Laser tattoo removal techniques can significantly diminish the appearance of your unwanted tattoo with minimal side effects.

Lasers remove tattoos by breaking up the pigment colors with a high-intensity light beam. Black tattoo pigment absorbs all laser wavelengths, making it the easiest color to treat. Other colors can only be treated by selected lasers based upon the pigment color.

What do expect during the treatment?

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• You’ll be given a pair of protective eye shields.

• Our technician will test your skin's reaction to the laser to determine the most effective energy for treatment.

• Our technician uses the laser to pass pulses of intense light through the top layers of your skin that will be absorbed by the tattoo pigment only.

 

Is it painful?

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Smaller tattoos will require fewer pulses while larger ones will need more to remove them. In either case, to completely get rid of a tattoo, it will take several treatments. After each visit, your tattoo should become progressively lighter.

Laser tattoo removal is uncomfortable, but most patients don’t need anesthesia. Depending on the location of your tattoo, you may want to apply a topical anesthesia cream beforehand.

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What are side effects?

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Laser treatment is often safer than many other tattoo removal methods, such as excision, dermabrasion, or salabrasion because laser treatment selectively treats the pigment in the tattoo. And there are very few side effects. However, you should consider these factors in your decision:

• Your tattoo removal site is at risk for infection. And there is a slight chance that you will have a permanent scar.

• It’s unlikely that your tattoo will be completely removed. In many cases, certain colors may be more effectively removed than others. Blue and black tattoos, for example, respond well to laser treatment.

• You may end up with hypopigmentation, which means the skin that is treated is paler than the skin surrounding it. You could also have hyperpigmentation, which leaves the affected skin darker than the rest of your skin.

• Cosmetic tattoos like lip liner, eyeliner, and eyebrows may actually get darker after treatment. They do tend to fade over time. 

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What do to before the treatment? 

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• You’ll want to keep the tattoo out of the sun for at least four weeks before your laser tattoo removal session. Most laser removal specialists will not treat tanned skin as it increases the likelihood of permanent pigment changes

• Take Tylenol – DO NOT take aspirin or ibuprofen. Tylenol could help alleviate your discomfort if you take it before your session. It’s one of many ways we recommend making the procedure as close to painless as possible. It’s important that you don’t confuse Tylenol or acetaminophen for other mild pain medication, however. Aspirin and Ibuprofen will both cause you to bruise after treatment.

• Depending on where your tattoo is, you may be able to wear clothing that can be removed without scratching or grazing the skin after your treatment. After each session, your skin will feel as if it has been sunburned – dressing accordingly can help you avoid discomfort later that day.

• The area to be treated during a laser tattoo removal session should be clean, shaven and unadorned. There’s no need to moisturize your skin prior to treatment, as that has no impact on how the skin will accept the laser. In reality, all we really need is for the area to be completely clean and clear.

• We make every effort to make the treatment be as tolerable as possible. That includes applying cold compresses, chilled air, or numbing cream to the tattooed area before the procedure begins. As we’ve mentioned the laser “pulse” feels like a bad rubber band snap, or even like getting tattooed again.

 

If you know you may have pain tolerance issues, or if you’d just like to ensure that the procedure is easy, ask us about your options for reducing your discomfort. It is important to mention if you are allergic to any of the topical numbing creams such as ledocaine. 

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What to do after laser tattoo removal?

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• Immediately following the treatment, use an ice pack to soothe the treated area. And apply an antibiotic cream or ointment and bandage to protect it. You should also be sure it’s covered with sunblock when you’re outside.

• For the first three days, cover the area with a layer of antibiotic healing ointment. Keep it bandaged with sterilized gauze. Don’t apply any other creams or makeup to the treated area within the first few days.

• You can remove the bandage after three days, but keep the area as clean and dry as possible. You may also apply Vaseline, Aquaphor, or hydrocortisone cream to moisturize the area as it heals. Vitamin E ointment is helpful too, as it helps to restore damaged skin cells.

• After laser tattoo removal treatment, you need to keep the treated area out of the sun. If you get a sunburn in between treatments, you’ll have to postpone your next session until your skin returns to its normal color. Delaying treatments will prolong the process and make it take longer to see permanent results. And it’s not just sunburns that slow the healing process – any amount of tanning can have the same effect. Make sure to keep your skin covered with sunscreen and clothing or bandages if you plan on spending any time in the sun.

• Blistering and scabbing are natural side effects of the healing process. It’s tempting to pop and pick at your skin. Avoid this at all cost. Opening the wound not only increases the risk of infection but also prolongs the healing process. And as long as you have scabs or blisters on your skin, avoid shaving that area. Using a razor can cause you to open the wound accidentally. For the best results, allow scabs to fall off and blisters to drain on their own. 

• Can you shower? Yes. But keep in mind, once you remove the bandage, you should avoid high-pressure water. Clean the treated area gently with mild soap and pat dry.

• Don’t soak the area until it’s completely healed. Avoid baths, hot tubs, and swimming pools, as all of these can increase your chances for infection.

• You should take a few days off exercising immediately after treatment. But once your skin scabs over, physical activity can help the tattoo removal process along.

• Drink lots of water.

• Decrease alcohol consumption. Too much alcohol intake can cause dehydration, which slows down the healing process. If possible, avoid alcohol entirely.

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How soon will you see the results?

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Laser tattoo removal is successful – most of the time. There are circumstances that could change that, and sometimes a tattoo cannot be removed entirely. In those cases, it will be faded to something much less visible, but you will have a remaining image on your skin.

Before committing to even the most state-of-the-art tattoo removal, make sure that you schedule a free consultation with a professional technician to get a clear idea of what to expect.

 

Location on the body will affect your tattoo primarily based on vascular supply and healing ability. Essentially, that means that tattoos further from your heart will be harder to remove.

Why?

Blood flow helps you heal. Because the procedure for laser tattoo removal involves treating your skin with the laser, there will be some discomfort and short-term injury that has to heal. When the tattoo is located further away from your heart, the vascular supply is diminished, and it will heal slower. That makes it harder for your body’s lymphatic system to carry away the broken-down ink.

The size of your tattoo will have an obvious effect, as well. Larger tattoos take longer to remove.

 

Also, tattoos from amateurs and “scratchers” are often much more difficult to treat. This is because professional tattoos, are very evenly inked, which makes the laser treatment more predictable. Conversely, amateur tattoos have an uneven distribution of ink beneath the skin, which can be a serious obstacle. It’s also more common to find minor scar tissue at the site of amateur tattoos.

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You will need multiple treatments. You may see changes after only one session, but more likely, you and your l provider will work out a treatment plan that spans months, and even longer. Anywhere from 5 to 10 treatments could be necessary, depending on your specific tattoo and the challenges it presents.

Part of the process is also waiting 8 weeks or even more between laser treatments, to ensure that the skin is healed.