How risky is laser hair removal? What are the side effects?

Before embarking on the therapy, however, people should make themselves aware of some side effects of laser hair removal, as well as some myths that surround the process.

For most people, laser hair removal is a safe way to get rid of hair in unwanted places permanently or for long periods of time.

Laser hair removal is usually safe. The majority of people who use it find that laser hair removal is safe and well-tolerated. There do not appear to be any long-term health risks associated with the procedure.

However, some people may experience minor side effects after laser hair removal. People should ask their dermatologist to test how a small patch of skin reacts to the treatment before having it done on a larger area of skin.

People wishing to have laser hair removal treatment should always use a fully-qualified practitioner.

For a couple of days after treatment, the affected skin may become red and tender. Many people describe the sensation as similar to a sunburn. The process itself, however, is typically not painful.

Side effects

A few different side effects can appear after laser hair removal. Most side effects are minor and temporary. Anyone experiencing lasting side effects should consult their dermatologist.

Redness and irritation

Laser hair removal damages the follicles of the targeted hairs. The body reacts to this, and many people experience redness and irritation in the affected areas. The skin may tingle or feel tender, and may even appear to swell slightly.

The symptoms are usually short-lived. The affected area may look similar to skin that has just been waxed or plucked. Some dermatologists use a topical anesthetic to reduce how much a person's skin reacts to the process.

Irritation should ease after the initial reaction, usually within a few hours of the treatment. Swelling and redness may respond well to ice packs or a cool bath.

Crusting

Some people may experience skin crusting in the affected area. This is typically a minor issue but can be inconvenient.

Crusting can sometimes lead to scabbing or scarring. By taking care of the treated area after laser removal, such as by using a moisturizer, a person may prevent any lasting issues from this treatment.

Changes in skin color

Some people may notice minor color changes to the treated area of skin. It may get slightly darker or lighter, following laser hair removal.

People with lighter skin may be more likely to experience darker pigmentation changes. People with darker skin tones may be more prone to lighter pigmentation changes. These changes tend to fade away over time, and the skin returns to normal.

Eye injury

The hair removal procedure involves the use of powerful lasers. This means there is a risk of potentially serious eye injury, especially when a practitioner is working on a person's face.

Both the person receiving the treatment and the practitioner should wear protective eye equipment to help prevent injury while the procedure is carried out.

Risk of skin infection

As with other cosmetic hair removal methods, damaging hair follicles with a laser can create an infection risk.

The affected area should be treated as a wound while it heals. People should report any signs of infection to a dermatologist.

Finally, they should not apply over-the-counter (OTC) antibiotic creams to large areas of skin if an infection arises.

Source:Laser hair removal side effects: What you need to know

Are there any side effects on skin if I get a permanent tattoo?

Every decade seems to have its fad, its craze. For us in Dominica, for example, the 70’s saw the afro, bell-bottom and platform shoes. The 80’s and 90’s had their own. In this century, there’s hardly a black woman to be found without a weave or wig. And what seems to have been the biggest craze in the western hemisphere in the last decade more than any other time previously, is the tattoo. The rate of tattoo administrations seems to be accelerating all the time. And it used to be that you would see people with one or two small tattoos on one to a few body parts, but now it’s the entire body in a lot of cases.

But before you get a tattoo, make sure you know what’s involved. And be sure that tattooing is the right decision for you.

HOW TATTOOS ARE DONE

A tattoo is a permanent mark or design (mark the word ‘permanent’) made on your skin with pigments inserted through pricks into the skin’s top layer. Typically, the tattoo artist uses a hand-held machine that acts much like a sewing machine, with one or more needles repeatedly piercing the skin. The needles insert tiny ink droplets with every puncture. The process, which is done without any anaesthetic (deadening of the skin) does cause a small amount of bleeding and slight to potentially significant pain, depending on the pain threshold of the receiving person, and their level of mental preparation for the procedure.

GET TO KNOW THE RISKS

It’s important to remember that tattoos breach the skin, a fact which itself carries medico-legal implications. But that’s another broad issue not relevant to this discussion, and which I won’t get into. But this means that skin infections and other complications are possible, among which are:

Allergic reactions
Tattoo dyes – particularly red, green, yellow and blue dyes – can cause allergic skin reactions, such as an itchy rash at the tattoo site. This can occur even years after you get the tattoo.

