How Soon Can You Tattoo Over Laser Removal
Once the tattoo removal process is completed, its best to wait at least 6 weeks before getting a new tattoo on the treated area. Many artists will suggest waiting 6 months before receiving the cover up. This allows the body time between removal sessions to ensure that the immune system has slowed down and the new tattoo will not be removed along with the old ink.
Many people cover their old work, why not give it the best possible outcome? Check out our cover up page and learn more about cover up tattoos by tattoo artists that we partner with.
How Much Time Does Fading Take
As stated above, the complete disappearance of the ink is a long process and is spread over months. The number of sessions is dependent on the specific tattoo you are carrying. Usually, it takes somewhere close to six to twelve sessions for complete fading.
You will start observing changes from the first session itself. Do not get disturbed by the white frosting during the first sitting which is a natural reaction of the body to heal the area. One thing you need to bear in mind is that the entire art form will not fade in a consistent manner.
Some parts may disappear early and others may take time due to the colour of the ink. Black ink will get removed easily while yellow and green will take some more effort. To ensure a speedy recovery, you need to boost your immune system by eating healthy and exercising regularly after a few days of the session. You must also avoid smoking, tanning and shaving during the after-care period.
Answer: Enlighten For Tattoo Removal
Hello and thank you for your question!Our practice uses and recommends Enlighten, as it is the most advanced laser tattoo removal system in the market. This laser uses two different pulse speeds, Picosecond and Nanosecond, which allows our medical providers to tailor the treatment to each individual. It also uses two wavelengths in order to more effectively remove different colored ink from a single tattoo. EnlightenTM uses the most advanced technology. Therefore, it creates optimal results in fewer treatments than older variations of laser tattoo removal, such as Q-Switched technology. In addition, EnlightenTM is safe for all skin tones. The number of treatments required depends on the amount of ink used, how deep the ink is, color used, and size of the tattoo. For patients who are looking to only lighten their tattoo for future cover-up, 3-4 treatments are usually enough for the tattoo artist to work with. These treatments should be done 10-12 weeks apart from each other.If this is something you would be interested in, research trained professionals in your area that use EnlightenTM and set up a consultation to determine if you will be a good fit and to discuss a treatment plan for your specific case.Hope this helps!
You May Like: Tattoo Removal Grand Rapids Mi
Can You Have Part Of A Tattoo Removed And Redone
I have a tattoo on my forearm of two roses and a bit of mandala and I am really unhappy with the shape of one of the roses. I’m wondering if I could have it removed with laser and then tattoo another better rose in its place. Its the top rose and rose bud I would like removing I really don’t like this part of it but I do like the rest of the tattoo! Any advice is appreciated, thank you!
Are There Any Alternatives To Laser Tattoo Removal
If you have a small tattoo, having it surgically removed is an option.
Some doctors are using ablative fractional resurfacing either alone or combined with a Q-switched or picosecond laser. Sometimes the ablative fractional laser is used to treat the fibrosis that can develop after multiple treatments on a hard-to-treat tattoo. What’s fibrosis? I’m glad you asked. I had to look it up myself! It’s the result of a skin injury from repeated chemical exposure or trauma . There’s an increase of fibrous connective tissues in the skin accompanied by chronic inflammation.
There’s also a new kind of tattoo removal called trans epidermal pigment release where the ink is removed through your skin – but some people are getting scars from it. Read our post, A New Type of Tattoo Removal – Safer Than Lasers to learn more.
Read Also: Good Tattoo Shops In San Diego
Can You Get A Tattoo After Laser Tattoo Removal
Can you get a new tattoo after laser tattoo removal?
Can you get a new tattoo over a removed one?
Can you get a new tattoo over an old one?
The short answer is yes, but with caution.
While it may seem redundant to ink a body area that was once occupied with a different design, some people find that placement suitable, and a traditional cover-up design would sacrifice the style or concept of the new tattoo piece. In this case, out with the old and in with the new may suffice, and the road of action may very well start in a laser tattoo removal specialists chair.
My Personal Laser Tattoo Removal Experience
In July of 2014, I made an appointment to get the tattoo I had been conceptualizing for months: a lotus flower connected to a cross . While I pursued Religious Studies as a minor in my undergraduate career, I came to learn about different world faiths only to reaffirm my personal belief in Christianity. In this reaffirmation, I identified I was a “Buddhist sympathizer,” otherwise known as an individual who does not subscribe to or practice Buddhism but appreciates and incorporates aspects of Buddhist teachings into their life. Because of this experience, I came to identify with the imagery and meaning of a cross integrated into a lotus flower.
