Lser tattoo and eyebrows removal

Laser tattoo and

eyebrows removal.

How does tattoo removal work?

To remove the tattoo your skin is subjected to concentrated pulses of high-powered laser light. These pass safely through the skin and are absorbed by the tattoo ink particles, shattering them into sufficiently small pieces for your natural immune defences to absorb and disperse the ink.A gradual fading of the tattoo occurs over a series of treatments.

Do I need to have a patch test?

Yes, patch tests are carried out to determine the treatment parameters and to judge how your skin and the tattoo might react to a full treatment. During a patch test a small area of your tattoo will be treated, and this allows us to assess how well the light energy is being absorbed and whether the skin and tattoo pigment will respond as expected.

It is important to note that we are not able to perform any laser treatments on the tattoo if you have had any sun exposure on the tattoo in the last 4-weeks. This includes real tan, sun beds and fake tan.

Please see an example of a patch test treatment on the picutre below.

Laser Tattoo Removal.

The speed of removal and number of sessions required to reduce

your tattoo will depend upon a variety of factors such as how old the

tattoo is, what colour it is, how deep it is within the skin, how skilled

the tattoo artist was, what pigment was used, how healthy you are,

where the tattoo is located on the body, how tanned you are, etc.

We cannot guarantee full removal of a tattoo.

It is important to understand that the results from this treatment

vary considerably and a small percentage of people will not respond

satisfactorily to treatment. Multiple treatments are necessary and

there is no guarantee of permanent results – maintenance visits may

be necessary.

It is very important to avoid sun exposure on the treated area for the

duration of the treatment and for up to 1 month following treatment,

and you must use a high sun protection factor to avoid sun damage.

Tanned skin cannot be treated.

There may be short term side effects such as reddening, bruising, swelling, mild burning or blistering, hypo-pigmentation, hyper-pigmentation, as well as rarer side effects such as scarring and permanent discoloration. It is also important to understand that the original tattoo may have caused scarring that may become apparent as the tattoo pigment is reduced.

Laser tattoo removal works best on a black tattoo, done well by a skilled artist, on pale skin. Naturally, most tattoos that people want removing, haven’t been done by a skilled artist or put in at an ideal depth within the skin!

How many sessions will I need? How long will it take to get rid of my permanent makeup tattoo?

The most honest answer to this question is “I don't know”. No one can tell you the exact number of sessions that will be needed to remove a tattoo, permanent makeup or microblading. ⠀

Why? Because there are many factors that affect how quickly a tattoo will be fading:

- skin type;
- patients immune system
- the location of the tattoo;
- pigment density;
- layering of pigment (how many times tattoo was touched up or covered up) ;
- skin condition;
- tattoo colors
- how old the tattoo is

It is unrealistic to take into account all the factors and determine the exact number of laser removal sessions!

But there is also good news. We can make an approximate prediction using a special Kirby-Desire table!

At the consultation, we will take into account all the factors that may affect how many sessions your tattoo/permanent makeup may take to fade, so you will have a rough idea of how many sessions may be needed, and how long this may take.

It is not possible to predict exactly how many sessions will be required to achieve desired results as every case is different.
As a rough guide, permanent eyebrows that are not too dark and had only one application may need 3-5 laser removal sessions for the ink to fully leave the skin.
If you had permanent brows touched up several times, you will need more sessions to achieve good lightening results. For instance, if the brows are very dark and saturated, and had been touch up several times over the years, it may take 10 session or more for the ink to fully leave the skin.

If you are planning to have new permanent makeup applied over an old one, then less sessions will be required, as we will just need to lighten old work rather than to remove it completely.

Factors that influence how many sessions may be needed include: skin type, skin colour, presence of scarring, amount of pigment inside the skin, depth and colour of the pigment, age of the tattoo, individual immune system properties, the location of the tattoo etc. We will discuss your personal situation during the consultation.

