User:Dianadduran/sandbox

= Tattoo Cover-ups and Removals =

A tattoo cover-up is the act of tattooing over a previous tattoo with a new modified one. Tattoo cover-ups are either seen as removing the original tattoo with a new and improved one, or having that tattoo surgically lasered off.

Synopsis[edit] Poorly applied, faded, or light tattoos enable individuals that tattoo themselves to decide upon covering up their original tattoo with a new design. This can be done through the process of utilizing a bigger design for the cover-up tattoo or darker ink. White ink may also be utilized to aid in the application of lightening the tattoo before proceeding with the cover-up. In coming years it has been clearly noted that now more than ever, the advancement of technology towards removing an unwanted tattoo has become a more profound procedure. As years have gone by covering up a tattoo has become a process of learning and re doing, rather than a process of inking and regretting.

Such procedures have been modernized and the creation of the YAG Laser, photographic techniques, and caustic products have been some of the new techniques in removing a tattoo, aside from receiving a new tattoo.

Body modification and expression has never gave the consumer such a piece of mind for making mistakes.

Contents

 * Synopsis
 * Background Symbolic Representation
 * YAG Laser
 * Photographic Techniques
 * Caustic Products
 * References

Background Symbolic Representation
There has often been a negative perception on tattoos and their meaning to each person. In mainstream American media tattoos have always been regarded as an object that must have some symbolic meaning behind them. However, as the years have gone by American society has lost some of the stigma towards tattoos and is much more appreciated as a skilled trade and art form. Therefore "tattoo narratives" have been less impact on individuals that do decide to get tattoos, which aren't subject to the constant justification of their tattoos. Such narratives increase results for the American media to legitimize the practice of being a tattoo artist, and reframe the idea these "irresponsible marks" are an indication of "loose" criminals, bikers, and other "social undesirables". There has been a suggested concept of tattooed people and tattoo artists being understood as both positive and negative deviants that are apart for the general American culture, and are regarded as a sort of "anti-hero". An individual that may elicit reactions of rejections while still being regarded as a individual that chooses to express themselves in their own manner. This may also stem from the constant questioning of strangers asking the significance behind tattoo as a form to validate their decision in tattooing their body. Meaning that American society feels the need to have a repeating cycle of deciding whether someone's decision on their body was the right decision. Which further exposes the concept of creating a social control mechanism for the individuals that do decide to get a tattoo in the first place, they will continue to be categorized as a subculture for those that "don't understand it". This still brings up the lack of meaning behind a tattoo, and it's new acceptance.

In a Harris Poll there is about 14% of tattooed individuals that have regretted a least one of their tattoos because it represents a part of them from their past, which in most cases would be a formerly deviant identity. However, in another study taking interviews of people involved in cover ups and removal procedures most of them felt some sort of regret in their tattoo because of the mistake of the tattoo artist; such as incorrectly spelled, poorly placed, faded earlier than others, or badly drawn. This isn't just generalized amongst people that have tattoos, but is a gendered process. Tattoos are an interpretation of culturally universal desires, which goes hand in hand with their likableness. That is if the more universal an interpretation of a tattoo has, the more likely an individual is to regret the tattoo or seek to have it removed. Which is said also when there are already negative connotations behind a tattoo and someone attempts to reframe the significance of the tattoo with their own interpretation.

YAG Laser
The YAG Laser was first reported in 1965 demonstrating the tattoo removal, they separate the ink of the tattoo and stimulate the inflammation to remove it through lymphatics. The lasers involved the use of electromagnetic switch which quickly stopped the laser from passing through the cavity and then suddenly removed. With smaller pulses afterwards they are targeted towards the tattoo pigment with longer wavelength as a treat for larger structures such as capillaries and hair follicles. Researchers took a YAG laser to conclude whether or not this would produce absolute removal of the pigmentation of a tattoo.They took participants that were dark skinned Egyptians to run a test every two months for 6-10 sessions to come to the conclusion that the removal was either in excellent response or a good response. Eight of twelve participants showed that there was little to no ink pigmentation in their skin and had a trivial amount of side effects. This was confirmed by the histological examination, this is the examination of the tissue under a microscope as opposed to taking a look inside the organs.

