Excision Tattoo Removal

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.