Skin infections
The manifestations of an infection, such as redness, swelling, pain and a pus-like drainage can occur after tattooing.

Unsterile tattooing equipment and needles can transmit infectious diseases such as hepatitis B and hepatitis C. This is why the American Association of Blood Banks requires a one-year wait between getting a tattoo and donating blood. It is of paramount importance to make sure that all tattooing equipment is clean and sterilized before use. Even if the needles are sterilized or have never been used, it is important to understand that in some cases the equipment that holds the needles cannot be sterilized reliably due to its design. Furthermore, the person who receives a tattoo must be sure to care for the tattooed area properly during the first week or so after the pigments are injected.

Other Skin Problems

Sometimes bumps called granulomas form around tattoo ink. Tattooing can also lead to keloids – raised areas caused by an overgrowth of scar tissue. We all know about these. If you have had a keloid before from a cut or other skin lesion, do not get a tattoo.

Blood borne diseases. If the equipment used to create you tattoo is contaminated with infected blood, you can contract various blood borne diseases – including tetanus, hepatitis B and hepatitis C. We’re talking serious morbidity and possibly mortality here – and there’s also the possibility of HIV transmission. Do I need expand on this?

When insurance companies’ applications include on their questionnaire whether you have tattoos or multiple body piercings, what do you think they’re getting at? Think about it.

MRI Complications

On occasion, tattoos or permanent makeup might cause swelling or burning in the affected areas during MRI exams. Sometimes tattoo pigments can interfere with the quality of the image, such as when a person who has permanent eyeliner has an MRI of the eye. Some tattoo areas may actually cause burning of the skin because of the process involved. Medication or other treatment – including possible removal of the tattoo – might be needed if an allergic reaction to the tattoo ink occurs or you develop an infection or other skin problem near a tattoo.

Be Ready

Before you get a tattoo, be sure you truly want to invest in permanent body art. Unsure or worried that you might regret it someday? Give yourself more time to think about it. Don’t be pressured, and don’t get a tattoo under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

If you decide to go ahead, choose the tattoo location carefully. Want it to be visible or hidden under clothing? Also remember that weight gain – including pregnancy weight gain – might distort the tattoo or otherwise affect its appearance.

Insist on Safety
To make sure your tattoo will be safely applied, answer these questions:

Who does the tattooing? Don’t attempt to tattoo yourself or have an untrained friend do the tattooing. Go to a reputable studio that employs only properly trained employees. Some locales have licensing standards. Find out about these where applicable.

Does the tattoo artist wear gloves? He or she should wash hands and wear a fresh pair of protective gloves for each procedure.

Does the tattoo artist use proper equipment? Make sure the tattoo artist removes the needle and takes it from sealed packages before your procedure begins. Any pigment, trays or containers should be unused as well.

Does the tattoo artist sterilize nondisposable equipment? Make sure the tattoo artist uses a heat sterilization machine (autoclave) to sterilize all nondisposable equipment between customers. Instruments and supplies that can’t be sterilized by an autoclave – drawer handles, tables and sinks – should be disinfected with a commercial disinfectant or bleach solution after each use.

Taking Care of Your Tattoo

This depends on the type and extent of work done. Usually, however, you’ll need to:

• Remove the bandage after 24 hours. Apply an antibacterial ointment or cream to the tattooed skin while it’s healing.

• Keep the tattooed skin clean.
Use plain soap and water and a gentle touch. While showering, avoid direct streams of water on the newly tattooed skin. Pat – don’t rub – the area dry.

• Use moisturizer. Use a mild one to the area several times a day.

• Avoid sun exposure. Keep out of sun for at least a few weeks

• Avoid swimming. Stay out of pools, hot tubs, rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water while your piercing is healing.

• Choose clothing carefully. Don’t wear anything that might stick to the tattoo.

• Allow up to 2 weeks for healing
Don’t pick at any scabs, which increases the risk of infection and can damage the design and cause scarring.

