Tattoos seen on people’s skins can be small or large enough to cover large parts of their body. There are various ways of removing tattoos and the method adopted varies with the size. Needless to say that the best methods of tattoo removal are those performed by a qualified doctor. Excision Tattoo removal is a cosmetic surgical procedure, and must not be taken lightly. It must be undertaken after taking into consideration various issues like the patient’s general health, the risks involved, the probability of success in removing the tattoo, the expenses and the need to undergo the procedure by a qualified doctor. There are various methods of removing tattoos, some of the most popular ones being Excision, Dermabrasion, Laser and Salabrasion. Each of the methods successfully removes the tattoo but some blemishes or discoloring stays though it may fade over time. The success of the process is determined by the skin quality, the duration for which the tattoo has been on the skin, the tattoo artist’s experience and the healing process of the patient. The Excision method of tattoo removal is highly successful in the case of small tattoos. Excision means to remove by cutting, and this is the basic principle of the excision method of tattoo removal. It helps to remove the entire tattoo if it is small, in a single session, but in the case of larger ones, more than one excision sessions would have to be undergone. Large tattoos can be removed by excision in multiple sittings, in which the cosmetic surgeon begins with removing the skin of the center of the tattoo, completing the excision process and after the wound has healed completely, move towards the outer parts of the tattoo bit by bit. The whole tattoo may take months to be removed, the time depending on the size. It may also require a skin graft from another part of the body. In simple terms, the process entails removing the skin that has the dye and then stitching the edges to close the gap. The procedure is carried out under local anesthesia to numb the pain. The various steps of this procedure include:
- Injecting a local anesthetic in the tattoo area to make it numb and pain free
- Cutting off the skin patch having the tattoo, and this includes removing both the epidermis and the dermis. This is referred to as “full thickness removal”.
- Stitching the edges of the gap left by the removal of the tattoo with the help of special sutures
- In small tattoos, a single excision will suffice but in the case of a large tattoo, multiple sessions may be required with only a small part of the tattoo removed each time and a skin graft performed in the end over the large patch.
Benefits of the Excision Method
The Excision method is one of the older methods used by medical professionals to remove tattoos. It is opted for by many, even though this is an invasive procedure, for the following reasons:
- Immediate results
- Positive outcome with complete removal of tattoo as though rooted out
- Minimal blood loss-this procedure entails the loss of minimal amounts of blood since it uses heated needles in a method called electrocautery to shut off the blood vessels around the area where the procedure is being performed
- A painless process since local anesthesia is injected to numb the area.
- A quick and simple surgical procedure especially if the tattoo is small
- Any scars left, often just a straight line of sutures, fade away over time
- It is an outpatient procedure that does not require expensive hospital stay
- Normal life and activities can continue as before, almost immediately after the surgery, except for avoiding direct sunlight falling on the affected area
- An inexpensive procedure, which may cost around $150 or less for a small tattoo, but may be more for a large tattoo.
- The success rate is as high as 95%.
Things to be Cautious About Before And After Tattoo Excision Surgery
- It is important to understand the procedure before undertaking it
- It is always recommended that the procedure be carried out by a qualified surgeon
- The success would depend on the manner in which the tattoo was made-a professional would spread the ink evenly and hence it would be easier to remove as well
- It can be a slightly painful process, and the patient has to be willing to bear it
- The area remains tender for sometime and it needs to be kept protected to avoid infections
- The patient has to be able to avoid direct sunlight from hitting the area to avoid pigmentation before the procedure is undertaken, and even after the procedure
- The risk of infection is highest in this type of tattoo removal procedure, and utmost care is required to keep the area clean and germ free
- Antibiotics will need to be taken before and after the procedure
- People suffering from unstable diabetes or auto-immune disorders must avoid opting for tattoo removal
- Smoking may impede the healing process after surgery
Disadvantages
Some of the disadvantages of the Excision Procedure include:
- It requires the administration of anesthesia which a few people are allergic to
- A painful alternative requiring cutting of the skin
- A scar left may never disappear
- The whole area may seem bruised for sometime
- This is an invasive procedure and many in the medical profession recommend non-invasive procedures
- It works for small areas and larger tattoos can become expensive and a long drawn treatment
- Physical activity has to be restricted for a few days to hasten the healing process
Things That Can Go Wrong
While excision as a method of tattoo removal is tried and tested and widely used, it comes with its own fair share of risks. Nothing can be error free and many things that can go wrong and create unnecessary complications. Some of these include:
- The tattoo may be deeply imbedded and may require a larger, deeper incision, which will take longer to heal and be more painful
- A reaction to the anesthetic may lead to complications
- Infection may set in on the wound and may require hospitalization and additional expense
- While electrocautery is used to minimize bleeding, in rare cases this may not work and bleeding can take place
- There can be pigmentation problems if there is even a little exposure to the sun
- In the case of larger tattoos where skin grafts are required, besides the tattoo site, the risk of infection increases even where the skin is removed from, for grafting
- The antibiotics prescribed may lead to uncomfortable side effects
- Inflammation and bruising of the affected area
For all its effectiveness and the success rate of the excision procedure of tattoo removal, this method has lost out to the use of lasers for tattoo removal, perhaps due the fact that it is a quicker, non-invasive procedure delivering the same results. People now want quick-fix solutions to everything and therefore, excision for tattoo removal is kept more as a standby option rather than as a first preference.
I hope that this post has been able to give you a further insight into exactly what is involved in tattoo excision. If you are still not convinced that excision is the right method for you. Then this ebook may provide some further food for thought.
