It is estimated that around 50% of people who get tattoos end up regretting them later, and this is certainly true at our Toronto laser tattoo removal clinic. For many years, people simply had to live with their mistakes or resort to painful and invasive tattoo removal techniques. With the advent of laser tattoo removal, however, it is now possible have your tattoos removed quickly, effectively, and relatively painlessly.

The Procedure
During laser tattoo removal, laser energy is directed at a tattoo for a fraction of a second. The laser sends short impulses of light through the top layer of the skin. The laser energy is absorbed by the tattoo pigment and breaks it up into smaller fragments so your body’s immune system can remove it naturally. The laser selectively targets the tattoo pigment without damaging the surrounding skin.

Laser tattoo removal does cause some discomfort but fortunately, each treatment session only lasts for a few minutes. Most of our patients say that laser tattoo removal feels like hot specks of oil landing on your skin (little specks!)

How Many Treatments Are Needed?
After the first laser tattoo removal treatment, it will take your body’s immune system around six to eight weeks to remove the ink that was exposed to the laser. The laser treatments must be repeated until the entire tattoo is gone. It may take up to 15 treatments for a tattoo to be removed completely.

There are several factors that can affect how you respond to laser tattoo removal and they include the type of ink used, the pigment colors of the tattoo, the depth of the tattoo, your immune functioning, and your skin tone.

People with lighter skin tones generally have more success with laser tattoo removal. Since everyone’s immune system is different, the time it takes for tattoo pigment to break down will vary from person to person.

Black pigment is the easiest to remove by laser because it absorbs all laser wavelengths. Red, dark orange and dark blue pigments also respond quickly to laser treatment. Green, light blue, purple, light orange and brown pigments require more treatment sessions to remove.

What to Expect Following Treatment
Following laser tattoo removal, the treated area will remain red and may even form a scab. After the site heals, the pigment of your tattoo will be barely visible or not visible at all. Some stubborn colors may remain but most of the pigment will be absorbed by your body.

Some people may get frustrated and impatient while they are receiving laser tattoo removal treatments because it is such a gradual process. However, it is important to remember that your body will respond differently to each treatment. To ensure the fastest removal possible, follow your physician’s instructions closely.