Why are some tattoos easier to remove than others?

There are several key factors that determine why some tattoos are easier to remove than others. We’ll narrow in on the most important ones in hopes to shed light on such a popular question.

Age of tattoo:

In terms of removal success, tattoos age just like a fine wine, the older the better!

It’s true, generally the older the tattoo the better it responds to laser. Tattoo ink is a foreign object in the body, therefore our immune system is always attacking the ink trying to get rid of it. This is the reason our tattoos fade over time, meaning the older the tattoo the less ink there is in the skin compared to a freshly done tattoo.

A freshly done tattoo will hold a lot of ink in the skin as the immune system has not yet gone to work to remove it over time.

Colour of tattoo:

Believe it or not, black ink is one of the easiest colours to remove. This is because black is an absorbing colour in comparison to white or yellow for example which is reflective. It is important that the ink absorbs the laser light to heat up the ink pigment to the point that it shatters, then allowing the body to remove those shattered particles through its lymphatic system.

Multi-colour tattoos require more than 1 wavelength to treat. Each wavelength of laser will target different colours and different depths of ink in the skin. We utilise 4 different wavelengths, 1064, 532, 585 & 650nm providing effective results for both black and colour ink particles.

White also plays a big part in pastel & cosmetic ink pigments. These colours are always more difficult to remove, often requiring more treatments as they can oxidise (meaning they go darker first).

Density of ink:

The more ink that’s in the skin, the more laser treatments the tattoo is going to need!

The deeper and darker the ink is, the further the laser has to penetrate to then be able to shatter it for your body to remove. This is why fine line and grey wash shading responds to laser at record speed. The density of ink is shallow and not as compact in comparison to a traditional and heavy line tattoo that lies deeper in the skin.

Size of the tattoo:

Just like the density, if we have a bigger tattoo there is obviously going to be more ink for the body to remove than a smaller tattoo.

Larger tattoos can often need more treatments as there is more ink particles to be processed by your immune system. On occasions we also need to split larger tattoos into separate treatments so we don’t overload the immune system. There’s a lot of work going on under the skin, don’t forget we need to allow your body time to not only remove the ink but also heal the area as well.

Location of tattoo:

Location, location, location!

Circulation is an important key factor when it comes to laser. A tattoo that is closest to our core, chest, neck and head have a better response rate to a laser treatment. Blood tends to flow slower the further away we get from the core and those areas. Therefore, lower legs, feet, fingers, etc. have a slower response rate to laser.

Immune system:

A strong and supported immune system is your greatest ally when it comes to laser tattoo removal. A laser machines job is to break the ink particles down as small and as effective as possible. The more active your immune system, the easier the shattered ink particles are going to be carried away. Eating well, sleeping well and not having laser treatments while your body is compromised by fatigue, injury or illness will help your body achieve its best results.

Drinking plenty of water, light active exercise and sleeping well can also contribute to a faster immune response to the laser. It almost goes without saying, the healthier you are, the quicker your body is going to remove the ink.

Type of ink:

A lot of people may not be aware but there are 100’s of different types of professional and amateur inks. We can’t always tell what brand or type of ink has been used in the tattoo and this can have a varied effect on how quickly it will respond.

Most standard tattoo ink colours are derived from heavy metals including carbon, titanium dioxide, iron oxide, lead, cobalt-nickel, chromium, and arsenic. Some of these metals are harder to break up with the laser than others and can require more treatments.

Time:

Patience is your best friend when it comes to tattoo removal. The LONGER you leave in between your laser appointments, the more results you will achieve. Your body will continue to process and remove the shattered ink particles for many weeks, months and even years.

While it’s not in everyone’s best interest to wait years between treatments, we can still maximise results leaving a few extra weeks between those treatments and allowing the body to remove more ink.

Want to know more?

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