Laser Tattoo Removal FAQs If you have a tattoo you hate or an old, faded tattoo that you just want gone, you have two choices: cover it up with another tattoo or have laser tattoo removal to fully erase a piece of your past. Faced with these options, many people’s first question is, “Does laser tattoo removal really work?” Once they learn about its efficacy, a plethora of other questions tend to follow. To quell your fears, we’ve pulled together the questions most commonly asked about laser tattoo removal and answered them here. You can use the links below to jump right to a specific question about laser tattoo removal, or read straight through for a full education on laser tattoo removal. Laser Tattoo Removal Questions Q. Does laser tattoo removal really work? Q. Is laser tattoo removal more effective on certain skin pigments? Q. Can laser tattoo removal damage my skin? Q. Can all tattoo ink colors be removed with laser tattoo removal? Q. Does laser tattoo removal hurt? Q. How many sessions will I need to fully remove my tattoo? Q. Can I have just part of a tattoo removed? Q. What’s the protocol if I just need my tattoo lightened a little before getting a cover-up tattoo? Q. Is laser tattoo removal expensive? Q. What does laser tattoo removal aftercare entail? Q. How long will I have to wait in between tattoo removal sessions? Q. Is it safe to be out in the sun in between laser tattoo removal treatments? Q. Where can I have laser tattoo removal performed? Can anyone perform the procedure, or only doctors? Q. What type of laser is used to remove tattoos? Answers to Frequently-Asked Laser Tattoo Removal Questions Q. Does laser tattoo removal really work? A. The answer to this question depends on whether or not you’re able to have enough laser tattoo removal sessions to achieve your desired results (i.e. lightening your tattoo a degree in preparation for a cover-up or erasing it completely). The majority of people who have laser tattoo removal experience no adverse reactions, which allows them to continue going back for as many sessions as are needed to fully remove their tattoos. If you don’t see the whole process through—and it can be a long, drawn-out process for some—then laser tattoo removal may not be totally successful for you. However, if you’re patient and persevere, then you’ll see that laser tattoo removal has a somewhat snowball effect with each treatment. You may see minimal to no visible lightening after the first 1-3 sessions, but that doesn’t mean the process isn’t working. After your first few sessions, you’ll see progressively more dramatic lightening after each subsequent treatment. With enough treatments, you can expect your skin to be as clear as if you’d never been tattooed at all. How is that possible? To answer that question, you have to understand how the process of laser tattoo removal works. Here’s how laser tattoo removal works: During each session, a laser is passed over your tattoo, sending energy into your skin that breaks up some of the ink molecules that comprise your tattoo. Your bloodstream carries away those broken-up flecks of tattoo ink, leaving microscopic breaks in your tattoo design. The ink particles are transported to your lymphatic system, which then slowly removes the broken-up ink from your body over a 4-6 week period. After 4-6 weeks, you can have your tattoo lasered again. Another pass will break up more ink molecules and leave more gaps in your tattoo. Those gaps will amount to visibly-noticeable negative space after an average of 2-3 sessions. That negative space will give your tattoo the appearance of being lighter overall, and as it expands with each subsequent session, your tattoo will fade in apparent leaps and bounds. As long as your skin heals well after each treatment, then the laser’s intensity will be ramped up incrementally, too, further contributing to the snowball lightening effect you see as your treatments progress. Eventually, there will be nothing left of your tattoo but the blank canvas on which your tattoo was first created. To see how the The Studio at Painful Pleasures' RevLite® SI Q-Switched Nd:YAG laser works to remove tattoos, watch the educational video below. Q. Is laser tattoo removal more effective on certain skin pigments? A. Laser tattoo removal has proven to be effective on all skin pigments. Those with lighter skin may potentially experience hyperpigmentation (darkening of the skin) and those with darker skin may experience hypopigmentation (lightening of the skin) during treatments. On the rare occasions these effects occur, they’re typically short-lived; most people’s skin tone will eventually even back out. To minimize risk of such issues occurring, it’s standard practice to start out with very mild settings, see how a client’s skin responds to the first treatment, and then incrementally ramp up the laser’s intensity with each subsequent session. This is another reason why people rarely see noticeable lightening of their tattoos until they’ve had multiple sessions, but doing so ensures the best possible end result, which is unblemished, ink-free skin. Q. Can laser tattoo removal damage my skin? A. As stated in the answer to the question above, “Is laser tattoo removal more effective on certain skin pigments?”, there is always a small risk of hypopigmentation or hyperpigmentation with laser tattoo removal. It’s rare that people’s skin is lightened or darkened by a laser, but when it happens, the effect is typically temporary. If you experience this issue, your laser technician may either dial back the laser’s settings to avoid further damage or recommend that you wait an additional period of time before attempting any further sessions, to give your skin time to normalize. Please Note: If blistering