Tattoo Removal
One of the most overlooked aspects of laser tattoo removal is how unique the process is for every single person undergoing treatment. There is no “cookie cutter” way to determine the exact number of treatments one might need, making it crucial to choose a tattoo removal provider with immense experience treating all tattoo types.
Your experience with the laser tattoo removal process is uniquely dependent on your tattoo. Factors such as your tattoo’s age, color palette, placement, size, and ink depth can impact how your tattoo responds to every single laser treatment. These factors, along with your tattoo removal provider’s experience and technology standards, can be the difference between needing 8 sessions or 10 to achieve a full removal.
To help set realistic expectations for your own laser tattoo removal journey, you should understand how your tattoo can impact the entire process.
While laser tattoo removal uses laser technology to break down ink particles, your body plays an equally important role in the process. In fact, your body starts the removal process from the moment tattoo ink is injected into the skin.
Despite getting tattooed intentionally, your body views the ink as a foreign invader that must be removed. Because of this natural occurrence, tattoo ink is purposely composed of larger ink particles to ensure tattoos last a lifetime.
Over time, your body naturally breaks down these larger ink particles within the dermis. It is nowhere near enough to remove parts of a tattoo, but tattoo aging does cause some noticeable differences like fading and muted colors.
Essentially, laser tattoo removal speeds up this natural breakdown process to actually remove a tattoo versus slightly fading it. Older tattoos have more time to undergo this inevitable process, causing them to respond better to laser treatments in many cases.
An aged tattoo might respond better to the laser, but there is no specific milestone a tattoo must reach before being eligible for laser tattoo removal. Per a pilot study conducted by Removery, tattoos can safely undergo laser tattoo removal just 24 hours after they’re applied to the skin.
A proper ink depth is necessary to prevent complications, ensure your tattoo heals properly, and lasts a lifetime with little-to-no maintenance needed. The optimal depth for a tattoo is 4mm, placing it in the second layer of skin.
Any tattoo that is applied less than 4mm into the skin can be susceptible to immediate ink fallout or significant fading over time.
This might not be ideal for longevity, but it is great for seeing laser tattoo removal results quicker. As tattoo ink approaches the skin’s surface, it becomes significantly easier for the laser to penetrate and break it apart.
When a tattoo is applied too far into the skin, clients could experience tattoo blowouts or permanent scarring in the area. Deeper ink deposits can also pose a challenge for those looking to undergo laser tattoo removal.
Tattoo ink injected more than 4mm into the skin can be more difficult to remove with a laser because it is harder to reach without damaging the skin.
In extreme cases, an additional tattoo removal method might be needed to achieve a full removal. Most clients opt for tattoo excision to remove any ink that the laser cannot reach. A tattoo excision is also a great way to exacerbate the entire tattoo removal process for deeply applied tattoos.
All tattoos utilize ink saturation to form the linework and shading of a design, but the amount heavily depends on your tattoo. Less complex tattoo styles, such as fine line, naturally require less ink saturation to complete compared to realism, American traditional, etc.
Tattoo ink permanently resides in the dermis layer unless it is removed, which can be an important consideration for your tattoo removal journey. A more complex tattoo might need more sessions to fully remove due to an increased amount of ink particles in the skin.
Sometimes, clients will get a cover-up tattoo before opting for tattoo removal of any kind. A cover-up tattoo camouflages the existing tattoo by adding more ink on top of it; thus, doubling the amount of ink saturation in the skin compared to a “standard” tattoo.
The color palette of your tattoo can play a significant role in your laser tattoo removal journey. In fact, it is one of the most common topics when discussing tattoo removal, specifically how long it will take and if a full removal is even possible for certain colors.
With recent technological advancements, more stubborn ink colors have become easier to remove – but they can still take longer. Light green, light blue, yellow, and white pigments are considered the most difficult tattoo colors to remove. Black and other darker ink colors remain the easiest to remove.
The PicoWay laser by Candela can safely treat the broadest spectrum of colors, along with all skin types on the Fitzpatrick Scale, compared to other lasers on the market.
A tattoo’s placement will not hinder the ability to achieve a full removal, but it can certainly make things easier depending on where it is. When ink particles become small enough, the body relies on blood circulation to transport the fragments to the digestive system for discarding. Blood circulation increases as you move closer to the heart and significantly decreases as you move to the farthest areas of the body.
Because of this, tattoos placed on the neck, abdomen, shoulders, etc. often experience exacerbated tattoo removal results compared to tattoos placed on the hands, calves, feet, or other areas farther from the heart.
Regardless of your tattoo’s placement, laser tattoo removal is still the safest and most effective way to remove a tattoo from the skin.
A tattoo’s size doesn’t necessarily impact the overall timeline of tattoo removal, but it can affect how your tattoo removal provider approaches treating the area.
Because laser tattoo removal relies heavily on the body, certain precautions must be taken to ensure the process remains safe for your overall health. All laser treatments should be scheduled 6-8 weeks apart to avoid overwhelming the immune system and promote optimal healing. This exact logic also applies to the unique approach needed for removing larger tattoos from the body.
For large tattoos, Removery divides the tattoo into even sections and treats each area separately to ensure the procedure remains safe and effective. Each section is treated at its own appointment, as if it was a smaller tattoo.
Attending a consultation is the first step in a successful tattoo removal journey. There, you can learn more about the removal process and receive a customized treatment plan for your tattoo(s).
Removery proudly offers tattoo removal consultations for free at all studios in the United States, Canada, and Australia. With their advanced technology and extensive clinical expertise, Removery can safely and efficiently treat nearly all tattoo types imaginable.
Book a consultation to get started.
We’re on a mission to give you the most straightforward, easy and efficient laser tattoo removal experience. Your estimate will be entirely bespoke to your tattoo; the size, the colors, the ink. It won’t take long and afterwards you’ll have a plan to finally get rid of your unwanted tattoo and get back to being you.
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