College is a time for students to express themselves in ways their parents would never condone. For many, this constitutes tattoos. Although many do not foresee themselves growing out of their body art, some regret their decision to ink an ex-lover's name on their forearm.

The UW Medical Center now offers laser tattoo removal under the direction of Dan Berg, a professor at the Dermatologic Surgery Center.

Laser therapy and cover-up tattoos are options, but they do not always work.

Deep Roots employee Anthony Mason recently advised a young woman contemplating where to put a pair of new tattoos.

"Where do you want to see them for the rest of your life?" Mason asked.

Those in the business of giving and removing tattoos agree that, with things as permanent as tattoos, it pays to be certain. Because of the cost, pain and relative effectiveness, questions are raised about the value of such a procedure.

Berg is a professor in the Division of Dermatology and the director of the Dermatologic Surgery Unit. He also consults and treats patients using laser tattoo removal therapy. Berg said laser tattoo removal works because the wavelength of the laser is absorbed preferentially in the skin by the tattoo ink. The laser causes the destruction of ink particles, which are carried away by the body so they are no longer visible.

Berg warns that this technique is not always effective.

"Every tattoo is different; some are easier than others," he said. "We rarely promise anyone that we can get rid of the tattoo completely, although many times we can."

The color and type of tattoo plays a large part in its responsiveness to laser therapy.

Jean Loftus, plastic surgeon and contributor at Infoplasticsurgery.com, warns that certain colors are extremely problematic. Turquoise, a popular tattoo color, is particularly resistant to laser light. Red, white and flesh-colored inks run the risk of turning black after treatment.

The type of tattoo also comes into play. Berg said professional tattoos are much harder to remove than amateur ones. The more intricate the tattoo, the less responsive it will be.

"The multicolored tattoos are going to be pretty tricky," Berg said.

In addition to the effectiveness, the cost of the procedure is a point of contention. Berg said that at UW the cost is about $150 per session. Because multiple sessions will be necessary, the price can accumulate quickly.

Another drawback to the procedure is the pain and potential side effects.

"It hurts," Berg said. "We use topical anesthesia creams to numb the skin, but it's tolerable."

The pain, side effects and cost of laser tattoo removal raise questions about who would seek such a procedure.

According to an article by Claire Dietz from the UW Faculty and Staff newspaper, uwnews.org, people who request tattoo removal do so because they find it detrimental in the workplace. They may also find the content, rather than the placement, of the tattoo to be the issue.

Justin Johnson, one of Berg's patients, is in the process of getting a tattoo removed from his forearm.

"I often have to work with several people who focused on my hands, and I didn't want something they saw on my arms to affect their attention to the work, nor did I want them to make judgments on something that really no longer represented who I am today," he said.

Johnson is happy with the results of the procedure so far, although he is not yet finished.

"So far I've had two sessions, and the results are really very good," he said. "While not completely gone as of yet, the majority is. What's left are dark outlines."

He said that because of topical anesthetics, the pain was minimal.

In this capacity, Berg's work is very useful.

"Any reason that you can think of for why someone would have gotten a tattoo and then regretted it later," Berg said. "We've heard all of them."

Although the Dermatologic Surgery Unit does not advertise the procedure, they still get a high amount of customers seeking treatment.

Berg has treated a wide range of customers, but said most are in their twenties or thirties.

The majority of people who seek treatment are reasonably young and looking to remove tattoos to make getting hired at a job easier. Berg said many people have simply grown out of their body art.

"You're just an older person and the appearance of the tattoo presents an image that either you don't want to present anymore or you're in a job where it's no longer [acceptable]," he said.

Because of screening, patients are generally happy with the results.

"Everyone is different," Berg said. "A person might be happy to treat the tattoo to the point where it's not gone, but it no longer looks like a tattoo. Others are happy to make it so that the name that was there is not readable."

During consultations, Berg is very clear about what patients can expect.

"If I see a patient with a tattoo that is not likely to make them satisfied, then I don't start," he said.

The demand for tattoo removal is correlated with the growing popularity of tattoos among youths.

Mason said for the most part people get tattoos that are easily hidden.

"For as big as it is now, people are still just sticking their toes in," he said. "They all want to be able to turn around and go back."

Mason also said many tattoo artists will try and talk customers out of getting certain places tattooed to prevent later regret.

"People will come in and say, 'I want one on my neck,' but that's going to change your life a lot," he said.

Tattoos are usually paid for at an hourly rate of about $120. Getting the tattoo in the first place and then getting it removed can be quite pricy. Because of the cost and effectiveness, Berg and Mason agree other options might be better. Both suggest cover-up tattoos might be a better and cheaper alternative to laser therapy.

Ultimately, dermatologists and tattoo artists agree: Laser tattoo removal should not be considered fail-safe. Although dermatologists can successfully remove or lighten unwanted tattoos, the results are not guaranteed. Because of the costs, side effects and pain, they suggest people consider long and hard about where they put their ink.

Johnson said that the hassle of getting a tattoo removed was not worth getting it done in the first place.

"While I still will get tattoos in the future, I would advise anyone to really think about location," he said. "I don't regret the tattoo per se — I regret the location I chose."

[Reach contributing writer Kyle Frischkorn at features@thedaily.washington.edu.]