There must be 8-12 weeks between the laser removal sessions, because your immune system needs enough time to flush out the ink particles shattered by the laser beam. Having laser removal session more frequently will NOT produce faster results.
Thus, permanent makeup/tattoo removal is a slow process and a long term commitment. It may take around a year to remove a light set of permanent eyebrows or a light body tattoo, and longer for darker, more saturated permanent makeup or tattoos.

Why do I have to wait so long between the sessions?

The actual laser beam does NOT remove pigment from the skin, but breaks it into smaller particles. Your immune system then is able to flush these smaller ink particles out of the skin and your body. This process takes several weeks, and spacing your laser removal sessions further apart will produce better results in the long run. Recommended time between the sessions is 8 to 12 weeks.

How long does the treatment take?
Average removal treatment for permanent makeup eyebrows or lips, or a small body tattoo is around 20 minutes, which will include the time of applying a cool pack onto the treated area. The actual time of applying laser beam to the tattoo is about 30 second per eyebrow.

Will my permanent makeup or tattoo disappear completely?

If laser removal sessions are continued, then in most cases the tattoo/permanent makeup will disappear completely. However as every skin is different and a number of factors influence the process, it is not possible to predict how well or how fast your permanent makeup or tattoo will fade and if it will fade completely.

How will I look straight after the procedure?
Immediately after the treatment your tattoo may look lighter, darker, or exactly the same as it looked before the treatment. You will notice it getting gradually lighter in the next 6-12 weeks after the laser treatment.
Immediately after the procedure you may have swelling, redness and sometimes bruising around the area that has been treated.
During the first 24-72 hours (in some cases longer) skin may look reddened, swollen, inflamed and feel sore, although the swelling and redness will not usually last longer than 24 hours.
In most cases the skin will stay intact. In rare cases there may be bleeding and sometimes blisters may form after a few hours after the treatment.

Will my brow hair go white?
Sometimes brow hair may go white after laser eyebrow removal session. They will not stay white forever and new hair will grow back normal. Hair whitening does not happen very often, but if you are worried about you hair going white you can tint your eyebrows 3-4 days before your eyebrow removal session, this will prevent the hair from going white.

Will my brows fall out or stop growing after laser removal?
No, lasers that are used for tattoo removal do not have effect on the hair, and thus your hair will not fall out and will not stop growing after laser removal. In fact, your brow hair may start growing better after a few removal sessions as local inflammation created by the laser beam may stimulate hair follicles and make hair grow better.

Is laser removal better than saline removal?
Laser removal may produce quicker results and has better looking healing process. However, laser can not remove colours like white, beige, orange, yellow, green and blue. Saline removal on the other hand works on any colour.

Will laser permanent makeup removal leave scarring?
In some cases, a pre-existing scarring is already present from the permanent makeup/tattoo application itself. If this scarring is present, it will remain after the removal process.
Laser retattoo removal treatment usually does not leave scarring when correct treatment protocols and correct aftercare is followed.

Are there any side affects from the laser removal treatment?
Common side effects are localised swelling, redness, bruising and burning sensation.
Less common side affects are blistering, scabbing, bleeding, hyperpigmentation, hyperpigmentation.
Redness, tenderness, and swelling typically subside within 24-48 hours following the treatment. Blistering usually appear within 24 hours of removal treatment; the blisters can be quite large – this is normal. Scabs, bruising, and blistering may take up to a week or longer to heal.

Possible Side Effects

Discomfort:

some mild to moderate discomfort is felt during treatment. The sensation is similar to snapping an elastic band against the skin and some areas are more sensitive than others.

The area may appear to be bruised with a grey or purple colour following treatment. This usually fades within the following 5-7 days.

Blisters / scabs / crusting:

these are relatively common following tattoo removal treatment. This usually takes 7-14 days to heal – do not pick these as you could encourage scarring.

