What to Know About Color Tattoo Removal

Best Lasers for Color Tattoo Removal

Our state-of-the-art Candela PicoWay^® (with a wavelength of 730nm and 785nm) is perfect for removing blue, green, and purple tattoo ink as well as their shades of teal, turquoise, lime green, etc. It is also perfect for extremely stubborn shades of black that other clinics cannot completely remove.

Just as every client is different, every tattoo that undergoes laser tattoo removal is unique. Our goal at Removery is to remove all unwanted tattoos, regardless of the colors of ink in the design, and to do so, multiple laser wavelengths are needed to get the job done.

Based on the concept of light absorption, some tattoo pigments absorb some wavelengths of light better than others. To provide effective tattoo removal treatments, you’ll want to make sure that your tattoo removal clinic has the appropriate wavelengths that will be well-absorbed by the tattoo ink you’re removing.

Our goal is absorption. Tattoo removal works by breaking up the ink particles in the skin, which your immune system then carries away (i.e. the fading process). To achieve this, the laser directs light energy toward the ink. The energy is absorbed by the tattoo ink particles, which instantly break down into microscopic fragments.

If the tattoo ink doesn’t absorb the laser’s light, it’s because an ineffective wavelength has been used. If the ink doesn’t fragment and the tattoo won’t be removed. It’s as simple as that. Check out some of Removery’s color tattoo removal before and afters.

Which Lasers  Remove Blue, Green, and Purple Tattoo Ink Colors?

At Removery, we use both the 1064nm and 875nm wavelengths to treat blue, green, and purple inks. The 1064nm wavelength clears away any darkness or “mud” in the tattoo. Blues and greens will often contain darker pigments that we want to remove with the 1064nm wavelength because darker pigments absorb that wavelength the best while using an appropriate level of energy that is safe for your skin. We will then use the 730nm and 785nm wavelength to target lighter shades of blue and green.

As you progress through removal, it’s not uncommon for tattoos to change colors. Sometimes a tattoo will appear darker at first, because the laser has turned the larger ink particles into small fragments, and then gradually fades as you progress through your 10-12 treatments. On average it takes 3-5 treatments to fade your tattoo. If you’re interested in fading your ink for a cover up check out our tattoo cover up page.

At each appointment, we will determine which wavelength is best based on the response the tattoo has on your skin. Often, you will see what we call tattoo “frosting” occur at your removal session. Frosting is a short-term reaction that causes a white “frost” to form on the top layer of your tattoo. This is a good indication that the tattoo ink has responded to the wavelength used and it’s breaking down into tiny particles for your white blood cells to carry away. Check out Removery’s Frosty Friday series on YouTube.