Body Art Tattoo Removal

Recently asked questions:

Are some tattoos easier to remove then others?

Some tattoos are easier to remove than others. Here’s a breakdown of things to consider before undergoing your tattoo removal process.

• Older tattoos are easier to remove since they are typically already faded. Tattoos that are less than a year old are much more challenging to eliminate.
• Size matters. As you might imagine, small tattoos are easier to remove than tattoos that are spread across a large portion of the body. The size of the tattoo may impact the number of treatments needed to eliminate it completely.
• Color makes a difference. There aren’t any lasers that can remove every tattoo color at once. Different dyes respond differently to various wavelengths. Black tattoos are the easiest to fade because the laser can target the black pigment easier than it would red or blue shades. Green ink is notoriously difficult to remove and I do not remove this colour.
• Fading is generally slower for tats located further down the arm or leg (where blood supply is weaker).
• Amateur tattoos can be much more difficult to remove than professional tattoos performed by an experienced tattoo artist.
• Skin color is also a big factor. People with fair skin and dark tattoos tend to have an easier time fading their ink than others, since the laser can specifically target the tattoo pigment more easily.
• Layered tattoos (including cover-ups that are placed on top of an original, unwanted tattoo) and tattoos with a lot of detail are much more difficult to remove than ones with a simple design. This is because the volume of ink in the skin tends to be much higher. Studies show that smoking makes laser tattoo removal nearly 70% less successful, so put down the cigarette if you want to undergo successful laser tattoo removal.
• Keep your body’s immune system healthy. A healthy immune system that’s working at its peak will speed up the tattoo removal process since they’ll break down the ink pigments easier than a compromised immune system.

How does laser tattoo work?

You’ll first be given a pair of protective goggles to wear during the procedure. Kerri applies the laser light to your skin, the ink will absorb the laser energy, heating up and breaking down into small ink particles. Your body will flush out the ink particles over the next few weeks, and the tattoo will slowly begin to fade. You will be ready for another treatment in 4-6 weeks.

What to expect after tattoo removal?

After your first laser treatment, your tattoo should appear slightly faded. More often than not, the surrounding skin will swell, itch, appear red, and possibly blister. “Immediately after treatment, there should be a ‘slight frosting’ on the area that is treated, Redness and swelling at the treatment site can occur and may last up to two hours or longer. Pinpoint bleeding may also occur. Small blisters in the treatment area are also not an uncommon reaction during the healing process but rare. An healing cream will be applied to the treated area. To speed healing, the ointment should be applied a few times a day for several days. To reduce the chance of hyperpigmentation, avoid sun exposure (and wear a high-SPF sunscreen) while the skin heals. Getting a tattoo removed via laser does have some level of pain, but it’s not usually excruciating. Most people say it feels very much like the pain of the initial tattooing process.