Got a Tattoo You Want to 'Undo'? New Vienna Business Aims to Do Just That

Did you get a tattoo in your younger days and now regret it? 

One in five Americans has at least one tattoo, according to a Harris Poll conducted in 2012. The people who are getting tattoos though? They're also removing them. The number of people undergoing laser tattoo removal increased by 43 percent from 2011 to 2012, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. 

While tattoo removal has become a big business in recent years, many people likely hesitate to undergo treatment because they think it’s going to be a painful, lengthy and expensive process.

Dr. Scott Burger is unveiling a new business in Vienna: UnTattooU, the first tattoo removal clinic in Northern Virginia to feature the PicoSure laser. Approved by the FDA in 2012, PicoSure has made tattoo removal faster and safer providing complete removal of tattoos in a shorter time and with less discomfort than traditional lasers, according to Burger.

“People undergoing tattoo removal using a PicoSure laser will experience less pain, reduced treatments, and a faster recovery time,” said Burger, chief medical officer and co-founder of UnTattooU. “Additionally, we employ a staff of registered nurses who are trained to administer local anesthesia to patients, making the entire tattoo removal process pain-free.”

Located at 431 Maple Ave West, Suite E, in Vienna, UnTattooU’s PicoSure laser technology delivers energy 1,000 times faster than traditional lasers. Traditional tattoo removal lasers break tattoo pigment into particles, but treatments need to be repeated 10 or 20 times and still don't guarantee a clear complexion. 

PicoSure adds tiny pressure bursts to break the pigment into smaller particles from the start. The PicoSure laser system typically requires multiple treatments, but due to the picosecond technology involving rapid pulses to the tattoo ink, fewer treatments are required versus traditional tattoo removal technologies.

Additionally, the wavelength of conventional lasers generally work on just one color: black. The PicoSure laser doesn’t target the tattoo’s color, but the ink in general.

“We looked at a lot of different locations in the DC metropolitan area and believe that Vienna is the perfect spot for us,” said Burger. “There are no other providers in the area offering tattoo removal with the Picosure laser. Being in Vienna will allow us to serve clients who live in Virginia, DC and Maryland.”

Want to learn more about the business? Stop by Saturday, March 15, from 1-3 p.m., when UnTattooU will be celebrating its grand opening with a free community event and on-site demos of the PicoSure laser. In addition to complimentary food and refreshments, UnTattooU will be giving away a free tattoo removal package to one lucky winner.

To learn more about UnTattooU or the upcoming grand opening event, visit www.UnTattooU.com.