Write a review

Removal With PicoSure

I have a large all black tattoo on my torso. I...

  • 23 Sep 2013
  • 29 days post
I have a large all black tattoo on my torso. I ahve had one PicoSure Treatment so far. I am due back for my second oe October 7th. I am happy to not see any hypo and/or hyer pigmentation. It was extremely itchy for about two weeks but I had little to no blistering. Now though, it seems to look exactly how it looked before my first treatment which is depressing. I was hoping to see a lot of change like some people on here. I really hope my second treatment has significant fading. I am putting all of my funds into this.

Yesterday Was Four Weeks After First Treatment

  • 25 Sep 2013
  • 1 month post
I took a photo yesterday since it was my four week mark after my first treatment. I think it actually looks darker but it may be because my skin has lightened quite a bit due to no sun exposure. Hoping second treatment has much more fading.

Second PicoSure Treatment

  • 8 Oct 2013
  • 2 months post
These pictures are about 24 hours after my second treatment. It started blistering and turning red immediately. It looks like my tattoo is definitely reacting more to the second treatment, which makes me happy. I am keeping it covered and smothered in vaseline for the next 3-5 days. I'll post another picture about three weeks from now.

I Think It Is Fading!!

  • 11 Oct 2013
  • 2 months post

Three Weeks After Second Treatment

  • 28 Oct 2013
  • 2 months post
These pictures are three weeks after my second laser treatment. I am going back this Friday for my third treatment. I am very happy with the results from the second treatment and hope the third removes as much ink as the last one! My first treatment felt like a waste of time and money.

Side by Side

  • 28 Oct 2013
  • 2 months post

Two Weeks After Third PicoSure Treatment

  • 18 Nov 2013
  • 3 months post
These pictures are two weeks after my third treatment. The doctor turned the laser down a notch this time to I believe 3.4, but I am not sure becasue he told me while I was getting lasered so I was in so much pain I could not hear anything, lol. I definitely think the pain is worth it though. I am getting two more laser sessions and then I guess I will have to get another quote. I think I will send requests for quotes to some new cities that didn't have the PicoSure when I sarted this. I really like my doctor and the facility but if I get a cheaper quote from a closer place I may go there. I am waiting six weeks in between treatments this time due to the upcoming holiday. I am very happy with the fading from session two to two weeks after session three. Hoping to see more fading in the next four weeks before my fourth treatment.

Fourth Treatment Today

  • 6 Jan 2014
  • 5 months post
I had my fourth PicoSure treatment today! I missed my flight back in December so I had to reschedule my fourth Tx for today. So it has been 9 weeks since my third treatment. I had my first lidocaine shots, prior to being lasered, and I can definitely say it is so much better with the shots. I am pretty sure I will be getting them for as many treatments as possible going fourth. My doctor turned the setting on the machine down to 3.0 (I've been getting layered at 3.5). To me, it looks and feels a lot more intense than the 3.5 treatments. I am excited to see the fading results in a few weeks. I am putting vaseline on it for a week (until it heals) and then rose hip seed oil after it has healed. I am hoping to get back over there in February for my fifth but it will be Mardis Gras and that may be difficult. Ha.

Has anyone seen this guys removal story?

  • 8 Jan 2014
  • 5 months post
http://tattooremoved.wordpress.com/2012/11/29/tattoo-removed-lessons-learned/

Almost 4 weeks after treatment 4

  • 30 Jan 2014
  • 5 months post
Lots of hyper and hypo pigmentation.

7 Weeks After Treatment 4

  • 18 Feb 2014
  • 6 months post
I will be having my 5th treatment Friday morning. So it doesn't look like muhs has changed in the last four weeks as far as disappearance. It does look a tiny bit less hypo ppigmented but still hyper and hypo pigmented.

