How you treat your skin, and its condition, affects tattoo removal as much as when you got the tattoo. Though most people find that there's little to no scarring from the process, it does happen. More frequently occurring in those with darker skin tones, scarring can come about due to a loss of pigmentation.
Once the tattoo removal process is complete, the ink will have been eliminated from the location but any of the scarring from the original tattoo will likely still remain.
Reducing the appearance of scars and tattoos with laser treatment. Scars, unfortunately, are permanent. Lasers, however, can improve their appearance.
Green is the hardest color to remove followed by light blue. Neon colors are also incredibly difficult to remove, and typically require multiple treatments with the Ruby laser. As a general rule, the greater the contrast between the color of the tattoo pigment and your skin, the better the result.
One of the most common questions we get during our laser tattoo removal consultations is, “will my skin go back to normal?” And if this is something you've wondered too, we have good news for you. For the most part, yes, your skin will go back to “normal”!
Although it is not possible to predict the number of sessions required for complete removal, most patients generally need 6 – 8 sessions. Larger tattoos may take 10 treatments or more.
Prices for tattoo removal vary based on such factors as removal method, tattoo size, existing scars, skin color, body part, ink colors, and ink depth. The average price for laser tattoo removal is $423. For a large piece of art, the cost can reach $4,000 or more.
Your skin will likely be pale or pink as the scabs separate from the skin. Complete healing usually takes about six to eight weeks. Here are some suggestions that you should follow after a tattoo removal session.
When your tattoo has scarred, the skin on and surrounding your tattoo will be red and inflamed. The lines running through your tattoo and some shaded areas may seem swollen or puffy, and you even may see a little discoloration. Otherwise, if your ink is not swollen, it may appear sunken in.
You may experience symptoms that include blisters, swelling, redness, a raised tattoo, spot bleeding, and a darkening of the skin after tattoo removal treatments. These are all normal side-effects of the tattoo removal process, and are, despite the scary list, all quite bearable and short-lived.
Most artists only need up to 5 sessions of laser removal processes before they can start to cover up old work. Multiple variables dictate the number of sessions including type of skin, ink colors, and the amount of ink present.
Tattoo ink will often oxidize which is what happens to white ink when laser treated. The white pigmentation turns into a darker pigment because the laser breaks the particles apart into tiny fragments which oxidize with the light exposure and the tattoo often turns into a light brown or blue shade.
Laser tattoo removal not fading can be caused by several factors. Some of which are the type of laser used, laser wavelength and ink colour, the laser technicians experience, recovery time between each session, and your immune system. Tattoo removal using laser treatment is not magic.
Different colors of ink absorb color differently. Specifically, lighter colors like white, yellow, light blue, and pink are the most difficult to remove, as are green, red, and neon colors.
Yes, lasers can remove tattoos completely. In fact, lasers are the safest, most effective tool to remove unwanted tattoos with. However, you may need to receive several sessions before the tattoo is removed completely.
Older tattoos generally fade more easily with laser treatments than newer ones. For instance, a black tattoo that is ten years old may take one or two treatments less than a one year old black tattoo. Why? Because the body has already absorbed some of the tattoo's pigment throughout the years, making it easier to fade.
As you go through the laser tattoo removal process, you might experience hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation. These are skin discolourations that occur around the treated area in the form of patches of skin, either lighter or darker than your normal skin tone.
The biggest advantage here is that this means the ink is not systemically absorbed. It does not go through your lymphatic system, so it does not go through your liver or kidneys, so as such you are able to safely treat any tattoo without potential toxicity.
Typically, black, green, and blue are the easiest tattoo pigments to remove. On the other hand, whites, reds, yellows, and oranges are more difficult. Though it's not impossible, it can take longer and more sessions to erase these tattoos. The age of your tattoo is another factor to consider.
No matter when you got your tattoo, laser treatment can remove it. However, older ink is easier to remove than new ink, so you'll probably require fewer treatments if you're having an old tattoo removed than you will with a newer one.
Brand new tattoos have neither undergone years of body rejection nor sun exposure. So, they'll take longer to break down using laser tattoo removal. But, that doesn't mean that removing a new tattoo is impossible - it'll take longer to remove, but certainly not impossible.