The Laser Chronicles

I snapped a couple of really nice photos this evening. The first image is a simple composite showing the difference between treatments. The second image shows a really nice contrast between the tattoo and an existing piece.

Click for larger image

Click for larger image

The tattoo above has been treated 3 times.

Fade Fast has officially made a permanent move from part time Hold Fast / part time Suffer City to full time Suffer City.

Why the move? Honestly, Hold Fast just doesn’t have the room any more. AND just to answer everyone’s questions…(yes I have been asked twice now)…do I still recommend that artists at Hold Fast? The answer is a resounding YES! As with my former shop, Obscurities, the artists at Hold Fast are top notch. Plus, the vibe in their is great. On my days off, I still hang out in Hold Fast. What can I say? I love those guys!

It’s a common question and, as you guessed it, the answer is DON’T SCRATCH. But is that really helpful? No, of course not. Not to worry, there are several things that can be done about itching but first it’s best to determine the cause.

In most cases, itching is directly related to a histamine response that happens during the healing of the dermis, the level of the skin where the tattoo ink resides. In which case, an oral or topical antihistamine will help considerably with the itching.

If the skin is blistered or scabbing, a topical antihistamine should be avoided and the issue may be more than just a histamine response. At this point, the area should be washed thoroughly with an antibacterial soap, dried with a paper towel (cloth towels often have bacteria on them), a triple antibiotic ointment applied to the area and the wound dressed with a new bandage. This should dramatically decrease the itching and eliminate most of the bacteria on the wound.

In the final stages of healing the skin is often dry and flakey. Yes, an antihistamine would still help. However, the itching is most likely caused by the dry skin. Applying a perfume free lotion will dramatically reduce the sensation and help from tearing the skin.

People commonly ask, “What is the ‘whitening’ or ‘frosting’ on the surface of the skin produced during laser removal?” The answer:  As the tattoo pigments absorbs the laser energy it fractures the ink into smaller particles and releases heat into the surrounding dermis and epidermis. During this rapid, localized heating of these skin cells, steam or gas is produced creating the “crisp whitening” optical effect.

Normally the frosting disappears within the first 10-15 minutes as the body reabsorbs the gas bubbles

At the advice of my friend Erik aka the Lizardman, I will now start a blog about laser tattoo removal. I will try to keep it interesting and informative with lots of pretty photos and such…but for now you just get a little intro and a thank you to Erik:

The entries below are actually from the Fade Fast myspace page.

Here is another new image, This is photo shows the before and after comparison from just one treatment.

Click for Larger Image

Some photos from Teresa‘s removal session.

Another happy customer. I think the most rewarding thing about laser tattoo removal is that I’m helping people fix their tattoos, and ultimately making them feel better about themselves.