WECT TV6 - WECT.com - Wilmington, NC news and weather - Making a permanent tattoo temporary
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When Justin Spicer tattooed a clown on his stomach, he didn't realize that the joke was on him. The 22 year old has grown tired of his skin art and is aching to have it removed.
Every two months, Spicer goes under the laser at Wilmington Plastic Surgery in hopes his clown tattoo will no longer take center stage. Under the eye of plastic surgeon Dr. Dennis Nicks, a technician emits short pulses of light onto the skin. The laser breaks the pigment into smaller pieces that the body can eventually carry away. The treatment takes only minutes, but requires several visits.
Dr. Nicks says tattoos with dark ink, like black, are the hardest to remove, blue and green pigments are the easiest. Patients say the procedure feels similar to being snapped by a rubber band. Those we spoke with agree that the pain is worth the gain, but in this case, the goal is to lose. The cost per treatment is about $200, removal requires about eight visits.
Reported by: Ellen Goldberg
