Tattoos are a popular method of body art, and there are an estimated 20-30 million tattooed individuals in the world. The reason(s) for procuring a tattoo often change over time, leaving the tattoo as unwanted permanent reminder of these feelings. Approximately 50% of those who get tattoos regret all or part of their tattoos and want to have them removed.
In the last decade, tattoo removal has been revolutionised by q-switched laser treatments. Q-switched lasers are highly attracted to tattoo ink and minimally attracted to the skin. This selectivity of q-switched lasers towards tattoo inks means that they are able to remove or fade tattoos whilst minimising the chance of damage to the skin or scarring. Q-switched lasers work by breaking up the tattoo ink into smaller particles that the body can digest and remove. Their extremely high energy short pulses (around 1 billionth of a second) mean that there is minimal heat energy transferred to the skin, again this minimises skin damage. Although q-switched laser treatments require several sessions to successfully remove or fade a tattoo, it has the greatest chance of returning your skin to its pre-tattoed state in relation to the other now antiquated methods of tattoo removal. Q-swtiched lasers allow you to completely remove the tattoo, or just fade it so the area can be tattooed over.
At The Victorian Cosmetic Institute, we have two different q-switched lasers, the Medlite laser and the Sinon Ruby laser, producing a total of three different wavelengths. Each different wavelength is preferentially attracted to different tattoo colours. With three wavelengths to choose from, this maximises the chance of removal for all tattoo colours on all skin types.
Q-switched lasers such as the Medlite Nd:YAG laser and the Sinon Ruby laser are suited to tattoo removal due to their extremely short pulse duration and high power. This property allows q-switch lasers to literally shatter and disrupt the tattoo pigment allowing the immune system to eliminate them from the body.
The Medlite Laser produces two different wavelengths that allows it to successfully treat different tattoo pigments on different skin types. Each wavelength is attracted to a different range of colours. For example, the 532nm wavelength is attracted to red and orange, whilst the 1064nm is attracted to black in particular, but can treat most other colours as well. The 1064nm is particularly suited to darker skin types, as it is not very attracted to the melanin in the skin in comparison to the black tattoo pigments.
The Sinon Ruby laser is attracted in particular to green, black and dark blue pigments. The ruby laser is really the only laser that can properly treat green pigment. The Medlite Nd:YAG laser's 532nm and 1064nm do not effectively treat green.
White tattoos are hard to remove as it tends to reflect the laser light. Furthermore, white coloured tattoos as well as skin coloured tattoos tend to change colour with laser treatment and may become darker.
Figure: This diagram illustrates the relative absorption of the various laser wavelengths used
The Medlite laser's 532nm wavelength is attracted to red, orange and purple in particular.
The Medlite's 1064nm is used for black and can also treat most colours except green/red.
Most tattoos can be treated. Both amateur and professional tattoos are treatable, however, professional tattoos require more treatments to achieve similar results. All colours can be treated, however, some may be difficult and require more treatments and have a lower chance of complete removal. White, skin coloured tattoos, and fluorescent colours can also be difficult to remove. Tattoos can be removed from all skin types, but the darker the skin, the less contrast there is between the colour of the skin and the tattoo, which makes it more difficult to remove without damage to the skin.
Cosmetic tattoos or 'permanent make-up' can be removed. Tattooed eyebrows, eyeliner, and lip liner can be removed. With the eye area, particular care is taken by our doctors to ensure that there is no eye damage, and you may be required to wear eye shields that sit on the cornea for the removal of permanent eyeliner tattoos. The frequency used to remove these pigments can also remove hair temporarily and this can be a problem when removing eyeliner (eyelashes are temporarily removed), and eyebrow tattoos. Furthermore, with cosmetic tattoos, they can tend to shift in colour e.g a pink lip liner tattoo may become black which may be difficult to remove subsequently. Therefore, test patching on a small area is usually required first.
Finally, traumatic tattoos, or those caused by dirt or debris being embedded in the skin, e.g after motorbike accidents, can also be removed in the same manner as conventional tattoos.
How many treatments will I need?
Generally several treatments are required for tattoo removal. Multi-coloured and professional tattoos are generally harder to remove than single coloured or amateur tattoos and required more treatments. For complete removal professional tattoos usually require more than 10 treatments, and amateur tattoos more than 4 as a rule. To fade a tattoo (e.g for tattooing over with a new design), fewer sessions are required.
It is impossible to accurately predict the number of sessions required to remove or fade your tattoo. This is due to the fact that the type of ink (the constituents of the ink) used is usually unknown to the doctor, patient and even the tattoo artist.
Treatments are generally performed at a minimum of 6 to 8 weeks apart. This allows the body time to remove the ink particles that have been broken down by the laser.
Will the tattoo be completely gone?
100% removal of the tattoo pigment is not always possible. Amateur tattoos require fewer treatments for resolution than professional tattoos. With professional tattoos, even after 10 treatments, approximately 50% of professional tattoos will only have faded by 50%.
Patience is required, as sometimes fading does not occur until several sessions have been undertaken.