Removal Techniques

This is the area that concerns me a great deal. The craze will be over, and then what?

• Laser Treatments can lighten many tattoos, some more easily and effectively than others. Generally several visits are necessary over weeks or months, and treatment can be expensive. Some individuals experience a lightening of their natural skin coloring. And it is almost impossible for some degree of scarring not to occur with laser.

Knowing what pigments are in your tattoo or permanent makeup has always been difficult and has become more so as the variety of tattoo inks has multiplied. Inks are often sold by brand name only, not by chemical composition. The pigments are sold to tattoo parlors and salons, not on a retail basis to consumers, so manufactures are not required by law to list the ingredients on the labels. In addition, because manufactures may consider the identity and grade of their pigments “proprietary,” neither the tattooist nor the customer may be able to get this information.

Allergic reactions have also occurred from laser treatments, apparently because the laser caused allergenic substances in the tattoo ink to be released into the body.

• Dermabrasion involves abrading layers of skin with a wire brush or diamond fraise (a sanding disc). This process may leave a scar(s).

• Scarification involves removing the tattoo with an acid solution and creating a scar in its place.

• Salabrasion. A salt solution is used to remove the pigment. It is sometimes used in conjunction with dermabrasion, but has become less common.

• Surgical removal involves the use of tissue expanders (balloons inserted under the skin, so that when the tattoo is cut away, there is less scarring). Larger tattoos may require repeated surgery for complete removal.

Note that a common theme in most of these techniques is scarring. I implore my readers to think twice about tattoos and especially covering their whole bodies with them! That is unless you’re convinced you’ll want to keep them the rest of your lives, no matter what.

• Camouflaging a tattoo entails the injection of new pigments either to form a new pattern or cover a tattoo with skin-toned pigments. Injected pigments tend not to look natural because they lack the skin’s natural translucence.

Source: https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/columns/health-talk/health-talk-tattoo-risks-side-effects-precautions/

Do tatoos cause a problem for jobs?

Tattoos are pretty commonplace in these days. Where they were once the hallmark of outlaws and bikers, nowadays you see young women walking down the street sporting full sleeve tattoos and – a fairly new development – designs all over their legs.

Times, and attitudes, have changed. Having tattoos obviously doesn’t affect one’s career or job prospects as much as it once did. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have any effect at all.

We asked over 300 (327) employers how a candidate’s tattoos would affect their decision to hire or not hire that person. Fourteen percent said they would be less likely to hire someone with tattoos, 23% said it would not affect their decision, and the rest said it would depend on the number and location of the tattoos and/or the role being filled. The rest, that is, except for one lone individual who answered that they would actually be more likely to hire a person with tattoos.

“Would a candidate having tattoos affect your decision to hire that person?”

Yes. I would be less likely to hire them. 13.85%

Yes. I would be more likely to hire them 0.31%

No. It would not affect my decision. 22.77%

It would depend on the role I was trying to fill. 35.08%

It would depend on how many tattoos and where they were. 28.00%

This means that a total 77% of employers will or might be less likely to hire you if you have tattoos. We invited respondents to write in comments, a sample of which are posted below, and what many said was that tattoos might affect their decision if the tattoos were offensive or racist, or if the role was customer facing. This all makes perfect sense, the latter because even if the employer doesn’t mind the tattoos, a customer might, and it is the customer who keeps the business going.

Turning to the general population, we asked nearly 5,000 people – not necessarily in hiring positions – if they take a person less seriously if the person has tattoos. Forty-nine percent said “No,” leaving half (51%) of respondents who either do take someone less seriously for having tattoos, or might, depending on the situation and how many tattoos the person has.

“Do you take people less seriously if they have tattoos?”

Yes, I do. 22.04%

No, I don’t. 49.39%

It depends on the situation. 18.63%

It depends on how many. 9.94%

What this means for jobseekers and those entering the workforce is that you should think before you ink.

Here at Workopolis we would never suggest you don’t get tattooed. The author of this survey has several. But we think you should be aware of how the decision might affect your career and job prospects.

While it might be tempting to say you wouldn’t want to work for anyone who would judge you based on your tattoos and doesn’t accept you the way you are, keep in mind that you might then find yourself out of work for a very long time.

