Since the early 90's lasers have been developed that can selectively treat tattoo pigment, often without leaving any scar in its place. This is because they do not actually burn the ink out; rather it is fractured into tiny pieces that are then removed from the skin by your immune system. The advantage of the new technology is that there is less chance of scarring.
How many treatments will it take to remove my tattoo?
On average, professional tattoos require 5-6 treatments, while amateur tattoos may require 3-4 treatments, spaced approximately 6-8
weeks apart. The number of treatments depends on the amount and type of ink used and the depth of the ink in the skin. Occasionally technicians have needed to treat a tattoo 10-20 times.
What should I charge for the procedure?
The fee depends on the size of each tattoo, and how many treatments it takes to lighten or remove it to your satisfaction. Each tattoo treatment generally costs $135 for the 1st square inch and $25 for each additional inch. If more than one tattoo is being treated at the same time, you may offer pricing alternatives. A consultation fee of $40-$60 should be assessed for this quote.
What will the treatment be like?
It is less painful to have a tattoo removed than getting it put on. A numbing cream should be applied an hour or two before the procedure as well as our cooling spray. After the procedure the treated area may blister, swell, crust, scab, or bleed slightly. You will need to care for the area daily in order to prevent infection and get the best possible healing results. Your tattoo will then gradually fade for 6-8 weeks when we can again treat the area with our lasers. You may see additional fading for as long as several months so you can space the treatments farther apart but not closer than 2 weeks.
What colors can be removed?
Black ink absorbs all wavelengths of light and responds very well to diode laser treatments.
Green and Blue ink absorbs 670-890nm light best and responds very well to diode laser treatments.
Red, Orange, and Purple inks absorb 500-700nm light best and will only show marginal improvement with diode laser treatments.
Turquoise responds variably, depending on the pigments in the ink.
Yellow tends to reflect light and does not respond well to diode laser treatments.
Important Considerations for Safe Laser Treatment
Treatment Around or Near the Eyes: Great care must be exercised when working near the eyes. The laser emission is powerful enough to actually penetrate the eyelid and permanently damage the eye. Having the patient close their eyes is not satisfactory protection. The use of a dark-colored damp wash cloth which is folded over four times will deflect the harmful radiation; however, only laser protective eyewear is recommended.
Treatment Around or Near Mucus Membranes: Laser radiation will severely damage the tissues inside the nose and ear canal. Treatment should be avoided in these areas altogether.
Treatment Around or Near the Genitals: Laser hair removal is safe for application to the pubic regions including the reproductive organs of both sexes. Care must be taken into consideration in these areas due to the increased level of neural sensitivity. The patient may find the process uncomfortable without a topical desensitizing spray.
Treatment Around or Near the Areola (nipple): Laser hair removal is safe and effective on hair growth which occurs from the areola of both sexes.
Post-Treatment: The skin surrounding the treatment area will experience short-term erythmia (reddening) which will subside within 12-24 hours. Should the treatment area show signs of excess scabbing you may wish to reduce the overall treatment time or intensity. The application of a post-treatment cooling and healing gel (such as Aloe) is encouraged to speed healing and reduce sensitivity. Instruct the patient to refrain from applying cosmetics or sunbathing for at least 24 hours.
Laser Tattoo Clinical Results
Patient
Group
Treatment
Area
Clearance
(Average)
Notes
20 Patients
Arms
30% after
3 mos.
1 treatment only.
50 Patients
full-face
90% after
3 - 12 mos.
3 treatment average
120 Patients
lip
90% after
3 - 12 mos.
3 treatment average
110 Patients
chin
85% after
3 - 8 mos.
4 treatment average
400 Patients
various
89% after
3 - 8 mos.
Includes above data
3 treatment average
REFERENCES
Nestor, Mark S., MD, PhD, "Laser Hair Removal: Clinical Results and Practical Applications of Selective Photothermolysis", Skin & Aging, January 1998.
Lask, Gary, MD, Elman, Monica, MD, Slatkine, Michael, PhD, Waldman, Amir, PhD, Rozenberg, Zvi, PhD, "Laser-Assisted Hair Removal by Selective Photothermolysis: Preliminary Results", the American Society for Dermatology Surgery, 1997.