Well congratulations on taking the first step in having your tattoo removed and I wish you the best of luck as you continue on this journey.
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Hey. If i was to do this what i s the percentage rate in wich the scar wont heal. I have pretty much my arm tatted up. Not a sleeve but my tattoos are fairly large. 5 1 n a half inch letters on both my forearms.
my name is stephen ayersman.i want to go into the army and idk if they will take me if i have a tattoo on my neck.i wanted to know where i would go to get this treatment done.i would appreciate it if you could tell me where to go.thank you
Where abouts can i find a surgery which will do this procedure. i have been looking and all i can find are laser removal treatments. also do you have any idea on general pricings? many thanks
Hi i live in canada ON in toronto i would love to know where i can get this excision tattoo removel because i have a very small tattoo on my ankle and i hat and would love to do this asap if u know where i can contact a doctor please let me know! thanks so much!
Do you know of any Dr.’s in the Southern California area, ie. Orange County, LA County that perform surgical tattoo removal? I have been looking for one and everyone I talk to say they can not do it.
Thank you,
Sherie
Please contact me to let me know where in Ireland i can have a tattoo removed by excision.
What exactly is the procedure, cost and time to heal?
hi
I am interested to know if your clinic removes tatoos surgically. I have a tattoo to the back of my arm, its approx 4 inches in width and 12 inches in length. Thanks a million
Ian
Hi, I am from Chicago and I have 2 tattoos I want to be removed. I figured Excision would be the fastest way. I can not find any one in Chicago that can do it, so I am willing to travel if the tattoo can be removed the first day.
Please email me back with more info and options.
Thanks.
Does anyone know where in Toronto, ON Canada this can be done at?
Hey I have two huge tattoos… one is on my wrist and goes all the way up my fore arm (but not all the way around, only on the inside of the wrist/fore arm) And my other tattoo is on my lower back (of course) and it’s about 4- inches long. I want to be rid of both of them. However, knowing the risks at hand of excision and the cost, I would much rather have a scar then an ugly tattoo because I heal pretty good from scars. I believe that if the process is taken carefully and diligently my healing process won’t be half as long or half as ugly and stupid as wasting my money on laser sugery just to leave a faint reminder of when the ink was place. I want the suckers GONE. Would you say that this process would be ok with someone like me? I have immune deficiency.
hi can u please tell me the place for excision method in melbourne australia . i want to remove it urgently
I just got back from my appt with a plastic surgeon, he is willing to do the excision of my tattoo for me. My tattoo wraps around the top of my ankle which is 22cm around. I was quoted $1,600 for the procedure. I’m located in Utah and contacted a local plastic surgeon here. He stated that I will have scars from this procedure, but I would rather have scars that fade rather than a tattoo that I hate looking at everyday and scars fade quicker than this ugly thing.
Hey everyone. I found 2 plastic surgeons that are willing to remove my wrist tattoo. I live in Ohio. The tattoo is about 2 in across and just about 3 in in length. They’re going to perform staged excisions (remove center, suture it, and then slowly remove more once its healed). They determined that 3 stages will be necessary. Same scar that’s removed along with more of tatt each time. Each stage will cost 500. So, if you want to know where to have this done then just call around different plastic surgeons. I called about 14 and only 2 agreed. I have consultations with both and then I’ll make my decision who I’ll go with. Hope this helps a little.
hey, think twice if your tattoo is large. mine was and i had it excised abroad in poland… the scar looked horrible and took up to 2 years to heal, even once it had healed, i had to undergo fractional lazer procedures to lessen the scar and also on the stretch marks which it caused. for smaller tattoos i think its good, and the results of fractional lazer on the resulting scar can be amazing if you’re not happy with the scar a year later.. but anything bigger must be done in stages so it is a long process. Mine wasnt done in stages. i wish it had been. in the end i chose a surgeon who said he could take out all of it in one go – and my god did it look awful for a long time with all the skin around it looking very stange and obviously pulled. luckily my story ended happily but for a long time i felt i had made a mistake…
make your choices carefully.. its true lazer often leaves a shadow, so i can understand why excision can seem attractive… its much cheaper.. but you have to weigh up a feint shadow with an unpreducatble scar.
heyy ive got a tatto on my arm saying grandma do they doo this in lancaster ? please email me back and how much would it cost rufley x
Hi there,
I have tried my home town and I have called to Vancouver BC and still no one will perform this procedure on my tattoo. Do you have a specific place by chance?
Thanks!
Cassandra, how did your surgery went, would you recommend the chosen doctor? Please let me know, I am very interested.
I had mine done in June 2011 due to infections My tat was on the top of my foot Im still in the healing process, I can say it is painful and took away my whole summer. But I feel better and I will have a nasty scar but better then infection.
I had 3 tattoos removed from my hands this way. It was a painful healing process but I much prefer having the scar than the tattoo. I can lie and say its a burn scar than try and cover my tattoos. Very pleased with my decision. I had the procedure done in Northridge, Ca for free through a tattoo removal program. All were preformed by very well trained Medical students pursuing their Medical License. I had my procedure done in 1994 and have gone on to have a great career that I know would not have been possible with visible hand tattoos. I have also had laser done on other tattoos and this was the better choice for me.
hi there im looking to get a tattoo surgically removed the size of my forearm. I live in London and if anyone knows of any here please contact me and let me no. Laser tattoo removal is not an option due to the colour. many thanks in advance
HI ! Does anybody knows somebody in Boston Mass that does surgical tattoo removals? Please let me know am in need of an emergency. Thank you forward.