The takeaway here is to think about your life – your whole life – and how your aesthetic choices fit into that life before making any irreversible decisions.

When asked to comment, respondents said:

“Tattoos are fine, just not on the face, and nothing that promotes racism or hate.”

“I love tattoos and hire people for their brains not their lack or plethora of ink. However, if I saw a swastika on someone I would pass.”

“No matter how much meaning they have for the owner, they are just not attractive nor professional looking. It does affect my decision making process when hiring.”

“For the large majority of our positions, no it would not impact. For a position however that had a large customer facing role, depending where they were, it may impact our decision.”

“The quantity would not make a difference. It would be a combination of the location and role. An engineering developer with hand tattoos would be fine. Tattoos on a sales rep would be something to think about. They could be covered wrist to ankle for all I care and if they were good enough at what they do it would not matter at all.”

“For me looking at the miserable decorations on the skin is repulsive.”

“We hire a range of artistic and technical people. Tattoos are very welcome in our workplace but they don’t put someone ahead or behind other applicants or employees. They are just body art and expressions of individuality.”

“Tattoos are becoming commonplace within our society and that to a large extent the biases against inked persons are disappearing. There will always be someone willing to judge others based solely upon appearance but appearance is one of the lowest predictors of performance for me.”

“While we would not be concerned about hiring employees with tattoos to work on a job site, we would consider it inappropriate for our corporate office.”

“I look for signs of character. Unique hireability comes from finding the gem. Despite what so many people think, top talent rarely fits the cookie-cutter mold emerging from business schools.” – From the single person who said they would be more likely to hire a candidate with tattoos.

Source: Research reveals how your tattoos affect your chances of getting the job - Workopolis Blog

Does laser tattoo removal work?

Procedure: Nowadays, most tattoos are evacuated through a progression of laser medicines.

The vitality from the laser separates the tattoo ink into modest pieces, which are in the long run consumed into the circulatory system and securely dropped through the body.

Cost: The procedure is once in a while supported by the NHS, and a few people need at least 10 sessions to expel the ink totally.

In the UK, facilities charge somewhere in the range of £150 and £800 per session - which means you could need to fork out £8,000 to get a bigger ink expelled.

Please note that these are guideline prices and an accurate quote will be given after seeing the tattoo.

How powerful is it? As the colloquialism goes, you can't generally eradicate the past.

Numerous tattoos can't be completely expelled through laser methodology, which means individuals are left with inconsistent pieces on the skin.

Tattoos with yellow, green and purple shaded ink are a lot harder to evacuate with lasers.

Ruby lasers have been used around the world for more than 20 years and have treated millions of tattoos safely. The ruby laser is a powerful laser with high energy to remove tattoo pigment from the skin but there is no linkage with any skin disorders or any increased risk of cancer. All treatments are carried out by our fully qualified technicians with extra care to see that everything is safe and that the client is happy.

Source: FAQ - Laser Tattoo Removal

Can tattoos be removed? And will I look normal again?

Nowadays we have newer and more advanced technology so treatment of tattoos with laser has become more effective with minimal side effects and very low risk of scarring. However, this can vary depending on the situation. The tattoo removal process involves the treatment with a high-intensity laser light beam.

It works effectively in removing tattoos by specifically targeting tattoo pigment (without targeting normal skin) and breaking up the pigment colors into smaller fragments that are then cleared away by your own immune system. The result is a fading of the tattoo over a course of several treatments. That said, laser tattoo removal can leave textural changes in the skin as well as a residual change in the skin pigment. The common problem in people with dark skin tones is that the skin in the treated area may end up lighter or darker than the normal skin or having keloid scars (bumpy, colored scars often seen in darker skinned patients after surgery or trauma). Other potential side effects include blistering, which is usually temporary. But, the more treatments you have, the more damage you do to your skin, causing painful blisters and scabs that can eventually lead to scarring. Some tattoo shops often offer tattoo removal, but you should be careful and make sure to have your tattoo removed by a medical doctor to avoid these potential side effects. I would suggest that you seek out a reputable dermatologist who particularly specializes in laser tattoo removal in your area to ensure proper treatment and care.