Skin biopsies were taken from the patients before the treatment and after the 6-10 sessions. The study aimed to determine the efficacy and side effect profile of the YAG laser on twelve Egyptian patients with tattoos. Each session went on for intervals of 3-5 mm with a frequency of 5 Hz, this procedure was tolerable to all participants so no anesthesia was used. The response to the YAG laser was reported with a 87% clearance, which improved after the average six sessions.There was a dual effect in eliminating the tattoo with the tattoo pigment and then normal phagocytic action of macrophages towards the distinct tattoo pigmentation, breaking it up into smaller pieces. Surface area was significantly decreased after treatment with 75.5% improvement. This means that there was no textural change in the skin or scarring present on any of the participants. Overall, the process of using YAG lasers to remove an unwanted tattoo is an efficient and tolerable process.

Photographic Techniques
When getting a cover up tattoo the priority of new design and tattoo artist should be making this new design it's own without making it noticable of the previous one. Photographic techniques were utilized to visualize the previous tattoos under cover up tattoos. A Canon EOS 6D full-frame with a digital single-lens reflex camera and Leica M8 digital imaging system camera in conjunction with two different infrared filters was used to examine eleven known cover-up tattoos, along with a forensic light source as a third system.

The best results came back when the original tattoo was a colored tattoo and with full frame was able to be captured with the off-camera flash system, however, in the case of most other tattoos their visualization was partial. This had to do with the density of the tattoo especially with a large and black tattoo. Meaning that depictions of the cover up tattoo had to do with color, pattern, density, and quality of the cover-up tattoo with the photographic technique adding to the visualization of the original tattoo. These tattoos ranged from twelve to twenty-seven years old, being analyzed by three independent examiners looking for the differences in irregular skin structures and color gradients or contours. Infrared filters proved to be an effective system into visualizing the filters that pick up the pigmentation of the original tattoo, which were photographed in the 850 nm infrared filter. Although the visualization of the tattoo when being photographed had each of their own limitations because of the tattoo artist that designed them, each technique also had its limitation. WIth that being said there should be a great amount of consideration taking place when researching getting a cover up tattoo, especially when it comes to the tattoo artist and the technique they utilize.

Caustic Products
When searching for a more afford manner to get a tattoo removed caustic products can be the product for you. These type of products have been used for a century with strong caustics such as chloroacetic acids, sulphuric acid, nitric acid, salicylic acid, phenol and zinc chloride. However, the down side effects of such methodology is that there is no way of controlling the scarring of skin.

In a study with the caustic products, eleven patients were taken to treat themselves with the tattoo removal. A scale of 0-10 was used to signify the satisfaction of each removal. Each caustic product was dosed from an infusion pump, and given immediately after an injection while the skin turned whitish color with the pigmentation beginning to drain out of the skin. The whitish color occurs because the skin is already beginning to heal. However, patients did suffer from one hundred percent scarring, seventy-three percent chronic redness, and a seventy-three itching. Chemical buns and tingling sensations were also reported after the caustic products were supposed to be healed. Most people that did take the route of implementing the usage of caustic products did it because of the cost of other procedures. Their inability to pay for the procedure lead them seek for fast and cheap solutions. The ending costs would be a greater for the person attempting to rid themselves of their tattoo as there was a significant amount of scarring, life long disfiguring changes of the skin, for the patients that did go through with this type of procedure. This could be referenced to the cases of acid throwing in some countries where strong acids are applied to the skin's surface that are powerful enough to enable chemical burns and major scarring. Therefore, tattoo removal by caustics is inapt in regulation and anyone can manufacture, which contributes to its highly unacceptable usage. Hence, why there should be a substantial amount of research done before removing or covering up a tattoo.

References[edit]


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 * Tattooing
 * Tattooing by body part
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