Why does your tattoo seem to be getting darker after laser removal treatment? Simply put, your tattoo has become darker because the metals in the ink have become oxidized, leading to a temporary greying or darkening until the tattoo fades.
Because your tattoo removal process will take many sessions, after each session you may see the colours of your tattoo change, particularly to darken. This is normal, as the pigments containing white ink oxidise after treatments due to the titanium dioxide content.
Tattoos will begin to fade within the first two to three weeks after treatment.
With each session, the wavelengths blast some of the ink particles into fragments that are small enough for the macrophages to eliminate. Your body needs some time after every session to go through its clearing processes. By continuing your sessions, you will ultimately see your tattoo fade away.
The tattoos will not disappear at once. It can take months or years for the effects to be complete. Even then, you may notice that the tattoo fades as opposed to disappearing completely. You need about six to eight sessions of laser removal treatment, depending on the color, size, and age of your tattoo.
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.
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.
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.
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.
From the Second Week Onwards After Tattoo Removal
You can expect all your symptoms to become milder and milder with time. 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.
If you do experience darker skin after laser hair removal, keep in mind that it is often temporary. The pigmentation should gradually fade over time, and you can consult your practitioner for treatment recommendations if necessary.
That process could take years, as well as significant cost and discomfort to complete. However, new picosecond laser technology has now greatly improved that process. Most tattoos can be treated in roughly half of the number of treatments that are needed with the older lasers.
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.
You may be left with some scarring
"Occasionally people are left with a white shadow of the original tattoo known as 'ghosting'", says Dr Rekha. "In addition, laser removal is not recommended for darker skins as this can remove the skin's natural pigment and leave white scarring."
Is It Possible to Lighten a Dark Tattoo? You can absolutely lighten a tattoo that is too dark. If you still like your design, but it's just too dark or bold, laser removal can help you achieve the results you want.
Your skin is comprised of protein and requires it to produce antibodies and reduce inflammation. If your protein intake is low, your skin's recovery time may slow down, impeding the tattoo removal process.
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.
Patience is 🔑 when it comes to laser tattoo removal! * Pro Tip - we recommend using a dry brush to stimulate the lymphatic system helping your body metabolize the ink. ✨Homemade vs Professional - homemade tattoos like stick and poke tattoos are typically quicker to remove than professional tattoos.
The majority of tattoo removals will result in a complete removal, however not all tattoos are made equal, and there are a variety of factors that can affect the tattoo removal process. The success of the removal is dependent on the size, depth, position, and colour of the tattoo itself, as well as your skin type.
Laser tattoo removal has an average success rate of 71%, with 95% of patients saying the process was worth it.
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.
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.
There is a chance of side effects, however, and it's important to be aware of those before making your decision. The most common side effect for most people undergoing laser tattoo removal is a change in the skin pigmentation, especially for those who have darker skin tones.
Exposure to ultraviolet light (UV light) worsens this inflammation, as well as laser treatment. For this reason, strict sun protection of the inflamed or hyperpigmented areas is crucial to allowing the skin to heal, as well as constant reapplication of sunscreen with an SPF 50 or higher.