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.
In many cases, you may begin to see your tattoo fade in about 2 to 3 weeks (or after your first, second, or third session). However, as mentioned above, there are a ton of variables in play.
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.
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. This will resolve with further treatments.
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.
As the white blood cells are working to naturally remove the fragments, the tattoo can often look more vibrant due to there being more tiny particles in the dermis. This is a good indication that the laser accurately targeted those particles and the tattoo is well on its way to being completely removed.
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.
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. Thankfully, this proves that your treatments are working according to plan, and it is just a matter of time until your tattoo has cleared up.
Stubborn Tattoo
Tattoo Age: How old your tattoo is plays a role in how quickly or how slowly your tattoo fades. Newer tattoos have a tendency to be a little more stubborn than older tattoos. The reason behind this is your body has had little to no time to digest and eliminate any ink.
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.
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.
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.
So in general yes, your tattoo will be completely gone after laser treatments. However, there are instances when the tattoo will fade but not be completely removed.
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.
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.
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.
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."
Specifically, lighter colors like white, yellow, light blue, and pink are the most difficult to remove, as are green, red, and neon colors. White ink (and light colors that were made by combining darker ink with white ink) sometimes turns darker before it begins to fade.
Scarring is probably the biggest concern for those getting their tattoos removed with a laser. The more aggressive the treatments, the more likely it is to get a scar. Certain areas on the body are more likely to scar such as the wrists and ankles.
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.
Most laser tattoo removal places will recommend waiting at least six weeks before starting treatments. There may be many unwanted side effects when a tattoo is removed too early. One side effect that is likely to occur is blistering of the skin.
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.
Older tattoos are easier to remove because they've already been exposed to the sun and absorbed by the body for some time. New tattoos can still be erased using the same laser removal techniques but they take more sessions.