7 Weeks After Treatment 4 Picture

  • 18 Feb 2014
  • 6 months post

Maybe you can see the hyper and hypo better? IDK

  • 18 Feb 2014
  • 6 months post

7 Weeks After My 5th Treatment

  • 6 Apr 2014
  • 8 months post
These pictures are roughly six-seven weeks after my 5th treatment. It is still pretty hyper pigmented but I am just going to continue getting lasered until the ink is gone and then fix the hyper pigmentation. I have been putting hydroquinone on it for about four weeks and I think I see a little bit of lightening so I am happy about that. Luckily my skin feels smooth and unscarred so I think my only problem after I am done with treatments will be the darkening of the skin. My 6th treatment will be April 18 and I am hoping that I will be at least halfway done with my treatments!! Hoping to have normal skin by next summer! I cannot decide if I want to wait 4-6 weeks or 6-8 weeks until my 7th treatment. I guess I will ask the doctor how ling he thinks I should wait. I am getting a bit worn down with this whole process and I am ready to be ink free. =/ I really hope I see some serious clearance of these stubborn spots. I think the doc will use a lower setting on them and a lighter setting on the much lighter ink areas like last time.

One more pic of the 5th treatment results.

  • 6 Apr 2014
  • 8 months post
The picture is really bad on the bottom but I don't think there was much difference between the 4th treatment and the 5th treatment. =( Hope to see more fading with the next treatment. =(

Different Light for 5th treatment results

  • 7 Apr 2014
  • 8 months post
Probably still looks the same but these are in a different light.
Westlake Dermatology

5 out of 5 stars Overall rating
5 out of 5 stars Doctor's bedside manner
5 out of 5 stars Answered my questions
5 out of 5 stars After care follow-up
5 out of 5 stars Time spent with me
5 out of 5 stars Phone or email responsiveness
5 out of 5 stars Staff professionalism & courtesy
5 out of 5 stars Payment process
5 out of 5 stars Wait times
Was this review helpful? 5 others found this helpful

Comments (147)

