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.
Complete tattoo removal usually requires 6 to 12 laser sessions, normally scheduled 6 to 8 weeks apart. You start seeing some positive results from 3 sessions on. If you want to make a try with one session just to see, save your money: you won't see anything positive before this!
Your skin may tingle or itch (as if you have a sunburn) for a few days. It may look red for a week or even for two weeks, but this isn't anything to be concerned about. You may experience slight swelling for up to a week after your treatment, and in some cases, the skin may blister.
There are many instances of laser tattoo removal not working, although in my opinion, full tattoo removal is possible assuming no scarring in the treatment area, that the ink is black, and that you continue with treatments till the end game leaving at least 6 months between treatments.
Once the tattoo removal process is complete, the ink will have been eliminated from the location but any of the scarring from the original tattoo will likely still remain.
Laser tattoo removal not fading can be caused by several factors. Some of which are the type of laser used, laser wavelength and ink colour, the laser technicians experience, recovery time between each session, and your immune system. Tattoo removal using laser treatment is not magic.
It's actually common to see the tattoo appear brighter after the first session due to the ink particles being disturbed. Rest assured, that your body will be removing the tattoo and you'll typically start to see the fading process around 3-5 sessions.
This is because as long as there is ink under your skin some frosting will appear. Once all or most of the ink has been treated, no more frosting will be visible.
Yes, lasers can remove tattoos completely. In fact, lasers are the safest, most effective tool to remove unwanted tattoos with. However, you may need to receive several sessions before the tattoo is removed completely.
Avoid picking at any flaking, peeling, blisters or scabs that form. Do not pop any blisters, as doing so can cause an infection. Know what's normal. After a laser tattoo removal session, you may experience some redness, swelling and blistering as your skin heals.
In most cases, fading can be seen within a few weeks after the first laser treatment. However, especially with black line-work or very dense tattoos, the fading is very minimal and often is not noticed until pictures (before treatment and current) are placed side-by-side.
After the laser-removal process, which Doft notes, typically works best on darker, older tattoos, the ink is recognized as waste within the lymphatic system and discarded via either sweat, urine, or fecal matter.
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.
It is possible for a tattoo to appear darker after laser treatment. One reason for this is that once ink has been broken up by the laser, the immune system is free to move the smaller particles around in the skin. The immune system can flush the ink away internally or push it out externally.
Tattoo Ink
Green is the hardest color to remove followed by light blue. Neon colors are also incredibly difficult to remove, and typically require multiple treatments with the Ruby laser. As a general rule, the greater the contrast between the color of the tattoo pigment and your skin, the better the result.
Amateur tattoo artists tend to use a lighter hand, making the laser removal process much easier. Ink pigments are all made up of different ingredients, this largely effects the tattoo removal process. Black ink is the easiest to remove completely, followed by green and blue which can be a little more difficult.
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.
Every individual is different, and therefore every tattoo is different. Understanding how laser tattoo removal works will help to understand why it's not as easy to predict. On average a person will need between 6-12 treatments laser tattoo removal treatments. However, some people need less, some may need more.
The risk of failure is high with an inexperienced clinician who does not understand skin anatomy or laser parameters for tattoo removal. Having a laser safety certified, qualified and experienced skin therapist will optimise your result.
Location of Tattoo:
The location of the tattoo affects the speed of the tattoo removal process. It all has to do with blood flow and circulation. Areas of your body with better circulation will flush out the ink particles and remove them faster than areas with less circulation.
Immediately following treatment, you may notice the tattoo area appears white and chalky. This effect is due to carbon dioxide being released from the skin and is an entirely normal part of the laser tattoo removal healing process. Within an hour, this temporary reaction will subside.
After your laser tattoo removal procedure, you might expect some redness, swelling, mild blistering, itching, and raised areas. This is to be expected. At first, the skin will be very sensitive and tender. These reactions to treatment should fade within two weeks.
Gradual fading of the tattoo occurs over a series of treatments and under normal conditions, the process which breaks down the tattoo ink begins two weeks after the laser treatment. The ink will continue to evacuate the body for approximately 4-6 weeks.
If you consciously drink plenty of water during the weeks and months of laser tattoo removal, your body will do a better, speedier job flushing away the ink. Along with a nicely hydrated body, it is important that the other liquid inside us all – blood – is moving well.