Dermatologist uses laser technology to remove tattoos

Article Provided by Connie Wirta at Essentia Health

As

more people get tattoos, more people also regret their inked skin.

“Some patients got the tattoo they wanted in their youth but now they have grandkids,” said Dr. Michael Blankinship, an Essentia Health dermatologist in Fargo. “Others are young people who are beginning their professional lives or who want to enter military service. The people I see most often within days are those who have had a cosmetic tattoo -permanent makeup like a lip liner or eyeliner.”

Dr. Blankinship offers laser tattoo removal to people of all ages at Essentia Health’s South University Clinic in Fargo. At the first appointment, he takes a thorough medical history and examines the tattoo. It’s critical to determine what kinds of pigments were used since they react differently to laser energy and light, he explained.

“Where a tattoo is on the body and its colors are important in selecting the proper laser settings,” Dr. Blankinship said. “I also ask whether it was done by a professional or amateur tattoo artist and do a test spot.”

Black and blue pigments respond best to laser treatment, the doctor said. Greens, pinks, pastels and neons are more difficult because they are often blended with titanium oxide, a white pigment, he explained.

Each color of pigment is treated with a different wavelength of light and different energy levels, Dr. Blankinship said. “The pigments absorb light and then break down into tiny particles,” he said. “The particles are then removed from the skin by the body’s own cells.”

Laser treatments are often scheduled four weeks or more apart to allow the body to move the pigments out. The skin also needs time to heal, the dermatologist noted.

“I tell patients that removing a tattoo hurts a little more than getting a tattoo,” Dr. Blankinship said. More sensitive areas, such as the face or neck, are more uncomfortable. Areas can be numbed with an anesthetic cream or injection before the laser treatment.

Dr. Blankinship can estimate the number of treatments needed to remove a tattoo, but it can vary depending on how each pigment breaks down and how each person’s body responds to treatment.

It can be harder to remove a tattoo if it has been touched up or if a new tattoo has been applied over an older one. “Sometimes we can’t remove all the ink so there’s a ghost of the tattoo,” he said.

Dr. Blankinship stresses that tattoo removal is a process, and a process that takes time. “If you want a tattoo to completely disappear, plan to give it a year,’’ he advised. “Don’t come in three months before your wedding.”

When choosing who will remove your tattoo, Dr. Blankinship said it’s critical to determine if the person has had proper training on laser use and has experience using the device. “The person needs to know how to select the right laser. Not all pigments can be treated

Dr. Michael Blankinship, an Essentia Health dermatologist, uses lasers to remove tattoos and stresses that it is a process. “If you want a tattoo to completely disappear, plan to give it a year,’’ he advises. “Don’t come in three months before your wedding.” by all wavelengths and you need to use the right energy,” the physician explained.

As a dermatologist with extensive training in laser treatments, Dr. Blankinship also can identify any medical risk factors or potential complications.

At Essentia Health’s Dermatology Department, the cost of laser treatments is calculated by using square inches. While others offering the service locally charge by the square centimeter, Essentia Health charges by the square inch, which is 6.5 square centimeters, and charges less than many competitors.

To make an appointment with Dr. Blankinship, call (701) 364-8900.