occurs, it should be a temporary issue and not cause for alarm. Some people react to all stages of laser tattoo removal with a mild degree of blistering right after a treatment, but it’s most likely to occur during the phase of treatments when blue and green inks are being targeted. If it happens to you, it is not cause for alarm. Just apply a salve that’s rich in super-healing vitamin E, like Laser Aftercare, to soothe and heal your skin. The issue should resolve itself within 24-48 hours. Q. Can all tattoo ink colors be removed with laser tattoo removal? A. No matter what colors your tattoo includes, they can all be targeted during laser tattoo removal. Colors are typically targeted in batches, starting with just black ink during the first 4-5 sessions, followed by reds and purples, blues and greens, and so on. Q. Does laser tattoo removal hurt? A. Laser tattoo removal doesn’t exactly tickle, yet anyone who’s sat through the pain of getting a tattoo is apt to say they wish it had involved the same short-lived pain that having laser tattoo removal does. An average 2” x 2” tattoo can typically be treated in well under a minute, but the total treatment time varies widely based on the size of the tattoo and the skill of the technician operating the laser. A good laser technician will move quickly while still being thorough and hitting ever millimeter of the color they’re targeting during a particular session. If you’re concerned that you won’t be able to tolerate the short-lived discomfort of a laser tattoo removal session, don’t worry; there are a couple options that can help you. First, speak to the laser tattoo removal studio about your topical anesthetic options. They may be able to offer you prescription-strength lidocaine cream, which when applied 30-45 minutes before your appointment will thoroughly numb the surface of your skin. Alternatively, you can purchase an over-the-counter topical anesthetic like Dr. Numb cream to apply at home before you head in for your appointment. Many laser tattoo removal studios will also offer you the option of using a skin-cooling device during the tattoo removal process. These devices pour cold air through a hose which you can control yourself to ensure that you’re able to address your hot spots and get relief right where you need it, right when you need it. You might also consider asking for an icepack to apply to your tattoo for 10-15 minutes prior to having laser tattoo removal, to numb the area further. An icepack can also be quite soothing immediately following a tattoo removal session. Q. How many sessions will I need to fully remove my tattoo? A. It’s impossible to predict the exact number of laser tattoo removal sessions someone will require to fully remove their tattoo. The reason is that there are so many outlying factors involved: age of a tattoo, the colors involved, whether or not it was done by a pro artist, the tattoo’s proximity to the heart, and so on. Someone who has an all-black tattoo that’s 20+ years old and was inked by an amateur tattoo artist could be pleasantly shocked to find they only need 2-3 sessions before their tattoo is completely gone. On average, it takes anywhere from 8-12 sessions to fully remove a tattoo, though, and in some cases, many more. For instance, a shin tattoo done by a professional within the last 5 years may take 15 or more sessions to remove, in large part because of the location’s distance from the heart. You see, the bloodstream is the first system in your body to swing by a lasered tattoo and collect any ink particles that have been broken up. Your heart’s regular pumping is what pushes that clean-up crew along and towards the lymphatic system. Therefore, tattoos that are closer to the heart get cleaned up more quickly and thoroughly than those that are a greater distance away, like on the shin or foot. Laser tattoo removal can be a long process for some people—a process that can take a year or more in many cases, since you have to wait 4-6 weeks in between treatments. Others are fortunate to see their tattoos disappear quickly or to only require a few sessions to begin with, because they’re just having an old tattoo lightened in preparation for a cover-up. The best way to get a more accurate estimate of how many sessions you’ll need is to setup an appointment for a consultation with the laser tattoo removal studio of your choice. They still won’t be able to predict the exact number of sessions you’ll need, but they should be able to give you a reasonable estimate. Q. Can I have just part of a tattoo removed? A. Yes, you can absolutely have part of a tattoo removed. Let’s say you wanted to change a long-stem rose tattoo into just a rosebud; you could have just the stem removed. Or, if you wanted to erase a fairy’s wings and have her converted into a simple woman’s form, you could do that, too. You could also have something as simple as shading removed from around a tattoo. The possibilities are endless, because laser tattoo removal doesn’t equate to an all-or-nothing obliteration of a tattoo. It’s a very precise procedure, which means the laser can be applied to just the components of your tattoo that you desire to have removed. Ever since the military changed its policy on tattoos, having partial tattoo removal has become a popular option for prospective military personnel. For instance, if you have an arched design extending from above one collarbone, around the front of your neck and over your opposing collarbone, you might choose to have just the parts above your clavicles removed to be in compliance with the military’s current tattoo policy. Q. What’s the protocol if I just need my tattoo lightened a little before getting a cover-up tattoo? A. Whether you want your tattoo completely removed or just lightened in preparation for getting a cover-up tattoo, the general procedure is the same. The process starts with a consultation, during which your tattoo will be measured and key features such as its colors will be noted. Once you’re quoted a per-session price, you can opt to have your first tattoo removal session on the spot, or schedule an appointment for a later date and time. After your first session, you’ll need to wait 4-6 weeks for your body to absorb the broken-up ink. After 2-3 sessions, check in with your tattoo artist to see if s/he thinks your old tattoo has been sufficiently lightened. 