Image: Ryan McVay/Photodisc/Thinkstock
About This Quiz
Indecisiveness and a love of body art are two traits that don't go well together. But if you find yourself wishing you'd never gotten that tattoo, you could be in luck. Test your tattoo-removal knowledge with this quiz.
In general, what tattoos can be removed?
any tattoo
no tattoo
certain professionally applied tattoos
A tattoo applied by a more experienced artist may be easier to remove since the pigment was evenly injected. Old tattoos may be easier to remove than new ones.
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What is currently the most popular method of tattoo removal?
bleaching
laser
Laser treatment is now the standard method of removal.
surgical
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Laser removal started becoming commonplace at the end of what decade?
1980s
Until the late 1980s, the typical methods of tattoo removal were painful and sometimes scar-inducing.
1990s
2000s
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What kind of earlier tattoo removal involved sanding the skin?
dermabrasion
With dermabrasion, the surface and middle layers of the skin are sanded down.
chemical peel
none
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Which of the following tattoo colors is easiest to remove?
yellow
green
blue
Yellow and green are the hardest colors to remove; blue and black are the easiest.
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The specific laser technique used for tattoo removal is known as what?
high burn
pulse flash
Q-switching
Q-switching refers to the laser's short, high-energy pulses.
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How do lasers remove tattoos?
they melt the ink
they burn the skin
they break up the ink pigment
Laser energy causes tattoo pigment to fragment into smaller particles that are then removed by the body's immune system.
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What type of pain reliever can you take before a laser procedure for tattoo removal?
aspirin
acetaminophen
Non-aspirin OTC pain relievers like Tylenol can be taken prior to the procedure. However, aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents such as ibuprofen can produce pronounced bruising after treatment.
prescription
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What chance do you have of scarring with laser tattoo removal?
5 percent
There is a 5 percent chance of permanent scarring with the process.
15 percent
25 percent
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What type of physician should you go to for tattoo removal?
primary care physician
dermatologic surgeon
Tattoo removal is a medical procedure that requires a physician's expertise; generally, a dermatologic surgeon is best qualified to perform such a procedure.
A physician isn't needed.
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You Got:
/10
Ryan McVay/Photodisc/Thinkstock
