Medical Questions » Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery Questions » Question No. 246
| Question: | My husband would dearly love to get rid of his tattoos, that he now deeply regrets having done whilst in his teens. Surely with all this modern technology and medical advancement there must be something? |
| Answer: | Unfortunately, there are no easy solutions to removing tattoos. Lasers, acids, bleaching, deep abrasion, and surgical excision can all be tried, but all "will leave some scarring. Special Q-switched lasers are the best treatment developed so far. The more experienced the doctor in these procedures, the better the result is likely to be. There are a number of plastic surgeons and dermatologists around who do this type of work, and therefore a specialist, recommended by your own GP, is your best bet. Do not expect miracles, and be prepared for a long series of procedures.
The best solution to this problem is probably tighter control of tattoo parlours. Possibly a cooling off period of two weeks after deciding to get a tattoo done, before the procedure is performed, would be one way of stopping the impetuous from disfiguring themselves for life. A large percentage of those who do get tattooed regret the decision and find that it damages their employment, promotion and social prospects.
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