4-6 weeks after your last laser tattoo removal treatment, you can proceed with getting your cover-up tattoo. If you really don’t want to wait a minimum of 18 weeks in between starting the tattoo removal process and getting your cover-up tattoo, ask your laser tattoo removal studio about R20. R20 incorporates longer treatments than standard laser tattoo removal does. During an R20 appointment, the laser technician may pass over your tattoo several times, with 15-20 minute breaks in between. Although formal studies on the success of R20 compared to standard laser tattoo removal have been limited to date, our experience at The Studio at Painful Pleasures has been very positive. In many cases, the effects typically seen over the first 2-3 sessions can be achieved after one set of R20 laser tattoo removal treatments. Q. Is laser tattoo removal expensive? A. Laser tattoo removal can be costly, if you have a large tattoo or need the maximum number of sessions to remove your tattoo. The price is also determined by where you go to have laser tattoo removal and whether or not the establishment is running any special offers. At The Studio at Painful Pleasures, we offer a variety of package pricing options to save our clients money, and our standard prices are some of the best in and around Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia. If you aren’t able to come into our studio for laser tattoo removal, just search for laser tattoo removal deals online to see if a studio in your area is offering a Groupon deal, a LivingSocial deal or another special offer. Try to measure your tattoo as accurately as possible before purchasing a deal package, though, since many packages are based on tattoo size. Q. What does laser tattoo removal aftercare entail? A. For the first couple days after having a laser tattoo removal treatment, your skin may feel like it’s mildly sunburned. Typical sunburn remedies containing aloe and even lidocaine (e.g. Solarcaine) can be very soothing, but if you want something that will also nourish your skin and help it heal as quickly as possible, Laser Aftercare is the ideal product to apply to your irritated skin. It’s paraben-free and contains an extra dose of the super-healer vitamin E in addition to nourishing plant extracts. As stated in a previous answer, some people experience a mild degree of blistering after laser tattoo removal, particularly during the phase of treatments in which blue and green inks are being targeted. If this happens to you, don’t be alarmed. The issue should resolve itself and your skin should return to normal within an average of 24-48 hours. A balm like Laser Aftercare is the best remedy to soothe your skin if blistering occurs at any point during the laser tattoo removal process. Q. How long will I have to wait in between tattoo removal sessions? A. As stated in several previous answers, your body needs an average of 4 to 6 weeks to absorb the ink particles that were broken up during your previous session. At The Studio at Painful Pleasures, we require 6 weeks in between each client’s first and second appointment. Many people are able to come back every 4-5 weeks thereafter, if desired. Clients with exceptionally sensitive skin may be encouraged to wait 6-8 weeks in between all appointments, though. Q. Is it safe to be out in the sun in between laser tattoo removal treatments? A. You should limit your exposure to sun while undergoing laser tattoo removal. Recently-lasered skin is more delicate and prone to damage. If you can cover the area where you’re having a tattoo removed with both sunscreen and clothing, you can be out in the sun with less risk of damage to your skin, but even then, we still don’t recommend prolonged sun exposure during treatments. Q. Where can I have laser tattoo removal performed? Can anyone perform the procedure, or only doctors? A. Every state’s requirements on who can perform laser tattoo removal is different, but many states have moved towards rules similar to what we have here in the state of Maryland, where The Studio at Painful Pleasures is located. In Maryland, only a trained physician or a registered nurse working under a physician’s supervision can perform laser tattoo removal. For that reason, it’s unusual to find a laser tattoo removal service in the state of Maryland that isn’t located in a doctor’s office or a med spa environment. The Studio at Painful Pleasures is proud to have resident physician Dr. Jeffrey Briggs available by appointment to perform laser tattoo removal on all of our clients. As of the beginning of 2014, Dr. Briggs had performed more than 1,000 treatments with impeccable success. Q. What type of laser is used to remove tattoos? A. There are a variety of lasers available that are used to perform laser tattoo removal, but the current top-of-the-line technology is the RevLite® SI Q-Switched Nd:YAG laser. That model is the most effective tool available for tattoo removal and pre-cover-up tattoo lightening, and it’s the model we use at The Studio at Painful Pleasures. Contact your local laser tattoo removal studio to find out if they’re using the RevLite SI, too.
