Colour And Laser Tattoo Removal
The easiest colour to remove is black. The hardest colour to remove is green, Most tattoos will contain a variety of different coloured inks so treatment time will vary depending on the individual and their particular tattoo.
Tattoo removal is not recommended for people with dark skin, a suntan or fake tan. It’s not suitable if you’re in the early stages of pregnancy, although there are no known risks for women who are breastfeeding.
Pre Treatment
If you have hair on the area of skin to be treated, you need to shave this before the appointment.
We will provide you with goggles to protect your eyes during the procedure. A local anaesthetic cream may be applied.
How much you feel of the laser will depend on the type of laser used and the intensity required. Some people say this feels like an elastic band snapping at your skin.
Your session will last about 10-30 minutes, depending on the size of the tattoo.
Your tattoo should become progressively lighter with each treatment.
We will apply Aloe vera gel afterwards, to help soothe the skin.
After Treatment
Your skin may be red with a raised rash for a short while afterwards. Holding an ice pack to the skin may help (try a pack of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel).
Your skin will also be more sensitive to the sun, so please avoid sun exposure and tanning beds for at least a week afterwards, and use sunscreen.
As your treatment sessions progress, your skin may bleed slightly before scabbing over for about a week.
It may help to regularly apply aloe vera gel, and apply Vaseline if there is any blistering or scabbing.
You should avoid:
- soap or perfumed products on the area for the first 48 hours.
- strenuous activities for a couple of days.
- swimming and saunas until the scab has dropped off.
Risks
Possible risks are:
- some colours not completely fading – yellow, green and purple ink requires more energy (more sessions) to fade than black, blue and red
- a small chance your skin may become temporarily darker or paler than the surrounding skin
- a slight chance you’re left with a permanent scar (3 in 100 patients develop a scar)
What to do if you have problems
If you experience problems with healing, rashes or skin pigmentation changes, ask your practitioner for advice or call your local clinic.