What are the easiest and hardest tattoo colours to remove?

Removing tattoos by laser is the most financially savvy and solid approach without ink. Be that as it may, despite the fact that laser innovation has made some amazing progress these previous scarcely any years, certain ink hues are simpler to expel than others.

How about we investigate the least demanding and hardest ink hues to evacuate by laser:

The least demanding hues to remove

As a rule these are dark, earthy colored, dull blue, green.

The most troublesome hues to remove

As a rule these are red, orange, yellow, light blue.

Why does tattoo removal take so long?

All things considered, roughly three years from the principal treatment to the last treatment. The time between medications will change dependent on skin type evaluation and tattoo ink immersion, area on the body and in general well being and health of the customer are likewise factors.

Evacuating a tattoo is a moderate, long procedure. We additionally understand that *life happens *with rescheduled arrangements because of nasty climate, unplanned burn from the sun, family crises and ailment. We have figured life's sudden conditions into the multi year time allotment gauge.

In case you're looking for full tattoo removal and live outside in the mid year,The individuals who take summers off in light of working outside or way of life decisions will have more time included onto the multi year time allotment.

Is tattoo removal unhealthy?

Most patients don't require any sedation. Notwithstanding, contingent upon the area of the tattoo and the agony limit for the patient, the doctor may choose for utilize some type of sedation (topical sedation cream or painkiller infusions at the site of the method).

What Are the Possible Side Effects of Laser Tattoo Removal?

There are negligible symptoms to laser tattoo removal. Be that as it may, you ought to think about these components in your choice:

• The tattoo removal site is in danger for disease. You may likewise hazard absence of complete shade removal, and there is a slight possibility that the treatment can leave you with a lasting scar.
• You may likewise chance hypopigmentation, where the treated skin is paler than encompassing skin, or hyperpigmentation, where the treated skin is darker than encompassing skin.
• Further treatment of the obscured tattoos normally brings about blurring.

Is Laser Tattoo Removal Unhealthy?

On account of more up to date innovation, laser tattoo removal has gotten substantially more compelling with next to no danger of scarring. Laser treatment is frequently more secure than numerous customary techniques, for example, extraction, dermabrasion or salabrasion (utilizing wet bandage cushions immersed with a salt answer for rub the tattooed region) as a result of its extraordinary capacity to specifically treat color associated with the tattoo.

As a rule, certain hues might be more successfully expelled than others.

Keep in mind, the data gave here is intended to give general data just and isn't a substitution for a specialist's recommendation. For subtleties relating to your particular case, if it's not too much trouble mastermind a conference with a doctor experienced in the utilization of tattoo lasers.

Do tattoo removal creams really work?

What is actually tattoo removal cream?

Tattoo removal creams are applied to tattooed skin in order to erase the ink. Many are accessible in retail chains or online retailers, however little proof tattoo removal creams really expel tattoos.

The vast majority of these items don't profess to expel tattoos. Rather, they guarantee to help make your tattoos less observable.

Tattoo removal creams additionally convey genuine symptoms, including consuming and scarring.

Continue perusing to get familiar with why tattoo removal creams don't work and what techniques you can use to completely expel tattoos without hurting your body or harming your skin.

Do tattoo removal creams really work on Tattoo removal?

The short answer? No.

These creams guarantee to evacuate tattoos by dying or stripping ceaselessly the top layer of your skin (epidermis). Some even case to supplant the white platelets on your skin (macrophages) that are loaded up with tattoo ink.

Tattoo ink is infused into the following layer of your skin (dermis), such a significant number of these surface-level medicines by tattoo removal creams are insufficient at evacuating the tattoo ink. Best case scenario, a cream will make the tattoo blur away, leaving a contorted, stained variant of the tattoo that can turn into a perpetual scar.

Tattoo removal creams additionally contain synthetic compounds, for example, the stripping specialist trichloroacetic corrosive, that are likewise utilized in medicines for other skin conditions. In spite of the fact that trichloroacetic corrosive is routinely utilized by social insurance experts for proficient skin medications, it tends to be risky to use at home without supervision.