Frequently Asked Questions

PicoSure is the most advanced laser of its kind in the world! PicoSure is the first of a new generation of aesthetic lasers that don’t rely solely on heat to burn or melt away unwanted tattoo ink or melanin, the pigment that causes dark spots in your skin. Instead, PicoSure engineers used cutting edge physics and medical science to help practitioners treat patients in a new way. Instead of building up heat, PicoSure delivers energy so rapidly (in trillionths of a second) that the tiny particles that make up pigment and tattoo ink vibrate and shatter, without burning surrounding tissue. Less heat means less tissue damage and discomfort.

Tattoo removal is suitable for skin types 1-4, settings are adjusted accordingly to ensure safety and effectivity of treatment. Focus skin rejuvenation is suitable for skin types 1-5, unfortunately due to the risks of pigmentation changes to the skin involved, a skin type 6 (afro/Caribbean) cannot be treated using focus skin rejuvenation treatment.
Our practitioner will fully discuss your medical status in a consultation to make sure there are no medical contra-indications to treatment.

The sensation is like being pinged with an elastic band. The process is very quick, often only taking a few minutes to complete.

Yes, although it has been known to lessen the effects of treatment. You must supply it and you must apply it in advance of your treatment. We are happy to guide you in this.

Pressure Wave technology is used to deliver ultra-short pulses of specialised energy to targeted ink particles. These pulses are so rapid they cause a change in pressure that breaks ink apart into tiny dust-like particles. These tiny particles are then absorbed by the lymphatic system, a critical part of your body’s immune system, and disposed of naturally.

The PicoSure is the most advanced laser of its kind in the world! They are 4x more effective than standard lasers and 4x faster at removing your tattoo. They are actually capable of fully removing tattoos unlike most other lasers including Q-Switched lasers. We are able to treat all colours as the PicoSure is capable of delivering three different wavelengths. Each treatment may be a little more expensive but you will need up to 4x fewer treatments. This means your tattoo could be removed within a year rather than taking at least two years with the possibility of never actually being removed.

It depends on the size of the area being treated. It can take seconds for the smallest tattoo up to around ten minutes for the largest area we would treat in one sitting.

It depends on the size of the tattoo. The bigger the tattoo, the more it will cost. The tattoo will be measured during a full consultation, a price given and pricing plans offered. Prices start from £90.

3 months.

Every tattoo and every person is different so it is impossible to say exactly. Once your consultation has been carried out you will be given an estimate of how many treatments we would expect you would need, but on average 6-10 treatments are needed for full removal.

Minimum of 10 weeks. In fact, the longer you wait the better, as your body will continue to dispose of the ink up to one year!

Yes, unlike most other lasers. 95% of all tattoos will be able to be removed completely.

A consultation is around 45 minutes long. Your practitioner will go through your medical history, discuss your tattoo and the full process of tattoo removal. The consultation will be focused on you and your tattoo so the recommended time between treatments and treatment expectations can be given. Any questions you have will be discussed. It is also possible (if suitable for laser) to test patch your tattoo ready for your first treatment.

A small section of your tattoo will be treated with the laser 48 hours before your first full treatment. A patch test is designed to allow the practitioner to see how the client’s skin reacts to certain settings so that any adverse reactions that may occur can be detected before treating a full area.

No. We must wait a minimum of 48 hours after your Test Patch before we can start treatment.

Unfortunately not. We will carry out a Test Patch towards the end of the Consultation. Our Insurance states that we must then wait a minimum of 48 hours before we can carry out the first treatment. This is for your safety and to check that there are no immediate adverse reactions to the laser.

Each client can have different reactions depending on their tattoo. You can expect some blistering for the first few days after your treatment, which will eventually become dry and scab over. The strongest reactions can be expected within your first few treatments, then as your tattoo becomes lighter and we start to treat the deeper layers of ink the reaction may not be as strong as when first started.

It is important to know that with any laser treatment, scarring or pigmentation changes are a risk involved. The PicoSure has the least risk of any scarring occurring to the skin due to the lower amount of energy being used. With other lasers, these machines rely on heat and high energy to break down the ink which puts the skin at a much higher risk of scarring and pigmentation changes to the skin.

No, although the area could blister and scab after your treatment, this will all heal safely within 7-14 days and is an expected reaction to the treatment. All clients are treated using safe protocol to make sure the treatment is performed as safely and effectively as possible.

You can not expose the tattoo to sunlight or sunbeds for 6-8 weeks before and after a laser treatment due to the risks of pigmentation changes to the skin.
The tattoo can be covered whilst in the sun and treatment can continue as normal but if any visible sun tan is detected we will not be able to treat.
In some cases, if a sun tan is still visible after 6-8 weeks from the last sun exposure we will advise you to wait a few more weeks for that tan to fade.

Fake and makeup tan acts as pigmentation on the skin which if treated over puts you at risk of causing sensitivity and pigmentation changes to the skin, this can also result in scarring. If it is on the skin when due for a treatment, treatment will be deferred until the fake tan has been exfoliated off and fully removed from the tattooed area.

After your treatment, your practitioner will apply a bepanthen healing cream and a dressing over the tattoo. This dressing will need to be kept on for 24-48 hours after your treatment. You are asked to remove the dressing after 48 hours and to keep the area uncovered to allow healing. You can expect some small or large blisters first, then as the blisters heal the area will start to dry out and form a scab over the skin. Do not burst the blisters. This healing time can take between 7 and 14 days and the severity of the reaction depends on each tattoo and what stage of treatment you are at.

The dressing applied after your treatment should be kept on for 24 hours. All heat trauma and friction to the tattoo needs to be avoided for at least 72 hours or until you feel your skin is comfortable. Heat trauma and friction to avoid includes any hot water, saunas, steam rooms, aerobic activity and tight clothing. The area must be kept clean and dry until fully healed to avoid the increased risk of scarring or infection.
The area can be washed daily with luke-warm water but must not to be soaked in a bath. You can not go swimming until the area has fully healed.

This depends on the size of the treated area and the area that your tattoo is in. It also depends on what kind of work you do.

You should leave Small blisters which are easy to manage alone. They will burst and heal naturally. If you get larger, more unmanageable blisters, you should lance them with a sterile needle and massage the fluid out with clean hands. Your biggest risk when any blister bursts is infection.

Each tattoo reacts differently depending on the age of your tattoo, the colors of inks and the technique used when having the tattoo. It also depends on each client, age, skin condition and medical status. Typically results can be seen within 2-10 weeks after your treatment although in some cases we see an instant clearance of ink in the tattoo whilst treating. A course of 6-10 treatments are recommended for full removal of a tattoo and expectations of how many treatments can be given in a consultation.

PicoSure’s Pressure Wave™ technology uses a unique wavelength of light (755nm) and a specialised lens to convert laser energy into gentle pressure. This pressure squeezes cells, activating the natural cell signaling processes that create new collagen and elastin without burning or damaging the skin.

It depends on the location, size and type of treatment. The average treatment is approx. fifteen minutes.

It depends on the area and treatment to be carried out. Starting prices are on our pricing page. A full consultation will need to be carried out before the exact price can be given.