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What happens to a tattoo when you decide forever is too long?
Tattoo removal is achieved through a series of laser treatments, typically four to 10 sessions. Laser-based treatments heat the tattoo pigment to temperatures up to 572 degrees Fahrenheit, causing ink particles to break apart.
While many assume the ink simply fades in the face of the laser’s light, the reality is a bit more complicated.
According to the Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery, when the laser hits the skin, “the energy that is absorbed by the pigment is converted to heat,” and the chemical bonds inside the pigment begin to break down into smaller pieces, not unlike glass shattering.
In this sense, the term “tattoo removal” is a bit of a misnomer, as the laser is not removing the tattoo so much as it is breaking it down into particles the body can absorb or expel.
As the laser’s heat penetrates the skin, it creates an inflamed wound. The healing process requires the immune system to dispatch specific white blood cells called macrophages to engulf/remove the fractured pigment particles, as they are recognized as foreign matter and the source of the inflammation.
Meanwhile, the lymphatic system recognizes any remaining disintegrating ink as waste and expels it through sweat, urine or feces.
That means that you could be peeing out your tribal tramp stamp.
The exact exit strategy of your tattoo depends on the metals and minerals in the ink.
“Basically, how your body gets rid of the ink is going to depend on what color it is,” Dr. Hooman Khorasani, a cosmetic surgeon, told BuzzFeed News in 2017.
“The details after that become a lot more complex. But basically, the ink will get metabolized through either your sweat glands, kidney or liver, which means you’re literally sweating, peeing or pooping out your tattoo’s ink particles,” he continued.
Khorasani explained that inks get their color from the minerals and/or metals they are made of. Black inks are typically made with iron, while yellow inks are made with cadmium. This chemical composition determines the type of laser needed to remove the offending ink.
“It’s not uncommon for people to come in with multi-colored tattoos, where part of the tattoo responds well to a laser and other parts of the tattoo don’t respond at all,” he told Buzzfeed.
“That’s because every ink color is made up of different metals or minerals, which means each ink will only absorb specific laser wavelengths.”
The colors that are easier to remove include black, brown and blue.
In addition to color composition, experts maintain that the efficacy of tattoo removal is determined in part by the location of the ink. Areas of the body with the most circulation are easier to treat, while those with low circulation (like the fingers and toes) are typically more difficult to break down.
And you’re unlikely to notice your ink escaping, no matter where or how large the tattoo is.
Further, while certain foods like beets and kale can alter the color of your urine or feces, the levels of pigment in tattoo ink are not high enough to change the hue of your pee or poo.
