Skin & Body
International

How does Laser Tattoo Removal Work?

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The laser produces extremely short pulses of high-energy light which are absorbed by the tiny particles of tattoo pigment, but not very well by the surrounding skin. The tattoo pigment particles shatter into smaller pieces, and these minute fragments are tiny enough to be absorbed by the body's own immune system and removed, hence resulting in gradual fading of the tattoo. Because the energy is selectively absorbed by the tattoo pigment, surrounding tissues are not heated up to such a high temperature and there is usually no lasting damage to the skin.

What happens during the treatment and how long will it take to recover?

• During your consultation, your attending therapist would clearly set out your expectations of the treatment and they would be able to determine whether or not these results are achievable using Laser Tattoo Removal.

• Your medical history will be taken, to ensure that there are no reasons why you shouldn’t have the treatment.

• A topical anaesthetic cream should first be applied to the skin and protective goggles must also be worn to protect your eyes. We also use cooling methods to help reduce pain and make the treatment as comfortable as possible.

• The procedure is straight forward and the therapist will use a small hand piece to touch the skin where the tattoo is. The amount of pain felt depends on your own pain threshold and the amount of treatment required, but has been described as anywhere between an elastic band flick to splashed hot fat - but we do try and manage this with our special protocols to help reduce pain.

• The length of each treatment and the number you will need depends on the colour, quality and size of the tattoo. A small blue/black tattoo could take as little as 5 minutes per treatment, needing anywhere from 3 – 20 treatments at monthly intervals.

• The number of treatments you will have to undertake depends completely on the pigments in the tattoo, the depth and density of these pigments and your individual response to the treatment - hence it is impossible to know exactly how many treatments you will require in order to get the results that you’re looking for.

​FAQ

 

 How safe is Laser Tattoo Removal?

Immediately after the treatment the skin may feel sensitive and be slightly swollen for up to 72 hours. Afterwards there is a slight risk the skin will blister, but this is a short term side-effect and will usually heal rapidly; although there may be temporary scabbing of the skin and localised bleeding. The risk of scarring using the Q-switched Nd:YAG laser is very low.

 

 Who is not suitable for treatment with Laser Tattoo Removal?

 

As long as you are generally healthy and don’t have any skin diseases or infections in the area requiring treatment there are few medical reasons why people should not undergo this treatment.
Although there is no evidence that this treatment is harmful for pregnant women, we would always advise that you wait until after you have given birth before embarking upon a course of treatment.

 

What results can I expect?

 

Clinical and Research evidence has shown that laser treatment of tattoos can dramatically fade the appearance of a tattoo - and in many cases completely remove it.

Most tattoos can be eliminated or lightened to a significant degree, but with some earthy and flesh colours (as used in semi-permanent make-up tattooing) the treatment may cause discolouration; and green, red, yellow and purple tones may also respond less well to treatment.

With tattoos of these colours several test patches are carried out to determine the potential effectiveness of the treatment. Black and blue pigments respond the best to laser tattoo removal.

The degree of treatment success varies from person to person and from tattoo to tattoo but lasers provide an effective, non-invasive alternative.

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