If you’re considering laser tattoo removal, chances are you don’t just want your tattoo to look a little lighter.
You want to know: Is it possible to 100% remove a tattoo?
The answer: Sometimes, yes. But no reputable laser provider should promise that every tattoo can be completely removed.
Laser tattoo removal has come a very long way, particularly with advanced technology like the PicoWay® laser we use at DAELA Cosmetic Tattoo in Portland and DAELA Cosmetic Tattoo in Scottsdale. However, tattoos are created using different inks, colors, depths, techniques, and levels of saturation. Add in the fact that every person’s skin and immune response are different, and you’ll understand why two seemingly similar tattoos can have very different removal journeys.
Let’s talk about what actually determines how completely a tattoo can be removed.
Can Laser Tattoo Removal Completely Remove a Tattoo?
Complete tattoo removal is possible, but individual results vary because laser tattoo removal works by delivering energy to tattoo pigment, breaking it into much smaller particles. Your body then gradually clears those particles over time. This is important to understand because the laser doesn’t simply erase the tattoo like an eraser on paper. Laser technology and your technician do part of the work, but your body does the rest!
Learn more about the cost of laser tattoo removal in this article.
Progress after 1 removal session
What Determines Whether a Tattoo Can Be 100% Removed?
There isn’t one thing that determines whether a tattoo will completely disappear. The laser matters, of course, but so do the tattoo itself, your skin and the way your body clears the ink.
-
Ink Color
Different tattoo pigments respond differently to laser wavelengths. Black ink has traditionally been one of the most responsive colors to laser treatment, while a multicolored tattoo can be more complex.
One of the reasons DAELA uses PicoWay is its ability to target a broad range of tattoo ink colors. Some lasers don’t target all ink colors. make sure you ask this question when pricing tattoo removal!
-
How Much Ink Is in the Skin
A lightly applied tattoo and a deeply saturated professional tattoo are two very different projects.
If a tattoo artist repeatedly packed pigment into an area to create a dense, solid result, there is simply more pigment for the laser and your body to work through.
-
Tattoo Depth
Tattoo ink doesn’t always sit at exactly the same depth. The way the original tattoo was applied can influence how it responds to removal.
-
The Age of the Tattoo
Older tattoos have often already experienced some natural fading, while newer tattoos may contain more concentrated pigment. Age alone doesn’t determine whether a tattoo will disappear, but it’s one of several characteristics we consider.
-
Your Skin and Your Body
Laser tattoo removal is not only about the tattoo.
Your body’s immune system plays an essential role in clearing the fragmented pigment after each treatment. Healing response varies from person to person, which is another reason we can’t accurately guarantee the exact number of sessions you’ll need.
-
The Laser Technician & the Business
It’s important to ask if the laser technicians at the business you choose are trained and able to make machine setting decisions based on the individual client. Many chain tattoo removal operations restrict their laser technicians to common settings, like a one size fits all. This is not a bad thing, but because they don’t allow technicians to make educated and experienced decisions, the client may be being under treated, leading to more sessions. You may have the same end result-but it might take longer to get there. At DAELA our technicians are highly skilled and work under doctor supervision. They are able to determine the best treatment protocol for you, your skin, your tattoo.
How Many Laser Sessions Does It Take to Completely Remove a Tattoo?
There is no universal number. At DAELA, we see an extremely wide range, with approximately 3 to 12 or more sessions possible depending on the tattoo and the desired level of removal.
A small, simple tattoo may respond relatively quickly. A large, densely saturated, multicolored tattoo may require significantly more time.
This is also why we don’t sell you a predetermined number of treatments or promise that your tattoo will be gone after a specific number of sessions.
We treat. We assess. We allow your skin to heal. Then we determine the next step.
What If My Tattoo Can’t Be Completely Removed?
Here’s the good news: 100% removal isn’t the only successful outcome.
Many of our clients don’t actually need every last trace of pigment removed.
Some people are removing a tattoo because they want a new tattoo in its place. In that situation, significant fading may give their tattoo artist the flexibility needed to create a successful cover-up.
We also work with clients removing or lightening old permanent makeup. An outdated eyebrow tattoo, for example, may not need to completely disappear before beautiful new brows can be created. Sometimes strategic fading is exactly what’s needed to give the next artist a better canvas.
Your goal determines what “successful tattoo removal” looks like.
Can All Tattoo Colors Be Removed?
PicoWay is designed to treat a broad range of tattoo colors and skin types, which is one of the reasons we’ve chosen this technology for DAELA.
That doesn’t mean every pigment will disappear at exactly the same speed or respond identically.
A tattoo can contain several pigments, even when it appears to be one color to the naked eye. As removal progresses, different underlying colors can sometimes become more apparent.
This is why tattoo removal should be viewed as a process rather than a single procedure with a guaranteed endpoint.
Will Laser Tattoo Removal Leave a Scar?
This is another question we hear frequently.
Modern laser tattoo removal is designed to target tattoo pigment while minimizing damage to surrounding tissue. PicoWay uses ultra-short pulses of energy, which is one reason it has become an important technology for tattoo removal.
However, your starting skin matters too. Some tattoos already have texture or scar tissue from the original tattooing process.
At DAELA, we can also alternate certain tattoo removal treatments with microneedling when improving texture and scarring is part of the overall goal.
The safest approach is always to evaluate the tattoo and the skin together rather than treating pigment in isolation.
How Long Should I Wait Before Removing a New Tattoo?
If you’re already regretting a brand-new tattoo, we know waiting isn’t what you want to hear. But your skin needs to heal first.
At DAELA, tattoos must be healed for at least 12 weeks before laser tattoo removal. Trying to rush into removal before the tissue has adequately healed isn’t worth compromising the health of your skin.
Even when you’re eager to get rid of the tattoo, protecting your skin comes first.
So, Can My Tattoo Be Completely Removed?
Possibly, and with today’s laser technology, some tattoos can achieve remarkable levels of clearance.
No two tattoos are identical or clear pigment exactly the same way. And no ethical provider can look at every tattoo and guarantee 100% removal in a predetermined number of sessions.
What we can do is evaluate your tattoo, understand your goal, use advanced PicoWay laser technology, monitor how your pigment responds, and work toward the best possible outcome for your skin.
Maybe your goal is complete removal, maybe it’s enough fading for a beautiful cover-up, or maybe you’re simply ready to say goodbye to something that no longer feels like you.
Whatever your reason, tattoo removal isn’t about regretting the past. Sometimes it’s simply about deciding what you want next.
