Tattoo Removal

If you’re “over” your tattoo and want it gone yesterday, lasers can help.  With that said,  laser tattoo removal takes some time. There are several factors that can influence the time it takes for your tattoo removal and we review them below.

1. Is it an amateur or professional tattoo? While you might not think this makes a big difference, it really does affect the number of treatments! Typically, amateur tattoos take less time to successfully remove. Some amateur tattoos can be completely removed in just 1 to 3 laser treatments!

However, this is not always be the case. Amateur tattoos can have ink particles placed in varying layers of skin (professional ones tend to be close together). Deeper ink can be harder for the laser to get to. This may mean more overall treatments. Also, some amateur tattoo artists use ink that’s more difficult to remove with a laser than the ink used by professionals.

Professional tattoos usually take more treatment sessions because of the quality and density of ink as well as the depth of the skin where it’s placed.   Generally speaking, good professional tattoos can often take twice as many treatments as a poorly placed amateur tattoo.

2. Is the tattoo a single color or multiple colors? Certain ink colors require certain wavelengths of light to remove. There is no one laser that works for all ink colors. In general, the lighter the tattoo ink color, the longer it will take to fade. These colors can be extremely difficult to clear because they may take one or more lasers and more treatment sessions to break the ink particles down. Green, light blue, orange and white are included in this group.

3. Light or dark skin? Your skin type (color) will also affect how many treatment sessions you will need to successfully get rid of your tattoo. We have lasers that are safe to use on every color of skin, but there are some wavelengths of light that are not safe for darker skin types (colors). Because of this, we may need to use a different laser that requires more treatment sessions to make sure that we safely and effectively remove your tattoo if you have darker skin.

We understand that no one likes to wait! Unfortunately, patience is a requirement for laser tattoo removal! Here at Celibre, we can assure you that we can get the job done and get it done right for you. Our patients frequently comment on and ask why their personal experience is different from that of a friend or family member when it comes to laser tattoo removal. We review the information above with them, and explain that just like their tattoo, no two treatment plans are exactly the same. There are unique factors with each person that will dictate an individualized approach. And while we can estimate how many treatments you will need overall to see optimal results, we make sure that you understand this is just an estimate—nothing is written in stone.

Like picking out your tattoo and finding a tattoo artist that you trust to do good work, you need to go through the same process when finding a laser practitioner to remove your tattoo. Ask questions, make sure the practice has the right technology for your tattoo’s ink color(s) and your skin type (color). Also make sure that you have a clear and honest discussion up front about a realistic timeline for your treatment and what you can reasonably expect in terms of results. It may take a bit more work on the front end, but it’s what’s necessary to see the very best results in the end!

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