Tattoo Removal
If you’re just starting laser removal, you’re probably wondering how long recovery will take between sessions. We explain how long tattoo removal healing takes and what to expect after laser tattoo removal, so you can go in fully informed.
Depending on the exact size of the tattoo, removal typically takes just one to five minutes—the amount of time it would take to cover the tattoo with a highlighter, explains Cooper Ferreira, a licensed RN and Removery technician.
Though the treatment is lightning-fast, the tattoo removal recovery process takes a bit longer. You will undergo this recovery process after each removal session.
To understand the tattoo removal recovery process, you need to understand what is happening during a tattoo removal session. In a nutshell, the laser gently breaks down the ink so it can naturally be flushed out of the body.
Your body already wants to remove the ink particles in your skin, which are deposited into small pockets in the dermis layer when you get a tattoo. In fact, your immune system has been trying to do that since you first got the tattoo. “When you get a tattoo, your body is actively trying to remove it. It’s a foreign body in the skin that shouldn’t be there,” says Cooper. However, the ink particles are about 100 to 200 nanometers—far too big for your immune system to process prior to laser treatment. “This is a process that utilizes your immune system to remove ink in a safe way,” adds Cooper.
The ink particles absorb the laser’s energy, causing them to shatter and break into smaller pieces. These smaller pieces can then be eliminated by your body’s immune system. “Your white blood cells are able to engulf those smaller ink particles, whereas before, the ink particles were too big for them to engulf,” Cooper explains. The white blood cells carry the ink particles into the body’s lymphatic system. Most of the particles are expelled through the digestive system, although some can also come out in sweat or urine.
Removery uses the PicoWay laser—the gold standard for laser removal—to remove tattoos. This laser has a photoacoustic effect that gently targets the ink using sound energy rather than heat. The Picoway’s incredibly short pulses last for one trillionth of a second, making the process of tattoo removal extremely gentle compared to any other type of removal treatment.
The laser operates under a process called selective photothermolysis, which causes the laser’s energy to only be attracted to the ink particles rather than the surrounding skin tissue.
Laser specialists are also highly skilled at using the appropriate wavelengths to only target the ink particles. As long as you’re treated by a skilled professional at a reputable facility, you won’t have to worry about damage to the surrounding skin tissue.
Here’s what you should expect during the tattoo removal healing process, broken down day-by-day:
Redness, swelling, slight blistering, a little itching, and raised areas are extremely common and should be expected after treatment. The skin will feel tender and sensitive at first, but these symptoms should only take a maximum of 2 weeks to subside.
Fifteen minutes after removal, the area will be very red, swollen, and sometimes a little itchy. “I always tell clients when I treat them, don’t be alarmed at how red it gets; that’s totally normal,” says Cooper. “But by the day after treatment, it won’t be painful.” Even after the treatment, clients usually feel fine. You can tell that they’ve undergone laser treatment, but it’s not going to hinder them from their daily life.
You may also notice a “frosting” effect immediately after laser removal, which gives the tattooed skin a chalky appearance. This completely normal effect just signifies the release of carbon dioxide from the skin. Frosting usually only lasts for a few minutes to half an hour after laser removal. If it takes longer than that, contact your removal specialist–but that’s very unlikely to happen.
During the first day of recovery, your body is still responding to the laser treatment which can cause the area’s appearance to change. You may notice more swelling for example. Again, these effects are totally normal; but your laser specialist is always here to discuss any concerns you have.
After the laser has done its work, the body will continue to carry away and digest the ink throughout the first week. Your skin will begin to heal during this stage of tattoo removal.
Still, it will likely continue to look red and swollen through much of this initial week, which is absolutely normal. The body carries away a significant portion of the ink that the laser has broken down during this time, even though you probably won’t immediately see a difference. Each week that follows (until about week six to eight), the body will continue to carry away some ink. The amount will decrease incrementally until your next laser session, which is why laser removal requires more than one treatment to remove your tattoo.
Removery advises spacing all treatments 6-8 weeks apart from each other to allow your body to properly the digest ink and also fully complete the healing process.
Check Out Removery’s Resource: How Long To Wait Between Laser Tattoo Removal Treatments?
Certain people need more time to heal, based on factors like their immune health. Your laser specialist will always determine how treatments should be spaced out for optimal results.
Skin fatigue is an issue that clients occasionally experience, meaning the skin is taking longer than six weeks to heal completely. The body’s ability to efficiently remove the ink also declines with skin fatigue. Skin fatigue can occur when the skin is not given adequate time to heal between sessions–or the improper laser settings are utilized. Removery’s laser specialists carefully assess how many weeks each client’s skin needs to recover from each treatment completely.
The health of your immune system plays a major role in how efficiently the body can digest and eliminate the ink particles after treatment(s). Thus, your overall health can affect the timeline of your recovery process.
It takes about 4-6 weeks for the skin to fully heal after laser tattoo removal, depending on your tattoo and commitment to following aftercare instructions.
Immediately after treatment, it is extremely common to experience redness, swelling, and sensitivity in the treatment area. These sensations are best compared to a mild sunburn and will usually subside within 36 hours. During this period, it’s important to avoid any activities that can aggravate the treatment area or things that cause unnecessary friction—such as the gym or tight clothing.
