Are you second-guessing your brand-new tattoo? Perhaps your tattoo artist didn’t quite bring your vision to life. Or maybe you just want to get rid of the tattoo that you regret getting. No matter what your reason is, you are probably wondering how soon can you get a tattoo removed.
This is a question we hear a lot at Zapp Laser Studio. The truth is, when it comes to removing a brand-new tattoo, there is no quick fix. But the good news is, that as long as you follow the right advice, you can get your tattoo removed.
Before you rush out to get laser tattoo removal, there are a few things you need to consider first. We will break down all you need to know about getting your latest tattoo faded or completely removed.
Would you like to see how laser tattoo removal works in person? Contact our team today to find out more.
Why would someone get a fresh tattoo removed?
Tattoos are designed to be a permanent piece of art on your skin that reflect a certain point or stage in your life. But sometimes, what feels right in the moment can quickly turn into something you regret.
The most common reasons we hear from patients looking to remove new tattoos include:
- A relationships ends and they want to remove a reminder
- They thought the design would look much different
- It was something they did on a holiday but now regret
- It was an impulsive decision on a night out
- The tattoo is bigger than they expected
- They don’t like the location
- They felt pressured into the artists design and didn’t feel they could change it
How quickly can you get a tattoo removed?
Before you invest in laser removal to get rid of your new tattoo, you need to make sure you have given your skin enough time to go through the healing process.
The tattooing process can be tough on your skin. Tattoo machines can pierce your skin anywhere from 50 to 3000 times a minute. This injects the tattoo ink into the skin and traps the ink so that it is not a threat to your body.
Because the skin is in trauma, it can remain swollen and bruised for some time. In order to go ahead with laser tattoo removal, you need to make sure your skin is fully healed.
You need to wait a minimum of three months after getting your tattoo before we can start the removal process.
How long does it take a new tattoo to heal?
Most tattoos take up to four weeks to heal on the surface. However, it can take up to 3-6 months for a new tattoo to fully heal.
The healing process can look different for everyone. There are certain factors that influence how quickly fresh tattoo ink heals. These include:
- The size and location of the tattoo
- Sticking with and following your aftercare instructions
- Individual health conditions that might slow down how fast you heal
Just like the tattoo removal process where it is vital to follow aftercare instructions, it is just as important after getting a new tattoo.
Taking care of your skin post-tattoo helps your skin to stay healthy and prevent any infection. If you do not give your skin a chance to fully heal before getting laser treatment, it can lead to scarring and, in some instances, skin discolouration.
Is a new tattoo easier to remove with laser treatments?
Most people think that a new tattoo is much easier to remove with laser treatment than an old unwanted tattoo. But this is not necessarily the case.
In fact, older tattoos tend to fade more easily. Newer tattoos tend to need more sessions of laser tattoo removal in order to break down the ink particles.
Other factors can also come into play. If your new tattoo is further away from your heart such as on your hands or feet, you will need more laser removal sessions.
If the tattoo ink in your new tattoo goes quite deep and is dense, this will also make it more challenging to remove. Again, you will need more laser tattoo removal sessions to completely remove thick life art.
The colour of your new tattoo will also have an impact. Yellow ink, for example, contains metals which do not always absorb the light energy from our laser treatment in order to break down the ink particles. White ink is the most challenging to remove as it has a higher metal content, which can make it impossible to remove.
How many laser tattoo removal treatments will I need for complete tattoo removal?
Not all laser treatments provide the most effective tattoo removal results. This is why we use the PicoSure laser treatment at Zapp Laser Studio.
Not only is this one of the leading laser treatments available, but it also offers the most precise way to target tattoo ink particles and break them down. This is because it targets your tattoo ink much harder and faster than other lasers. As a result, your body’s immune system can absorb them and dispose of them more easily.
The exact number of laser tattoo removal sessions you will need will depend on some of the factors we mentioned earlier such as size and location. If you want to fade a new tattoo, it will usually take 2-6 treatments. To completely remove a tattoo, you are looking at 6-10 treatment sessions.
You will need to meet with one of the laser practitioners before starting laser tattoo removal. This is so they can assess your tattoo, make sure that it is fully healed and determine how many laser removal sessions you will need to say goodbye to your new tattoo completely.
Am I suitable for laser tattoo removal?
The PicoSure laser treatment is most effective on skin types 1-4, which are pale, fair, or light brown skin types. The laser finds it more difficult to treat black and brown skin (types 5 and 6) as it can run the risk of removing the pigment from darker skin.
Schedule a laser tattoo removal consultation
Do not rush into the laser tattoo removal process without letting your skin and body fully heal. You should always speak with a laser tattoo removal expert first before making any decisions.
At Zapp Laser Studio, you will be in the capable hands of our laser experts. They are on hand to provide any advice about laser tattoo removal, including how it works and if you are a good candidate for this treatment.