Gradual fading of the tattoo occurs over a series of treatments and under normal conditions, the process which breaks down the tattoo ink begins two weeks after the laser treatment. The ink will continue to evacuate the body for approximately 4-6 weeks.
The body will continue to eliminate the ink's particles for months and even years after your final treatment. It isn't recommended to undergo a few laser treatments and expect to completely disappear on its own, but if you're planning a road trip and won't be in town for a while, you have nothing to worry about.
It will take approximately 7 to 15 months (or more ?☹️) for your tattoo to fade considerably using laser treatment. 'Tattoo fading' is a better way to describe the results you get with laser treatment.
Contrary to what you might think, your tattoo is not getting darker and it's a normal part of the removal process. Your tattoo is actually still fading even if it looks more vibrant. In fact, it means you are well on your way to clear, tattoo-free skin!
Laser tattoo removal will fade your old tattoo while leaving the surrounding skin unharmed. Tattoo fading is ideal for clients who want to replace their older ink with a new piece of art. On average it takes 3 - 5 sessions to see tattoo fading results.
After your laser tattoo removal procedure, you might expect some redness, swelling, mild blistering, itching, and raised areas. This is to be expected. At first, the skin will be very sensitive and tender. These reactions to treatment should fade within two weeks.
When the laser treatment breaks down the ink and releases these metal components, they oxidize, or undergo a reaction in which they chemically combine with oxygen. This turns the white pigmentation into a darker, gray shade, spreading a darker color over the tattoo.
Our experts recommend waiting until your tattoo has completely healed which can take around six to eight weeks after having the tattoo before you start your removal sessions. This will help avoid damage to your skin. How long does it take to remove fresh tattoo ink from skin?
Once the laser has broken the ink into smaller pieces, your body's immune system works to remove the ink over the following weeks, flushing it away from the tattooed area. We see the result of this as the tattoo lightening in appearance.
Yet another sign that the tattoo removal is working, scabs often collect fragmented ink particles and usually appear 8 to 72 hours after the area has been treated. When the scab falls off, the top layer of ink will come with it.
In short, yes, a tattoo can be removed completely. Each patient's tattoo removal experience is different, as many variables can come into play during this process.
From the Second Week Onwards After Tattoo Removal
You might notice the treated skin looking darker as the pigment rises to the surface of the skin. The area around it might lighten (hypopigmentation) or darken (hyperpigmentation) too. This is completely normal and will fade with time.
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.
About six weeks is the ideal waiting time between laser treatments because that allows the treated area to heal while the immune system gets rid of the ink. Following the treatment aftercare instructions can help increase the rate of removal and keep your skin in the best condition possible.
Laser tattoo removal works when the color in the ink absorbs the energy from the laser. 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.
After the laser-removal process, which Doft notes, typically works best on darker, older tattoos, the ink is recognized as waste within the lymphatic system and discarded via either sweat, urine, or fecal matter.
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.
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.
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.
The average number of sessions necessary for complete tattoo removal is 6-10, although it can be more than 10, depending on certain factors, which are described below.
Scarring. Scarring is probably the biggest concern for those getting their tattoos removed with a laser. The more aggressive the treatments, the more likely it is to get a scar. Certain areas on the body are more likely to scar such as the wrists and ankles.