Within the first week of tattoo removal treatment, you could experience some scabbing, crusting, or blistering. When this occurs, it’s important to refrain from picking at the area—otherwise, you could be at risk for permanent scarring or infection. Keep the area covered and clean, and these symptoms should resolve on their own with no further complications. In most cases, all common tattoo removal symptoms should subside after 10-14 days.
Fully healing from laser tattoo removal can occur anywhere from 4-6 weeks after treatment. This timeline is heavily dependent on your tattoo’s qualities (the size, etc.) and your aftercare routine. When the treatment area is fully healed, you can expect all symptoms to disappear, and your skin will return to its normal state.
Remaining patient and properly caring for your skin can allow the healing process to occur faster and even help you achieve the best results possible from tattoo removal. Because tattoo removal is such a unique process, there is no exact timeline on the healing process—only estimations. If you’re ever concerned about symptoms or reactions you’re experiencing, reach out to your laser specialist.
Tattoo removal is fully healed once all symptoms subside, and the treated skin returns to its normal color and consistency.
The skin will experience a variety of temporary, physical changes after tattoo removal such as redness, swelling, sensitivity, and even blistering. Most of these symptoms subside after the initial 2 weeks, but others might not go away until the skin is fully healed.
Picking at blisters or scratching the treatment area can potentially prolong the laser tattoo removal healing process. This can also cause infection or permanent scarring. If you are experiencing blisters or itchiness, simply leave the area alone and allow the body to heal naturally.
To avoid prolonging the healing process, you should also drink plenty of water, exercise regularly, and avoid smoking.
Serious adverse reactions during laser tattoo removal healing are extremely rare. If you’re following your laser specialist’s advice, you’re unlikely to experience any complications from laser removal. Here, we’ll discuss several relatively common responses that should not cause alarm.
The three main types of side effects of tattoo removal recovery are redness, swelling, and blisters.
Let’s explain what causes each of them, what it looks like, and whether there is cause for concern.
After a treatment, redness, formally called purpura, is caused by capillaries leaking into the skin, which helps with the body’s immune response triggered by the removal session. This lasts for a week to two weeks at most, and should not cause alarm when it occurs. The increased blood flow caused by purpura helps to flush out the affected ink.
Most clients experience swelling directly after the removal session, along with throughout the first week of healing. This should not cause concern. However, if you have any questions about your body’s response to the treatment, you can always call your laser specialist. In nearly all cases, the specialist simply puts the client’s mind at ease, assuring them that the swelling is totally normal.
Every so often, Removery clients experience blistering during tattoo removal healing. Removery can drain anything larger than the size of a dime.
Infection is rare, but you should know the signs to look for just in case. Tattoo removal infection signs include a rash, chills, and discharge from the treated area. Tell your removal specialist if you experience any of these symptoms.
Symptoms like blisters and swelling are completely normal, but sometimes (in rare cases) significant adverse reactions may occur. It is very unlikely to have a response that requires any follow-up attention, or medical care. Allergic reactions can happen, especially if you’ve experienced reactions from the actual tattoo application itself–but it’s usually a rare occurrence.
Even though side effects of tattoo removal are not generally serious, tell your laser specialist about any reactions you experience. Removery’s laser specialists strive to stay in close communication with clients throughout the laser tattoo removal healing process.
To avoid any extreme reactions like longer-term discoloration patches or scarring during tattoo removal healing, first choose a reputable facility.
Make sure the facility specializes in laser removal and uses top-of-the-line equipment. Then, follow your specialist’s simple tattoo removal aftercare instructions exactly. The most important thing is to leave the treated area alone so you don’t cause unnecessary irritation, and don’t expose it to the sun. “All we’re asking is, basically don’t touch it,” Cooper emphasizes. “Don’t do anything to it. Let your body remove the tattoo.” Thisa will ensure you avoid any permanent damage and speed up your recovery time.
Avoiding the sun will help ensure your skin doesn’t experience any pigmentation changes. “You can tan the rest of your body; just cover that area,” he says. Use a good sunscreen or completely shield that area from the sun for the first 2 weeks.
Keep the area clean and dry for the first day. Don’t cover it with tight clothing, and apply a thin layer of hydrocortisone cream for the first five days. You should be able to shower normally, but stay away from submerging the area in water.
Follow your tattoo removal aftercare guidelines fully, just as you would follow a doctor’s instructions, and you’ll achieve the best outcome possible.
“Listen to your laser specialist’s aftercare guidelines, because they are the expert on tattoo removal,” says Cooper. “These people are unbelievably trained to a super high standard. We are the experts in this niche industry,” he affirms.
Our laser specialists are highly trained and experienced, so you won’t need to worry about anything but following their simple instructions. Book a consultation with Removery today to start your removal journey!
Cooper Ferreira has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, and prior to becoming an accomplished laser technician, he worked as an ICU pediatric nurse. Because so many people have tattoo regret, he is passionate about normalizing the tattoo removal process. He now works as a regional manager for Removery.
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.
866-465-0090
