Think twice before getting tattooed

If you’ve been debating whether or not to get inked, you might want to consider this new trend. City doctors report a rise in tattoo removal procedures after the festive season.
“We receive several cases of tattoo removal after Diwali and Navratri. Since getting a tattoo done has
tatooHowever, the treatment for removal may prove to be more complicated than getting inked. “On an average, it takes about two to five sittings depending on the depth and size of the tattoo,” says plastic and cosmetic surgeon Dr Meenakshi Agarwal, director, Face & Figure clinic, Mahim. She adds, “After each sitting, an abrasion or scabs forms around the tattoo. It heals in two to three days. The procedure involves multiple sittings, and an interval of at least six weeks is needed in between these sessions.”
Twenty-six-year old Vaijanti Patra had a tattoo on her forehead, which she had got done around six years ago. But post marriage, she decided to get it removed. “My husband didn’t approve. It was a one-and-a-half inch tattoo and took me around six to seven sittings for the treatment,” says Patra.

Doctors also reveal that since a lot of people tend to get inked on an impulse, they have to face repercussions later. “Several young girls and boys get tattoos of their boyfriends’/girlfriends’ names. And we frequently get cases where they want to remove these tattoos after a break-up or before they marry someone else,” says Dr Manchanda.
Dr Agarwal adds that dark-coloured tattoos are easier to remove, with the treatment showing 100 per cent results. “However, yellow, pink or red coloured-tattoos may pose some difficulty as they don’t respond well to laser. Thus, even after the removal procedure, one may find remnants,” she explains