the Laser Treatment Clinic | Tattoo Removal

The art of tattooing dates back to prehistoric times. As many as 20 million adults around the world, have tattoos. This number is constantly growing due to the increasing popularity of decorative tattooing among the younger generation. However, many come to regret their decision, and seek to remove them.

Leading plastic surgeons and dermatologists regard Laser as the superior method for the safe removal of amateur and professional tattoos. Laser can safely and highly effectively remove your tattoo. Whether it a single or multi colored tattoo.

The Science

Tattoos are of two main types: the Indian ink amateur tattoo or the multi-coloured, professional tattoo. Single-colour tattoos usually respond best to laser tattoo removal.

Multi-coloured, professional tattoos are much more difficult to eradicate completely. Black, blue and red colours in the tattoo are not unduly difficult to remove, but green, yellow and purple pigment can be particularly troublesome.

Cosmetic Tattoo’s used as semi-permanent make-up can also be treated. These would be areas such as Lip liner, Eye Brows, Beauty spots etc.
Tattoo ink particles are in their normal state, are too large for the body’s immune system to remove naturally. The tattoo ink is broken into smaller particles, which the body is able to remove. The laser energy breaks up the ink particles into very tiny fragments. These fragments are taken up by the scavenger cells in the skin (the macrophages), and carried away from the tattoo site, resulting in less tattoo pigment and a gradual disappearance of the tattoo. Indian ink tattoos may respond to as few as 6 tattoo removal treatments, but usually require 12 treatments for them to resolve.

Occasionally, however, the tattoo will not resolve completely, even with the best laser technology, and a little 'ghosting' of pigment remains. The reason for this resistance to laser treatment is not known, but it may be that the ink is lying too deeply for the laser light to reach.

Whilst the Indian ink and red areas in a tattoo may disappear after 6-12 treatments, the other colours may need considerably more tattoo removal treatments. Indeed, sometimes the green pigment will not disappear at all, despite the use of the most advanced laser technology. The scientific reason for this failure to respond is not known, but fortunately it is not common.

The Treatment

The Laser is gently applied to the skin and the pulses of light are applied. The tattoo laser is in contact with the skin for literally billionths of a second.
Tattoo removal treatment usually produces an immediate whitening/grey abraded appearance to the tissue surface of the skin. This is due to the release of microscopic steam bubbles in your skin. This change usually lasts no more than a few minutes before it disappears.

Occasionally there may be a little pinpoint bleeding. Usually all this requires, as far as management is concerned, is a simple Jelonet (Paraffin Jelly) dry dressing following the procedure, keeping the treated area hygienically clean and dry.

Once the whitening of the treated area disappears, it is not unusual for swelling and erythema and the skin becoming quite red and appearing inflamed, this may last for several hours. There may also be temporary pigment alterations. Any discomfort is minimal, and may be minimised if the area is treated with an ice pack. Aloe vera gel is beneficial in reducing inflammation caused by the laser tattoo removal treatment.

It is important, to make sure that the areas of your tattoo that have been treated are not exposed to strong ultraviolet light or sunshine after the procedure. We recommend the use of SPF 40+ sun protection cream, available at the clinic.