For most people, you get a tattoo because you love the design, and it means something to you. But what happens when you decide that you are no longer in love with your tattoo? This is where PicoWay tattoo removal comes in with a simple solution to remove your unwanted tattoo.
Here at Zapp Laser Studio in London, we offer this advanced laser technology to safely and effectively remove your tattoo. With this laser treatment, we can fully remove your tattoo in fewer treatments. This means you can enjoy clear and tattoo-free skin sooner than with other laser treatments.
If you want to know more about PicoWay laser tattoo removal, including how many PicoWay treatments you will need, read on. Or, if you want to chat with one of our laser treatment experts in person, get in touch with us below.
What is PicoWay laser tattoo removal?
PicoWay is one of the most cutting-edge laser treatments for tattoo removal. The device delivers ultra-short bursts of laser energy at a very fast rate (picoseconds). Targeting tattoo ink at such a fast rate helps to shatter the ink into smaller particles, which the body can then easily absorb. These are then flushed out through your body’s immune system.
Other key features of PicoWay tattoo removal:
More precise than other laser tattoo removal treatments
PicoWay does not solely rely on heat energy to break down the tattoo ink, unlike other devices. Instead, it reduces the amount of heat to reduce any thermal damage and uses the laser energy to target the ink directly. This means there is no damage to the surrounding skin, and it is an effective treatment for all skin types.
Works on darker skin types
If you have a darker skin tone, it is often difficult to find a laser treatment that works for you. The good news about PicoWay laser treatments is that they are suitable for all skin types. How? It uses a 1064 wavelength, which ignores the melanin in your skin and only targets the tattoo ink. This prevents issues such as hyperpigmentation from occurring.
Uses multiple wavelengths to remove all tattoo ink colours
This picosecond laser uses three main wavelengths (532nm, 785nm, 1064nm). This makes it an effective treatment for targeting even the most challenging tattoo ink colours. Here is how we use each of the wavelengths:
- Black and dark inks – 1064nm
- Blue and green inks –730nm
- Red, orange and yellow inks – 532nm
How does PicoWay laser tattoo removal work?
Your treatment will start with a consultation at our laser studio. You will meet with one of our laser treatment experts, who will assess your tattoo and skin type and talk about the PicoWay laser in more detail. We will provide you with a tailored tattoo removal treatment plan that will give you the desired results.
On the day of your PicoWay laser tattoo removal treatment, we will cleanse your skin to ensure that it is clean and ready for the laser.
The PicoWay laser treatment can be quite uncomfortable. However, we do not use a numbing cream for this treatment, as it can change the texture of your skin and actually result in your tattoo removal treatment taking much longer.
To ensure you feel minimal discomfort during your treatment, we will use a cryo machine. This blows extremely cold air onto the skin to keep it cool and protect it.
We will pass the laser device over the tattoo, which will fire short bursts of laser energy into the tattoo. We will select the specific wavelength that will work for your skin tone and the colours in your tattoo.
Each session usually takes 10-20 minutes. This will depend on the size, location and type of tattoo you have. You will need to space your tattoo removal sessions at least 10 weeks apart to ensure that your skin has time to heal and to give your body enough time to remove the broken-down tattoo ink particles.
How many PicoWay laser treatments will I need to remove my tattoo?
We understand that you want your tattoo removed as quickly as possible, but unfortunately, it will take more than one treatment to fully remove a tattoo.
Everyone will respond to laser tattoo removal differently. This is why our laser experts assess your skin and tattoo to determine the correct number of sessions you will need to safely remove or fade your unwanted tattoo.
The average number of tattoo removal sessions for full removal is 6-10. To fade a tattoo, you will need around 2-6 treatments.
Several factors can impact the number of tattoo removal treatments you will need. They include:
Size
If you have a smaller and less complex design, you will need fewer treatments; however, if you have a large and complex design, let’s say a full back tattoo, this will take much longer.
Ink colour
With the PicoWay laser, we can treat all colours in the spectrum. However, some colours are much easier to remove than others. Black ink is the easiest to remove, while blues and greens are the most difficult and will require more sessions.
Age of your tattoo
New tattoos are much more challenging to remove. This is because old tattoos fade over time and lose their vibrancy. They are broken down by things like UV damage. This means old tattoos can require fewer sessions.
Location of your tattoo
If your tattoo is on the fatty tissues that are closer to your heart, they tend to be removed much more easily. The further away from the heart you go, for example, the hands or feet, the more removal sessions you might need.
Not allowing your skin to heal
Healing doesn’t just occur after your final treatment. You need to give your skin time to heal in between tattoo removal sessions. This is why we ask you to wait at least ten weeks between treatments. You also need to follow our aftercare advice such as not using abrasive skin cleansers, wearing sun protection and not rubbing the treatment area.
Skin condition and age
As with any cosmetic treatments, but particularly with laser tattoo removal, the condition of your skin and age are important to how many treatments you will need. To allow the tattoo ink to process through your body, you need a healthy immune system.
Ask the experts about laser tattoo removal
There is a lot of information to take in when researching laser tattoo removal. That is why it is best to get your questions answered by a laser treatment expert. At Zapp Laser Studio, we provide in-depth consultations so that you can learn more about tattoo removal and what you can expect from the treatment.
We offer PicoWay laser tattoo removal at our London studio. We not only remove tattoos with this device but also treat skin concerns such as acne scars, wrinkles and pigmentation issues.
Get in touch today to book a no-obligation consultation.