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Laser tattoo removal
tattoo removal · laser tattoo removal · getting rid of a tattoo · remove a tattoo · permanent makeup removal
A laser breaks the ink in the skin into tiny particles, and the body slowly clears them away. The tattoo fades a little more with each session.
When you want to remove or lighten a tattoo, or permanent makeup on the brows or lips.
⏱ Duration: a session usually takes 10 to 30 minutes; many sessions are often needed, spaced a few weeks apart
Be sure to tell your doctor
How to prepare
- Sun. Do not sunbathe before the procedure. Ask the clinic for how long.
- Skin. The skin over the tattoo should be clean, with no creams.
- Pain relief. Sometimes numbing cream is applied beforehand. Ask the clinic.
- Expectations. The doctor will say roughly how many sessions your tattoo needs.
What to bring
- Comfortable clothes that uncover the tattoo
- A list of your medicines
- Sunscreen
How it goes
- The doctor examines the tattoo and the skin
- You are given protective glasses
- The skin is cooled
- The laser treats the tattoo in short flashes
- The skin is cooled again
- A healing product and a dressing are applied
What you'll feel
- It hurts, like snaps of a rubber band or splashes of hot oil
- Cooling helps
Afterwards
- Redness, swelling, sometimes blisters and crusts usually pass in 1 to 2 weeks
- Do not pick the crusts
- No sauna or pool until the skin has healed
- Use sunscreen on the area while the sessions continue
Contact a doctor straight away if
- Pus, growing pain, fever: see a doctor
- The wound is slow to heal
Common questions
Can a tattoo be removed completely?
Often yes, but not always. Colored and old tattoos respond differently. The doctor will tell you after an exam.
Will there be a scar?
Usually not, if you care for the skin properly. The risk is higher with a tendency to raised scars.