Query for a friend - tattoo removal.

Esoteric_

I know very little about tattoo removal because I don't intend to get mine removed, so my mate asked me to ask here about her tatt removal.

She's been getting lasered for a while, to remove a black tattoo she has, with a small red heart in the centre of it. There is absolutely no shading, except in the red heart, and the tattoo is quite small.

She was told it'd take between 5 and 7 sessions, and that she would have absolutely no scarring if she left 8 weeks between sessions.

I told her already that scarring is almost inevitable, and she's fine with that. She's a bit annoyed though, because she's currently after having her 10th session and has been told she'll need another 6 or so, which sounds like a lot to me, considering how simplistic her tattoo is.

Her main gripe though, is that for 8 out of the ten sessions, one guy did them and seemingly did a good job. Twice, however, he was out and somebody else did them, and absolutely flew through it. I have gone with her for each session, and the usual guy takes about 10 minutes, whereas the other guy took honestly no more than 2 minutes to laser her. Each time the 'other' guy lasered her, the fading was very uneven and blotchy in comparison to when her 'normal' guy does it.

She wants to know is 16 sessions too much for a very simple tatt to be removed, and also will the fact that two of the sessions resulted in uneven fading increase the likelihood of scarring?

Very novice questions, I know, but I know nothing about removal because I've never wanted any removed myself. :pac:

Marty McFly

LyndaMcL wrote: »

I know very little about tattoo removal because I don't intend to get mine removed, so my mate asked me to ask here about her tatt removal.

She's been getting lasered for a while, to remove a black tattoo she has, with a small red heart in the centre of it. There is absolutely no shading, except in the red heart, and the tattoo is quite small.

She was told it'd take between 5 and 7 sessions, and that she would have absolutely no scarring if she left 8 weeks between sessions.

I told her already that scarring is almost inevitable, and she's fine with that. She's a bit annoyed though, because she's currently after having her 10th session and has been told she'll need another 6 or so, which sounds like a lot to me, considering how simplistic her tattoo is.

Her main gripe though, is that for 8 out of the ten sessions, one guy did them and seemingly did a good job. Twice, however, he was out and somebody else did them, and absolutely flew through it. I have gone with her for each session, and the usual guy takes about 10 minutes, whereas the other guy took honestly no more than 2 minutes to laser her. Each time the 'other' guy lasered her, the fading was very uneven and blotchy in comparison to when her 'normal' guy does it.

She wants to know is 16 sessions too much for a very simple tatt to be removed, and also will the fact that two of the sessions resulted in uneven fading increase the likelihood of scarring?

Very novice questions, I know, but I know nothing about removal because I've never wanted any removed myself. :pac:

In short its not an exact science they cant really tell before they start the removal process. I was told 3 or 4 should be enough to fade it for a cover up after ten people were suprised at how dark it still was and i went to a few different different places for laser removal for different reasons.

It doesnt really matter how small or intricate the tattoo is its all about how deep or how well the ink is in there the lasering works by making the tattoo pigment to break into smaller particles which in turns helps the bodys immune system to break them down further.


As for scarring it all depends its really a catch 22 to a certain extent you can set the laser to different strengths the lower the less likely it is to scar the higher it will remove it quicker but is also more likely to leave scarring.

I myself had ten sessions on a small piece and after ten it had only faded enough to be covered up was nowehere near being removed. It can take four to 8 weeks to be ready for another session quite like a tattoo it all depends on each individuals power of healing. Hope that helps im not to sure if the two uneven sessions will increase chances of scarring or not. It does leave the skin looking bleached when removed fully but the fairer your skin the better on this one and it does fade over time.

Esoteric_

Marty McFly wrote: »

In short its not an exact science they cant really tell before they start the removal process. I was told 3 or 4 should be enough to fade it for a cover up after ten people were suprised at how dark it still was and i went to a few different different places for laser removal for different reasons.

It doesnt really matter how small or intricate the tattoo is its all about how deep or how well the ink is in there the lasering works by making the tattoo pigment to break into smaller particles which in turns helps the bodys immune system to break them down further.


As for scarring it all depends its really a catch 22 to a certain extent you can set the laser to different strengths the lower the less likely it is to scar the higher it will remove it quicker but is also more likely to leave scarring.

I myself had ten sessions on a small piece and after ten it had only faded enough to be covered up was nowehere near being removed. It can take four to 8 weeks to be ready for another session quite like a tattoo it all depends on each individuals power of healing. Hope that helps im not to sure if the two uneven sessions will increase chances of scarring or not. It does leave the skin looking bleached when removed fully but the fairer your skin the better on this one and it does fade over time.

Cheers mate.

Since her third session, the laser has been used almost on top strength, and on full strength since her fifty session, so I'm surprised that it's not even lightened very much. Ah well. I'll pass this on. Thanks.

Marty McFly

LyndaMcL wrote: »

Cheers mate.

Since her third session, the laser has been used almost on top strength, and on full strength since her fifty session, so I'm surprised that it's not even lightened very much. Ah well. I'll pass this on. Thanks.

Your welcome .

Just for her own records its very hard to see how much its has faded to the naked eye as it slowly fades and the eye adjusts to seeing it that way without noticing the difference, tell her to take a pictue before and after its healed from each session she will see the results much more clearly that way.

Esoteric_

Marty McFly wrote: »

Your welcome .

Just for her own records its very hard to see how much its has faded to the naked eye as it slowly fades and the eye adjusts to seeing it that way without noticing the difference, tell her to take a pictue before and after its healed from each session she will see the results much more clearly that way.

That's what she's done, 'cause I told her to do that from day one, so she could see any progression. The only part that's faded a good bit is the red part, the rest honestly just looks like it needs a slight touch up. :pac:

Marty McFly

LyndaMcL wrote: »

That's what she's done, 'cause I told her to do that from day one, so she could see any progression. The only part that's faded a good bit is the red part, the rest honestly just looks like it needs a slight touch up. :pac:

Yeh it can be a long proccess and a real pain in the ass but it does work yeh just need a lot of patience . If shes really not happy with the results maybe try a different place for the laser removal or at least go for a chat with someone else.