So how does the laser actually remove ink?
It's all about physics. When you got tattooed, a needle drove large particles of ink into the dermis layer of your skin. Because those ink particles are so large, your body's white blood cells can't break them down and carry them away. They're stuck.
Our laser fires incredibly fast pulses of light energy (in billionths of a second) directly into the ink. The ink absorbs that energy, heats up, and shatters into microscopic fragments. Once the ink is broken down into tiny pieces, your body's immune system says "Hey, this shouldn't be here," and sends macrophages (white blood cells) to scoop up the fragments and flush them out through your lymphatic system.
Fun fact: Older tattoos often fade faster because your body has already been slowly trying to break them down for years.
Why different colors need different lasers
Not all ink is created equal. Black ink absorbs all wavelengths of light, making it the easiest color to treat. But colored inks require specific wavelengths.
Think of it like a color wheel. To target a red tattoo, you need green light. To target blue, you need red light. The Hollywood Spectra we use is equipped with multiple wavelengths, allowing us to effectively treat many ink colors safely. However, blues & greens are the most difficult colors to remove. If you have a tattoo with those colors, our laser can certainly fade, but probably not completely remove them.
Then what? Where does the ink go?
You pee it out. Seriously. Once the laser shatters the ink, your lymphatic system carries it away as waste. This is why you wait 6 to 12 weeks or more between sessions. The laser doesn't erase the tattoo while you're in the chair. It just breaks the ink up. Your body does the actual removal work over the weeks that follow.
How many sessions am I looking at?
The honest answer? It varies. Anyone who promises you a specific number of sessions is fibbing.
Generally, a full removal takes anywhere from 8 to 15+ sessions. We've seen less, some as quick as 4 treatments, but those were tattoos with just light shading. Fading for a cover-up might only take 3 to 6, but factors like the age of the tattoo, ink density, color, location on the body (closer to the heart heals faster), and your overall immune system health all play a massive role. We'll give you our best estimate during your free consult.
Surprising fact: Typically, the more time you wait between treatments, the less sessions you will need.
Real talk: does it hurt?
Many people describe it as feeling like a rubber band repeatedly snapping against the skin, or like getting tattooed all over again (but much, much faster).
Not to be babies, but we think it feels like electric bacon grease being shot at your skin at a million miles an hour… no offense to babies.
We do everything we can to keep you comfortable. We use a Zimmer Cryo 6 machine that blows freezing cold air (-30°C) on the skin during treatment, which numbs the area naturally. We also offer optional numbing cream, and you always get a popsicle at the end. You've got this.
The plus side: it's sooooo fast. Usually seconds to a couple of minutes, at most.
The scarring myth (please read this)
If you Google "tattoo removal scars," you'll see some horror stories. Here's the truth: those photos are almost always from outdated continuous-wave CO2 lasers or inexperienced techs turning the power up too high.
The laser we use
We run the Lutronic Hollywood Spectra, a q-switched Nd:YAG laser. It's built around a Hypersurge Resonator that delivers seriously high peak power with an incredibly short pulse duration. In non-nerd terms: it hits harder and faster than older models, breaking ink into smaller pieces with less trauma to your skin.
"Hollywood Spectra is clearly the laser of choice for tattoos. Hands down, it is the best laser system when it comes to tattoo removal."Kevin Duplachain, MD
Aftercare, the short version
- Keep it clean, dry, and out of the sun.
- A little blistering, swelling, or redness is totally normal.
- You can apply a thin layer of Aquaphor or healing ointment after the first day or two.
- No picking, scratching, or shaving over the area until healed.
- Skip the hot tubs, pools, and high-pressure showers for a bit. Avoid all Pittsburgh rivers. Always.
- Drink plenty of water to help your lymphatic system flush the ink.
- Vitamin E oil can help with itchiness, healing, and faster fading when massaged into the skin often.
Need the full rundown? Check out our complete Aftercare Guide.
DIY methods you'll see on the internet (don't)
Saline injection: Tattooing a saline solution over the old ink to pull it out. Rarely works well, high risk of permanent scarring.
Dermabrasion: Sanding down the skin to the dermis. Painful, bloody, and leaves a prominent scar almost every time.
Removal creams: Best case, they're bleaching agents that irritate your skin. Worst case, they contain TCA (acid) and burn you. They cannot penetrate deep enough to reach the ink.
Excision: Surgically cutting the tattoo out and stitching the skin together. Only works for tiny tattoos and leaves a linear scar.
DO NOT buy a tattoo removal laser or "tattoo removal acid" on the internet. We've seen it. It scars. It's bad 🙁