Is It Easier to Remove a New Tattoo or a Old One?

Usually old tattoos are slightly easier to treat, but it all depends on your skin type, depth of tattoo ink, and the colors of the tattoo. Best, Dr. Karamanoukian 

usually the newer tattoo because of an acute inflammatory response around the pigment granules in the dermis below the epidermis, are more sheltered from the immune cells that engulf them and require more treatments than the more mature tattoos I see. There are of course, exceptions.

Hello, Older ink is generally easier to remove as tattoo removal has so much to do with how thick a tattoo is. Usually the newer it is the more ink the tattoo has and the more treatments it requires to take off. Older tattoos have had time to fade leaving less ink for tattoo removal. Now, with all that being said, if the tattoo is scarred by the tattoo artist then it can be thicker (even if older) and require more treatments to remove it. Whether thick or thin I have seen wonderful success with the PicoWay laser to hit all types of tattoos (thick or thin, new or old).

There are many factors that affect how readily and completely a Tattoo can beremoved in any individual.  These include type of ink, depth of ink placement inthe skin, location of the Tattoo, color of the ink to mention a few.  Newer Tattoosare not necessarily easier or more difficult to remove.

Thank you for your question! The tattoo needs to be fully healed before undergoing Laser tattoo removal. This takes 4-6 weeks. I use the Picosure laser which has a short pulse duration that exceeds photothermal action and results in an intense photomechanical impact. This adds up to faster results and fewer treatments when compared to other tattoo removal methods. It works best on darker inks such as black and blue. The number of sessions required to remove a tattoo can range from 6-10 sessions. The amount of sessions depends on the size, color and placement of the tattoo. The further the tattoo is from the heart the more time it will take to remove. I hope this information helps.

Thank you for your question! It is typically easier to remove older tattoos, but this will depend on the size of the tattoo, the depth of the ink, and the colors used for the tattoo. In our practice, we use PicoWay Laser for tattoo removal. PicoWay uses photo acoustic energy to shatter the tattoo particles into smaller fragments. This laser can also treat a wide range of colors, including green. It is important to keep in mind that it can take several sessions in order to completely remove the tattoo. For best results, please consult with a board certified dermatologist with experience in tattoo removal. Best of luck!

The older the tattoo, faster the removal and better the clearance - even with lesser number of sessions. This is because, some tattoo ink is eliminated by the body over time. Also aggregation of the ink over time, allows for better absorption of the laser energy and better disruption of the pigment particles. But generally, it is okay to consider laser tattoo removal around 12 weeks after the tattoo. Earlier than that, would not be a good idea.

Older tattoos are typically
easier to remove than new tattoos. The body naturally breaks down tattoo ink so
they have usually faded over time. Newer tattoos tend to be more saturated and
vibrant, making the process more difficult.

You are asking a really good question, and you can see varied answers already. In general, older tattoos have had time to settle but also have had time to fade or to allow the body to remove some of the ink — and this is true for both single-color and multi-color tattoos. And if it is an amateur tattoo, this is even better. Brand-new tattoos are also not hard to remove because the body has not had time to "settle" things yet. No matter what, consult with a board-certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon to see what the best options are.

Everyone who wants to get rid of a tattoo wants to know: "How much will it cost, and how many treatments will it need?'

Generally, older tattoos require fewer laser treatments [generally done using a the very short pulses generated by a Q-switched laser like a Medlite C6]. This is because as time goes on the body slowly gets rid of some of the tattoo ink, and in addition to that, the tattoo ink may slowly fade because of the effects of ultraviolet light.

Other variables which influence the number of treatments needed include:

Amateur vs professional tattoo? [Amateur tattoos usually have less ink, and use inks which respond better to laser treatment.]

Ink color: dark blue or black inks generally absorb laser energy more efficiently, and are therefore easier to treat. Colors like green and blue absorb most wavelengths less well, and colors like yellow, brown, white and violet usually require a larger number of treatments or may be practically impossible to treat.

Location on the body: the further you go down the body, the slower the body clears away tattoo ink after the particles have been shattered by energy from a Q-switched laser. For example, if there are identical tattoos on the shoulder and the ankle, the tattoo on the ankle might take twice as many treatments to get to the same endpoint.

How long you wait between treatments: the longer you wait between treatments, the more time you give your body to clear away the ink after it has been treated, and the smaller the total number of treatments you will need to clear the tattoo.  So, if you are willing to wait 6-12 months between treatments, you might need half as many treatments compared with treating the tattoo every 2 months. BUT, the downside is, if you wait 6-12 months between treatments, it might take several years to clear the tattoo. In the final analysis, it is a very personal decision, and depends on each individual's personal preferences, schedule and budget. If someone wants to get rid of a tattoo ASAP and has the time and the money, it can be treated every two weeks.