It is also possible for the tattoo to change colour during the treatment -especially white or skin tone tattoo pigments, which tend to turn black. If it changes to a colour that is unfavourable for laser treatment, this can make it more difficult to remove.
What is involved in laser tattoo removal? Will it hurt?
Firstly, a consultation is required with one of our doctors. They will discuss with you the pros and cons of laser tattoo removal. Should you decide to go ahead, you will be given some topical anaesthetic cream. Most of the time this can be applied by yourself at home. Glad wrap is used to cover the area to be treated after application of the anaesthetic cream. In most cases, anaesthetic injections are given over the area to be treated. Because these are given after the anaesthetic cream, the injections are not painful. When topical anaesthesia (cream) and local anaesthetic injections are used, the procedure is virtually painless. We also have nitrous oxide or 'laughing gas' as an option for those who want further analgesia fro the procedure.
Laser tattoo removal without the above anaesthesia is extremely painful.
Once the area to be treated has been anaesthetised properly, the laser can then be fired over the tattoo without discomfort (see video below).
What will my skin look like after treatment?
The tattoo may appear slightly raised and frosted (white) in appearance immediately after the laser treatment. There may be surrounding skin redness, and there may be some pinpoint bleeding. An antibiotic cream will be applied along with a non-stick dressing after the treatment. This should be worn for 24 hours and the area kept dry. You should not pick at any scabs formed by the treatment, and keep the treated area out of direct sunlight and apply sunscreen if exposed to sunlight.
It usually takes 1 to 3 weeks to heal (on average, but sometimes more) after laser tattoo removal, and the treated skin may appear like a wound/scab during this time.
Will I scar?
As with any laser treatment, scarring is a very small possibility. The laser is attracted primarily to the tattoo pigment, and hence damage and scarring to the normal skin is limited. At times, a flattened scar may be more socially acceptable than a tattoo as there is usually an excuse for it - e.g an accident.
More commonly there are some textural changes to the skin. You may find that there is a slight difference in colour (lighter) of the treated areas to adjacent skin. The likelihood of this occurring increases with an increased number of treatments. Loss of pigmentation is a common occurence post laser tattoo removal (ie the area of skin appears whiter than the rest), and this can be temporary (2-6 months) or permanent.
Video : Laser tattoo removal performed with the Medlite laser. This treatment was performed by a physician in the US. The process of laser tattoo removal is the same at The Victorian Cosmetic Institute, except instead of a Zimmer air cooler (tube blowing cold air) being used for pain relief, local anaesthetic cream and injections are applied prior to the procedure, which reduces discomfort more significantly than the air cooler pictured here. The frosting that appears after the laser disappears after a day, and then scabs usually form for a few days before the skin returns to normal. Tattoo lightening can take up to two months to occur.
Can I tattoo a new design over the same area once the tattoo has been removed?
Yes, it is possible to have the same area re-tattooed if you wish once the original tattoo has been removed. The area will need to heal completely before this can be done.
Laser tattoo removal can be used to fade or remove a tattoo prior to having it tattooed over.
Can I remove a tattoo that has just been applied?
Yes, it is possible to remove tattoos that have just been applied. This is relevant for tattoos that have been wrongly applied, or for those who are immediately dissatisfied with their tattoo.
How much will it cost?
Tattoo removal begins at $225 per treatment session for a tattoo with a surface area of 25cm squared or 5cm X 5cm (slightly larger than a matchbox).
An indication (only) of the approximate prices are listed below. Prices are per session, and the number of sessions required cannot be predicted in advance.
$225 for < 5cm X 5cm/25 square cms
$300 for <10cm X 10cm/100 square cms
$400 for <15cm X 15cm/225 square cms
$600 for <20cm X 20cm/400 square cms
$800 for <25cm X 25cm/625 square cms
For tattoos larger than this, price is on application
There is a 10% loading for 2 colours and and 20% loading for 3 or more colours.
If the tattoo is not square, it will be priced according to the total square centimetres.
Why should I choose The Victorian Cosmetic Institute as my provider of laser tattoo removal?
At The Victorian Cosmetic Institute, we use the latest laser technology to perform your treatment. The Medlite laser and the Sinon Ruby laser are extremely effective means of removing unwanted tattoos. By having two lasers with three different wavelengths, we are able to maximise your chance of removing your tattoo safely.
Our doctors are also highly experienced in laser treatments, and will be able to give you the best advice for your treatment.
The first step is simply contacting us for your initial laser skin rejuvenation consultation, where we will discuss with you what is a realistic and achievable outcome, and what to expect from your laser treatment.
Making that first phone call about any cosmetic procedure can be a confronting task - many of our patients have preferred filling out our online enquiry form. We can then contact you with an understanding of the results you are hopeful of achieving and ensure the treatment is appropriate.
It's as easy as clicking either of the buttons below and completing the provided form.
Otherwise, you can phone us directly on (03) 8850 0655 (Templestowe) or (03) 9707 0888 (Berwick).
