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Laser Tattoo Removal

How does it work? 

"Each pulse of the laser sends light energy into your skin. We use different wavelengths of laser light to treat different colors of ink in your tattoo. As the light energy is directed into your skin, it is selectively absorbed by the tattoo ink particles trapped in the dermis of your skin. When the ink particles absorb this energy, they instantly shatter into tiny fragments. Once the laser has broken the ink into smaller pieces, your body's immune system works to remove the ink over the following weeks, flushing it away from the tattooed area. We see the result of this as the tattoo lightening in appearance. Each additional laser treatment breaks down more and more ink until the tattoo can no longer be seen."

The speed of removal depends on the patient and their tattoo. To allow the skin enough time to heal between treatments and the body's immune system to flush away ink, we recommend a minimum of six weeks between laser sessions. 

The Kirby-Desai scale is a popular and well-regarded tool for analyzing the number of treatments a tattoo will need for removal. The scale accounts for the following factors that affect the rate of removal:

  • Fitzpatrick skin type

  • Tattoo layering (if the tattoo is a cover-up)

  • Location on the body

  • Ink colors

  • Amount of ink (vividness of tattoo, if it was professionally applied)

  • Pre-existing scarring

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