Sort by

Hi! Love to see how faded it is! I had 10 (maybe 12, can't remember) treatments using a Q-switched laser in 2007 on a tattoo on my shoulder. I pressed really hard because I wanted it as light as possible to be covered with makeup for my wedding, so I went every 6 weeks to the day. After the wedding, I was still going, but I noticed my skin was not healing as easily and I was getting hypo and hyper pigmented. Spaced the treatments out at least 12 weeks and it helped. Now, I have no pigmentation issues! So hang in there, time really does help! That being said, I have a consultation this Saturday for pico on a black tribal tat (at least the size of a dollar bill, and all black, so pretty big :( on my lower back. How do you keep yours covered after treatment and how long do you keep it covered? I am worried about pants rubbing on it! Guess, I can wear dresses... but not sure the best technique as to how to cover.
  • Reply
Emilyo, great advice regarding the spacing out of treatments! I too think I was going too frequently - I've had six treatments so far. I'm now taking a few months off over summer to allow the skin some downtime and hopefully some decent fading! How far removed have you managed to get your shoulder?
  • Reply
I think I "took a break" when summer came in 2008, because I was over keeping it out of the sun. It was a black tribal butterfly with a traditional lily (green, yellow, purple). The butterfly is not even noticeable. Smudges of the purple lily are all that remain. I wear tank tops now without feeling like people are staring, its really hardly noticeable. I have had a Dr. see it and rub it, because he thought it was a bruise! and someone else tried to rub at it thinking it was an ink smudge :) I will probably start my own thread here soon, and will post pics there if so (would like the pico to knock the remainder out, prob one treatment would do it).
  • Reply
Hey Emilyo, so far I've had 6 treatment. My 7th will be in July 11 which will be 12 weeks! So I seem to be doing what you said! :) I really hope it helps with the hyper and hypo. I put Hydroquinone on it as much as possible (sometimes I forget
  • Reply
I just wrap it in bandages with Vaseline for a couple days after treatment. I feel like treatments 5&6 have not really faded the ink very much only made my hyper worse :(
  • Reply
Are you using the pico or the Q laser??
  • Reply
Picosure
  • Reply
I've had one treat ment on my neck tattoo an I'm loving the results it's been a month an most of the lines are nearly gone!! So I'll probably need 1or 2 more sessions
  • Reply
I agree with wilks1986. I have been waiting 3-4 months between treatments. this was purely financially driven at first, but now Im doing it intentionally. I firmly believe that it takes a long time for the skin to go back to normal. I look at it like a rubber band. If you keep it stretched for too long, its just never gonna go back to the way it was....... but Im not a doctor....lol. All that said, your results are very encouraging as you're further along in the process than I am.
  • Reply
Yea, maybe I should stop and start back up again in October or so.
  • Reply
I wonder to what extent the laser light is drawn to the excess melanin in the skin, from the hyperpigmentation? It could be that that is where it's being mostly absorbed, and perhaps less by the remaining ink. Perhaps a layoff of a few months would allow for the skin pigment to normalise somewhat and the laser would stand a better chance of interacting with the ink?
  • Reply
I wait two months between treatments. Also, what would be the point to wait longer for hyper to go away then to just go and get more laser treatments and get the hyper back? You know what I mean? Seems like I should just deal with ridding the ink then deal with ridding the hyper if I am going to get it with every tx.
  • Reply
Yeah I see where you're coming from. I'm just not sure if the hyper will perhaps take longer than two months to subside. I don't know if the wavelength that the Picosure uses would be attracted more to the melanin in the skin rather than the tattoo ink, thus potentially prolonging things and just perpetuating the hyperpigmentation. Having said that, it's very likely that I could be talking utter rubbish! ;)
  • Reply
The Hyper def takes longer than two months to subside! I think it will take 6 months to a year to subside. I am just doing what the dermatolgist advises. He gave me some hydroquinone and said to come back in 6 weeks. I will obviously ask again but the three doctors that I talk to at the facility all say that I should keep continuiing my treatments. I think two months is plently long enough as I want the ink gone by January! I do see fading so I think it is still working. =) Just plodding along.
  • Reply
That's cool, if that's what they're advising then seems sensible to carry on! There's definitely a lot of hyperpigmentation there, but you've really had a fantastic amount of ink shift!! Hopefully the hydroquinone can even out the tone again, I'm sure it will.
  • Reply
I know, it sucks. I hate the hyperpigmentation. =(* so depressing.
  • Reply
You'll get it sorted, don't worry! You're making great progress. Do you find that you tan really easily in summer?
  • Reply
I tan extremely easily in the summer.I will be very happy when I am done with the ink. Then I guess I can write a review under the "Hyperpigmentation" link on Realself! ha! and start over again with a new skin issue.
  • Reply
Perhaps that could be something to do with it. The excess pigmentation is the skins natural defence mechanism. Haha, yeah that could be a plan!! You might get some ideas on how to speed things up!
  • Reply
Yes, I def think it is because I tan easily and have olive skin. I am going to ask the dr. again if I should stop for a year or just keep on ridding the ink then worry about hyper. Seems like it will take many many years if I stop and wait for hyper to fade before getting another treatment just to get hyper again... =(* Maybe I'll get a tummy tuck and just cut it off. So sick of this. 0_o
  • Reply
It's a pain in the ass isn't it!! Remember, you only started in September, you've not even been at it 8 months yet!! You'll be fine :)
  • Reply
Thanks for the uplifting. I guess I should at least give myself another year of this before trying to change courses. I am hoping by May 2015 that I'll be ink free and mostly rid of hyper!
  • Reply
I am giving myself that amount of time before I start freaking, HA.
  • Reply
I'm aiming for Christmas this year, but I'll be happy if it's just mostly faded by then!
  • Reply
Yours is way faded! That is a good goal point I think!
  • Reply

More PicoSure Reviews

View all PicoSure reviews