If you have a very large tattoo that you'd like to have removed, you probably have a lot of questions—like whether removal is even possible. Fortunately, laser tattoo removal can remove a tattoo of any size.
Tattoo removal is often done as an outpatient procedure with local anesthesia. Common techniques for tattoo removal include laser surgery, surgical removal and dermabrasion.
Tattoos can now be targeted with lasers that remove the pigmentation without damaging the skin, meaning you can go back to your old ink-free look. Some tattoos are challenging to remove. These include things like metallic ink, light greens, light blues, and permanent makeup.
Generally, amateur or homemade tattoo may be removed within 3 to 7 sessions, while professional tattoos done with harder inks can require anywhere from 8 to 20 treatments. It is possible for some tattoos to require more than 20 laser treatments.
Older tattoos generally fade more easily with laser treatments than newer ones. For instance, a black tattoo that is ten years old may take one or two treatments less than a one year old black tattoo. Why? Because the body has already absorbed some of the tattoo's pigment throughout the years, making it easier to fade.
Most tattoos will require between five and ten sessions. Bigger tattoos will take up to the ten sessions, while the smaller ones may be closer to five sessions. It is safe to assume your tattoo will need somewhere in there too. This is a broad answer because laser removal of tattoos will depend on many factors.
Different colors of ink absorb color differently. Specifically, lighter colors like white, yellow, light blue, and pink are the most difficult to remove, as are green, red, and neon colors.
Black and dark green are the easiest colors to remove; yellow, purple, turquoise and fluorescent dyes are hardest to fade.
The dermatologic surgeon removes the tattoo using a scalpel and closes the wound with stitches. This technique proves highly effective in removing some tattoos and allows the surgeon to remove the inked areas with great precision.
While it is uncommon to cause scarring from the laser tattoo removal sessions themselves, it is still possible. For example, if you use excessive fluence when treating a tattoo and cause unwanted side effects (such as immediate pinpoint bleeding), scarring may occur.
Although it is not possible to predict the number of sessions required for complete removal, most patients generally need 6 – 8 sessions. Larger tattoos may take 10 treatments or more.
From the Second Week Onwards After Tattoo Removal
You might notice the treated skin looking darker as the pigment rises to the surface of the skin. The area around it might lighten (hypopigmentation) or darken (hyperpigmentation) too. This is completely normal and will fade with time.
About 21% said their regret had begun around the one-year mark, and 36% reported that several years had passed before they doubted their decision.
Saline removal actually removes ink from the body, whereas a method such as laser removal, breaks up the ink into smaller fragments and may push pigment deeper into the skin, only to then be processed by your lymphatic system.
Due to its specialised short-pulse laser technology system, which means the laser does not rely solely on heat to remove ink, Picosure or Picoway lasers are the fastest method of laser tattoo removal.
Your body also needs time to metabolize the ink without being overwhelmed. A half-sleeve tattoo usually requires two or three sessions. A full sleeve three or four treatments and a full-back will require six treatments.
The sessions are spaced six to eight weeks apart, which allows your skin to process the treatment. Many people start to see their ink fade after three appointments. Given six to eight weeks between each session, you can expect the results to start showing a few months after the process starts.
Black ink is the easiest to remove completely, followed by green and blue which can be a little more difficult. Pigments such as purple, yellow and white are the most difficult to remove completely. In order to successfully remove a bright, multi-coloured tattoo, different laser wavelengths are required.
1 square inch: $75 per treatment. 2 square inches: $100 per treatment. 3 square inches: $150 per treatment. 4 square inches: $200 per treatment.
Approximately 23% of people regret their tattoos and 11% have tried to remove or cover them up. Laser tattoo removal has an average success rate of 71%, with 95% of patients saying the process was worth it.
TATTOO REMOVAL COST PER TREATMENT
$75 per square inch of tattoo pigment up to the first 4 1/2 square inches – per treatment. Tattoos between 5 to 10 square inches are a flat rate of $375 per treatment. Tattoos over 10 square inches start at $600 per treatment & will be priced during your free consultation.