With that symbol in my head, I stopped by a tattoo shop in Atlanta, GA where the artist drew a beautiful version of the symbol as a tattoo. However, I declined to put the art on my body because the size was larger than I wanted and we could not come to an agreement on a smaller, less detailed version. A week later, I made an appointment at a shop where I had had other tattoos done. The artist there drew something much closer to my original vision, although it was still larger than I wanted. I was confident I wanted a small, simple outline, but decided to take the artist’s advice that going too small would detract from the art. I signed the paperwork and agreed to get the tattoo done.
As soon as I got my tattoo, I knew it was a mistake.
You May Like: How Much Does Tattoo Removal Usually Cost
Is It Possible To Just Get Laser Tattoo Removal On A Certain Part Of Tattoo
As in can u get a small part of a tattoo removed while the rest of the tattoo remains unharmed or at least won’t get ruin? Example.. the date under the roses is still visible after a cover up and I was wondering if I can just laser the numbers and then just get the tattoo redone after it completely heals
Answer: Can I Have Just A Portion Of A Tattoo Removed
Hello, thank you for your question and for including photos. The way a laser rids the skin of unwanted ink is, it shatters the ink into tiny particles and the body absorbs those particles. The latest technology in laser tattoo removal is the pico-second technology. The PicoWay Laser uses photoacoustic impact/pressure waves rather than photothermal/heat. This process has less heat, therefore it is more comfortable and the chances of hyperpigmentation are less. The Pico-second pulse shatters the ink into even smaller particles, allowing the body to more easily absorb the ink. This type of device can usually remove unwanted ink in about half as many treatments as the traditional Q-switch device.Just a portion of the tattoo can be removed, it is not possible to secure an exact strait line with the laser energy, there may be some bleeding outside of lines. Do keep in mind that it will still take multiple treatments and it may take 6-mo to a year to resolve the ink. At our practice we only treat once each 8 weeks or longer. It takes time for your body to absorb the ink, rushing this process does not increase the removal process. You will have to have patience.You can click on the weblink below and put in your zip code to find a provider of this technology in your area.Good Luck!
Also Check: Tattoo Fade Cream Before And After
Answer: Tattoo Removal Of A Cover Up
It is absolutely possible to remove a certain part of a tattoo. Many people undergo laser tattoo removal to lighten a pre-existing tattoo prior to a cover up. In your case, targeting the areas where there is ink from both the roses and the date,would result in the need to touch up the rose design. I recommend a consultation with your tattoo artist in conjunction with a laser tattoo removal specialist.
Advancements In Laser Technology
One of the most important things to know about tattooing over a removed tattoo is that it is possible thanks to advancements in laser technology. While in the past, the methods that were available were too aggressive to allow for a coverup, in recent years, the technology has only been getting better and better.
Unfortunately, in the past, laser tattoo removal could get rid of ink, but it often left skin vulnerable to scarring and damage, effectively giving tattoo artists not much of a canvas to work with. Thankfully, thats not the case today!
At MEDermis, we use the Spectra Pico Plus laser tattoo removal system, which has allowed us to reduce the number of sessions needed , minimizes discomfort for clients, and works particularly well on stubborn green and blue ink colors. We consider the Spectra Pico laser system to be the Gold Standard in tattoo removal lasers.
Also Check: Eating Disorder Recovery Symbol Tattoo
Can You Remove A Tattoo From Anywhere
Almost any part of the body can be tattooed. You probably are well aware of this fact by now. Perhaps you have a tattoo in an unusual part of your body, and you are curious as to whether or not that particular tattoo can be safely extracted from your skins natural pigmentation.
The good news is that a tattoo can be removed from anywhere that a tattoo can be placed. This doesnt mean that the process will always be as quick and easy, though. Depending on the placement of the tattoo, you may find that additional sessions will be required before you notice the results you are looking for.
Getting A New Tattoo After Laser Treatment
It is possible to have a new tattoo in the same area after an old one is removed. However, Dr. Lynch advises patients to wait at least six weeks after their final session. This is because your skin needs time to heal from laser treatment completely. Patients who do not wait may have unwanted side effects, such as blistering or an infection. Even though the laser tattoo removal healing process does take time, we promise the results are worth it.
Also Check: Chances Of Getting Aids From Tattoo
What Else Affects Tattoo Removal
We have already discussed how the removal of a tattoo is affected by its placement on the body, mostly due to the bodys circulation. There are other factors involved in how easily a tattoo is removed, however, and these are just as important when considering the process. These will all play a secondary role in determining how long your laser removal takes and how many sessions will be necessary.
What Will My Skin Look Like After A Laser Treatment
If youve come to this point, you may have also seen the frosting effect often associated with the tattoo removal process. The whitening that presents is a good indication of a perfect endpoint most laser practitioners seek.
The ideal clinical endpoint for the tattoo treatment is an immediate slight whitening or frosting of the skin, however. This response subsides immediately after the treatment is complete.
