• Breast
  • Breast Augmentation
  • Breast Augmentation Cost
  • Breast Lift
  • Breast Reconstruction
  • Breast Reduction
  • Male Breast Reduction
  • Revision Breast Augmentation
• Body
  • Labiaplasty
  • Liposuction
  • Tummy Tuck
• Face
  • Browlift
  • Chin Implant
  • Ear Surgery
  • Eyelid Surgery
  • Facelift
  • Facelift Cost
  • Latisse
  • Rhinoplasty
  • Rhinoplasty Cost
  • Revision Rhinoplasty
• Hair Loss
  • Hair Restoration
  • Hair Transplants
• Skin
  • Botox
  • Laser Hair Removal
  • Laser Scar Removal
  • Laser Tattoo Removal
  • Dysport Injections
  • Juvederm Injections
  • Radiesse Injections
  • Restylane
  • Sculptra

Remove Tattoos with Multiple Laser Treatments

Laser treatments are now available to remove tattoo pigments in the skin. During treatment, the laser sends pulses of light into the tattoo pigment, breaking apart the pigment into tiny particles. These particles are removed from the body through the natural immune system.

Laser tattoo removal has become very popular as many people, who obtained tattoos in their younger years, now want to remove these images from their skin. The black tattoo ink is easiest to remove because black absorbs the full range of colors and the laser beam can more effectively blast the pigment into smaller pieces. Lighter colors are much more difficult to remove and may require targeting with specific wavelengths of laser light.

Candidates for Laser Tattoo Removal

A laser skin specialist, such as a dermatologist or a plastic surgeon, can determine if you are a good candidate for laser tattoo removal. The specialist will examine the tattoo, the pigments used and the skin area to determine if he or she feels treatment would be effective and successful. Areas with higher levels of circulation, such as the legs and back, have higher success rates because the immune system can function better in these areas to remove the pigment particles. Tattoos on the fingers, feet and other areas of low circulation can be problematic. Tattoos of darker ink that are closer to the surface are easier to remove than deep tattoos or those with multiple lighter colored inks.

Laser Tattoo Removal Treatment Time

Each treatment session typically lasts only a few minutes. A four to eight week interval normally spaces the different treatment sessions, to allow time for the pigment particles to be removed by the body. On each successive treatment, the doctor will target deeper and deeper layers of the skin until the bottom most layer of the tattoo is eliminated.

After treatment, an anti-bacterial ointment or cream may be recommended, as well as a bandage. A pain medication may also be prescribed if there is considerable discomfort. Complications of laser tattoo removal can include infection, scarring, scabbing and loss of skin color.

To learn more about other areas of skin care, including Botox treatments, laser scar removal treatments or hair removal, please visit these pages in our website. For information about aesthetic surgery, visit the plastic surgery sections of the site.