Why are there little red dots still showing in the tattoo after all other redness has went away? Fourth treatment 6 days ago.

Question

I had a fourth removal treatment 6 days ago and I didn't have any bleeding, but did have slight bruising/ swelling. Almost all scabs have disappeared by now, but there are still little dark red dots everywhere. I feel they were much brighter red the first day, but considering this has been almost a week. Should I be worried that I still see them? The tattoo is on my ankle and had a lot of color, so I know it will take a while, but I don't think I had these issues with the other sessions.

Richard Rosol, MD · Answer

This soon after a treatment, it’s too early to assess effectiveness. It’s during the 8-12 week wait between treatments that ink fades, so a better time to determine disappearance is at the end of that period. Be sure you’re treatments are spaced at least that far apart.
One concerning part of your story is the mention of bleeding. There should never, EVER be bleeding. That indicates excessive energy settings, raising the concern that your laser operator is undertrained and/or inexperienced. Since this is a medical procedure, your provider should be medically trained, licensed, and insured. I strongly encourage you to change providers, or stop entirely if other options are not available.
Thank you for your question and photo. Best of luck to you!

Why are there little red dots still showing in the tattoo after all other redness has went away? Fourth treatment 6 days ago.

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