Rest assured, this whitening doesnt lastquite often its gone within 10-15 minutes after a treatment. There are several visible signs associated with the result of a tattoo removal session reddening, mild swelling, and tiny hemoglobin, pin-point bleeding.
We provide clients with a full-set of aftercare instructions that outline how to keep your freshly treated tattoo clean and moist.
Read Also: Is Vaseline Cocoa Butter Lotion Good For Tattoos
Pain Management During Treatment
Laser tattoo removal is painful many patients say it is worse than getting the tattoo. The pain is often described to be similar to that of hot oil on the skin, or a snap from an elastic band. Depending on the patients pain threshold, and while some patients may forgo anesthesia altogether, most patients will require some form of local anesthesia. Pre-treatment might include the application of an anesthetic cream under occlusion for 45 to 90 minutes or cooling by ice or cold air prior to the laser treatment session. A better method is complete anesthesia which can be administered locally by injections of 1% to 2% lidocaine with epinephrine.
A technique which helps to reduce the pain sensation felt by patients has been described by MJ Murphy. He used a standard microscope glass slide pressed against the tattooed skin and fired the laser through the glass. This technique may represent a simplest and effective method to reduce the pain sensation when treating small tattoos.
You May Like: Best Tattoo Shops In Jacksonville Fl
The Moment Of Uncertainty
I realized too late that the placement on my wrist was not to my liking. Since I had not thought to lift my arm vertically when I had looked at the stencil design in the mirror, I did not realize my tattoo would go crooked with the twist of my wrist. I tried to convince myself I was happy with the tattoo, but with each minute that passed, I recognized another reason I was not 100% certain I wanted my new ink.
The day after I got the tattoo I was already looking up safe and recommended methods for removal. Three days later, I called Dr. Tattoff, a shop in Atlanta, to ask how long I would have to wait to start the removal process. The first question the Tattoff employee asked was how long I had had the tattoo, to which I replied, Three days.
Oh no, what have you done? she asked, half laughing.
I am sure there are people who think I did not contemplate my wrist tattoo thoroughly. The truth is I did, for months. It was not until it was on my body and I was living with a visible black wrist tattoo that I realized I preferred my tattoos subtle and easily concealed. I have three other tattoos that people rarely see, even though they are in plain sight. I was disappointed I wanted to remove the tattoo, but more importantly, I knew if I was not 100% happy with the art piece, I had to do something. If I found myself wanting to cover it, why wouldnt I change it?
Before Tattoo Removal
Recommended Reading: Female Tattoo Artist San Antonio
What Effective Options Are Available To Remove A Tattoo
The most effective way to remove a tattoo is through laser treatments. Lasers directly target the pigment in tattoo ink with minimal damage to the surrounding skin. Several types of providers or businesses offer laser treatments, including:
You may want to consider going to a dermatologist for your laser treatments, especially if you have an underlying medical condition. A healthcare provider can help you understand your risks and benefits as well as what you can expect from laser treatments.
Other tattoo removal options are available on the market, such as creams and at-home kits. Keep in mind any do-it-yourself tattoo removal product or technique removes layers of skin and has a higher risk of infection. These methods are also unlikely to work and can permanently damage your skin.
Before Attempting To Do Anything To Your Tattoo Wait For It To Properly Heal
Even if you immediately dislike a brand-new tattoo’s design, it’s important to follow proper tattoo aftercare and let the entire area heal before making any sort of alterations.
“I’ve met a lot of people who are unhappy about their tattoos and wanted to cover up immediately after getting it done but the thing is you should wait at least four to six weeks for it to heal,” said Yesilbas.
Also Check: Laser Tattoo Removal Stick And Poke
How Tattoo Removal Can Help The Cover Ups Improve Their Tattoo Transformations
Tattoo removal can aid in covering up tattoos. How you might ask? By fading the old ink, it gives the tattoo artist more canvas opportunities to cover up the tattoo. For anyone who has seen the show, you know that there were some tattoos like the mandala on the back of Mayas neck and the dragon on Anyas thigh that were still visible after the cover up. Other tattoos on the show, such as Stanleys numeral letters were still visible through the blastover due to scarring from the original tattoo. If these clients had faded their tattoos first, their cover ups would have been in a better position for the tattoo artist to work with.
For example, client Arthur had the name Esmerelda on his upper arm that was faded. That allowed the tattoo artist more room and opportunity to create the badass cow skull and owl eye cover up. If the initial tattoo was more saturated, tattoo artist Miryam Lumpini would have had to work around the name, but because it was so faded, she was able to give Arthur a great tattoo.
Another reason why fading the initial tattoo is ideal for cover ups is because you wont have to make the cover up twice the size of the original tattoo. For example, one of the clients had a goat tattoo around her belly button, and the cover up was beautiful, but the butterfly took up the majority of her stomach.