Hyper/Hypo pigmentation:

skin can develop temporary lightening or darkening after laser treatment. Pigment changes can be worsened with sun exposure. Hypo pigmentation usually occurs after multiple treatments. Pigmentary changes usually last 2-6 months but in rare cases can be permanent.

Swelling: swelling following treatment is common, but will subside in 2-5 days and can be reduced with regular ice application or cold compresses.

Infection:

expect the area to secrete clear/white/pale yellow fluid throughout the healing process. Many people mistake this fluid as a sign of infection – please don’t worry. A green smelly fluid indicates infection. Sometimes, despite good wound care, you may find the site becomes infected as most tattoos are in areas that people touch or expose to pathogens which cause infection. Topical or oral antibiotics may be necessary.

Scarring:

the laser itself does not cause scarring, and in fact often reduces red or enlarged scarring. However as the laser reduces tattoo pigment, the old tattoo scar may become obvious. Also, if you find the site blisters, if these are knocked it can cause scarring. A scar may form any time the skin is disrupted but is rare following laser treatment. Good post-treatment care such as not picking and watching for early signs of infection will reduce the likelihood of this occurring.

Persistent tattoo:

complete clearance of the tattoo or lesion is not always possible. Careful evaluation and test patching before treatment may reduce the occurrence of tattoos worsening from laser treatment.

Allergic reaction:

on occasion, when tattoo ink antigens are released into the circulation, localized or systemic allergic reactions can occur. These possibilities can be reduced by going through the questionnaire with your practitioner.

Pre-treatment Advice

The area to be treated should be free from make-up, perfume, deodorant and body or face creams. Be careful when using spray deodorant prior to treatment.

Do not shave, wax, exfoliate, or do any other skin irritation treatments on the area to be treated for 1 week prior to the treatment

It is highly advisable to use cold pack on the treated area for 10 minutes once every hour after your laser removal session. Thus it is important that you plan your day after the treatment so you are able to access and use the cold pack every hour.

There should be no active or fake tan in the area to be treated. Use of sun beds or prolongued exposure to sunlight is not allowed for one month prior to treatment and an SPF 30+ must be used on the area between treatments. Suntans must be left to fade completely before treatment can start. Fake tans must also be fully faded before treatment can commence.

Medical history is taken at consultation, but we rely on you to inform us of any changes to this. We need to know of any medication you are taking including those bought from a chemist or herbalist.

Make sure that you arrive in good time for your appointment; this will allow us to pre-cool the skin if this should be required.

Post-treatment Advice

In order to minimise skin heating and to reduce the likelihood of skin reactions, the treatment area may be cooled before, during, and/or after the procedure as required. If the area still feels hot at home, you can apply a cold flannel or a cool pack though be careful not to apply ice directly to the skin.

Following treatment the area may appear red and raised and you may experience a tingling sensation. This is completely normal and should settle over the next few days.

Occasionally you may experience swelling or bruising and this can last from 1-2 days up to 1-2 weeks. If you experience swelling, apply cool packs and take anti inflammatory tablets such as ibuprofen or arnica and anti histamines – please consult with your doctor prior to taking any medications.

Make-up, creams and lotions (aside from sunblock) should be avoided throughout the healing process.

Care should be taken to avoid any trauma to the area for the first week following treatment. Avoid strenuous activities, sauna and steam rooms, excessively hot baths, swimming, massaging the skin etc.

Wash and bathe as normal but take cool showers rather than hot baths. The skin should be patted dry with a clean towel and not rubbed. Use an aloe vera gel to keep the skin moisturized and cool.

Use a sunscreen (SPF30+) and protect the area from sunlight as much as possible between treatments and for at least one month after treatment ends. Failure to do this can result in hyperpigmentation that may or may not be permanent.

If blistering occurs, contact the studio immediately for further advice. Keep the area clean and dry and allow it to heal naturally. DO NOT PICK grazes or blisters as this may increase the chances of a scar occurring.