removal, know a couple things. One, it's incredibly painful, usually more than having the tattoo done itself. And two, the age of the tattoo, the type and color of the pigment all affect how many treatments you'll need to have it removed. Have you ever had laser tattoo removal? Let me know your experience in the comments below and follow me for more educational videos like this.