Laser Removal of a Memorial Tattoo (Human Remains)

I was recently given the opportunity to start the removal of a memorial tattoo.  Most people would think of a memorial tattoo as a commemoration of someone's life, perhaps an image along with a date of birth and a date of death, but in this case a memorial tattoo meant that human remains, in the form of cremated ashes, were mixed into the ink.  This presented me with a new factor that I had never dealt with before.

Without going in depth as to what is involved in laser tattoo removal, I had to make sure that nothing that I was going to to would adversely effect my client.  Generally speaking, if a person had a reaction when they were getting tattooed, whether it was a rash, irritated skin, or anything else, they are going to have the same reaction when getting the tattoo removed.  My client reported no such reactions when getting tattooed originally.

After speaking at some length to both tattoo artists (Tony Urbanek and Rich Cosgrove @ Inka Dinka Doo - Pittsburgh, Christine Lynn @ Voodoo Blue Tattoo- Newtownabbey, and Neil Morris @ Shoreline Tattoo - Whiteabbey) and the clinical team at Lynton Lasers, we determined that there were no inherent dangers in removing a memorial tattoo and that it's removal would be similar to that of what is called a "traumatic tattoo".  A traumatic tattoo occurs when debris is introduced into the skin forcibly, such as a road accident.

​Removal is progressing and to date, there have been no adverse reactions.