Removal Education

How Laser Tattoo Removal Works for Different Skin Tones

Skin tone matters. Skin type is incredibly important to the laser tattoo removal process. It is what allows us to determine what colors of ink we are able to remove, so that you go into the process fully informed about your tattoo removal.

How Laser Tattoo Removal Works for Different Skin Tones

During the removal process, pulses of light (wavelengths) are used to attract the ink in order to crystallize and break up the large ink molecules. To best determine which type of laser tattoo removal treatment to use on different skin tones, the Removery clinical team utilizes The Fitzpatrick Scale. This is a numerical scale that measures the amount of melanin in the skin and was developed to determine how different skin types react to ultraviolet light.

Introducing the Fitzpatrick Scale

The scale details six types of skin, ranging from Type 1 (very light, always burns, never tans) to Type 6 (very dark, never burns, tans quickly). This scale does not measure skin color. Instead, it measures the skin’s reactivity to UV rays, which is helpful in tattoo removal because skin reacts to heat and lasers in the same manner that it reacts to the sun. By determining how certain skin types will react, our specialists can choose the right laser, settings, and duration to achieve better and safer results.

close up of a laser technician wearing safety googles and gloves while using a laser on an arm tattoo

Laser Treatment Wavelengths Affect Skin Type and Ink Color Differently

To understand how lasers remove tattoo ink from all skin types, it’s vital to be familiar with wavelengths. Different colors of ink and skin reflect varying wavelengths of light differently. For instance, a tattoo with primarily red colors will absorb all visible light except red light. To shatter the ink of a red tattoo, you cannot use a red light as it would not absorb the energy. At Removery, we understand that different colors of ink and types of skin absorb wavelengths in a variety of ways, which is why we chose the PicoWay. It uses multiple wavelengths. While a 1064nm wavelength is usually ideal for shattering black or very dark ink, a 532nm wavelength is better for removing red or warm tones such as orange or brown. Green, blue, and purple inks were historically more difficult to remove, but we have found that the 730nm wavelength is efficient at removing these colors while maintaining skin integrity.

Before & After Gallery