Does tattoo removal hurt? It can, but there’s good news

We answer all your questions

Patients visit our Sydney laser clinic wanting to remove tattoos for many reasons. These can vary from correcting an error by the artist, removing a name when a relationship ends or removing body art that no longer reflects their lifestyle. Many want to fade a tattoo so they can get another as a cover-up.

Whatever their reasons for wanting a tattoo removed, most have questions for us. We welcome these as we view educating our patients about the process as an important part of our role as tattoo removers. Some are seeking reassurance, and of course, we are keen to provide this, too.

One question is whether removing tattoos by laser hurts. Yes, it can do, in the form of a stinging pain – but as you will note from the answer below, we know how to minimise it. Here are some other common questions:

How does tattoo removal by laser work?

Removing tattoos by using lasers is a cosmetic procedure – this means no surgery! One of our team will remove an unwanted “tat” from any area of your body during a series of laser treatments (we call these sessions). We do this by directing pulses of highly focused light energy at the ink and breaking it into microscopic pieces. Then it is over to the body's immune system, which gets to work and removes the shattered particles. The result? Your tattoo will fade.

Does tattoo removal work in all cases? What affects the process?

Complete removal depends on a number of considerations, such as the age and the colour of the tattoo, plus its size and location, how applied and the type of ink used. Other factors are your health and your ability to heal. Newer tattoos are more difficult to erase.

Can any tattoo be removed?

Realistically, not every tattoo can be removed completely. Tattoos are meant to be permanent, and with modern ink technologies and advances in tattooing skills, body art is now even harder to remove. However, laser technology is improving rapidly. As we at True Skin make a point of keeping up with the changes, we are confident we can help you remove tattoos in most cases.

Does the treatment hurt?

Unfortunately, tattoos are uncomfortable when inked on the skin and they are just as uncomfortable to remove. At True Skin, we can minimise any discomfort by applying an anaesthetic ointment on the site or by injecting a local anaesthetic. We can also use a cooling machine to reduce the sting of the laser treatment.

How long does the treatment take?

Treatment times vary considerably from 10 minutes for a small square roughly 2 centimetres by 2 centimetres to 30 minutes or longer for larger tattoos, such as a full-arm sleeve.

How many laser sessions will you need?

For most tattoos, five to 10 sessions. However, some might need more than 10. The number depends on the type of tattoo being removed and factors such as the density, depth, the type and colours of the ink and its location. Sessions should be eight weeks apart.

How much does tattoo removal cost?

Pricing depends on the size of your unwanted tattoo and the number of colours. You will find a rough guide to our pricing on our Laser Tattoo Removal page (actually, for a rough guide, it is surprising detailed).

Would you like to know more?

We are keen to answer all your questions. Just call us during business hours or email us at enquiries@trueskin.com.au.