According to Josh Korman, M.D. “many former gang members have resorted to home remedies for tattoo removal, such as burning them off with a cigarette or pouring acid on them.” These members resort to these painfully-desperate remedies due to a lack of proper knowledge about removal programs and medical processes available. But until recently, medical procedures that offer members with removal, have promised minimal results and in many cases provided equally dangerous and painful outcomes. Some side effects from these dangerous treatments include: hypertrophic scaring which is the result of severe piercing procedures, chemical burns from tannic acid and silver nitrate, and other severe forms of scarring from older medical remedies (Korman 1). With new removal technologies, it is difficult to judge the depth of ink within the skin because most gang related tattoos tend to be homemade; therefore the ink is found at varying depths. These complications are easily avoidable because in general, gang tattoos are at shallower and depths whereas professional tattoos are deeper and more precisely placed (Korman 1). This may also help to reduce the amount of procedures needed to remove these tattoos.
- Alex D.
Works Cited:
- Korman, Josh M.D. “Removal of Gang-Related Tattoos.” Epitomes-Plastic Surgery: WJM. (Vol 162, No. 6) Jun. 1995. Web. 1 Dec. 2010.
- “Posts Tagged ‘hypertrophic scar’.” 16 May. 2009. JPEG File.