Does scabbing/healing time decrease the more tattoo sessions you have, or am I getting ineffective treatment?

Question

I had 4 sessions at a tattoo removal place, then changed to a new place where I’ve now had 2 sessions. The last 2 times it hurt during the treatment as usual, but afterwards there was no tenderness or scabbing. It feels and looks fine the day after. I’m afraid I’m throwing money at a machine thats doing nothing. Or is this normal when you’ve had multiple sessions already? Also, what should the voltage be set at? The machine ranges from 800-1000v.

Jennifer Mundt, NMD · Answer

Hello, Scabbing and worse healing can happen in the first few sessions depending on the ink colors and laser used. If you have red/pink/orange/yellow/brown ink then the 532nm wavelength can cause scabbing no matter what. If you have really thick black ink then it can also happen, but usually less. Honestly, I like to see less scabbing and more inflammation inside the skin with laser hitting black ink. I worry that if you are scabbing too much then the laser is not actually connecting with the ink and just hitting your skin too superficially. I am not sure on the Voltage used a all lasers differ, but usually lasers need to be turned up a little each time to hit the remaining ink. At some point the laser will be at its highest setting and you will have to stay there because there is no higher to go. I also suggest taking photos each time right before you do a treatment, so you can track if you are clearing your ink. Sometimes this is the only way to see for sure if your treatments are being effective.

Mark A. Blair, MD · Answer

Hello, thank you for your question.  There are a couple of things that could be happening.  Depending on the device being used, this also effects the tissue destruction. As an example, the PicoWay laser (pico-second technology) uses photoacoustic impact/pressure waves to break up the ink, there is far less heat than the traditional q-switch devices.  Therefore, there is significantly less tissue destruction, while still shattering the ink into even smaller particles so your body can absorb more easily.  The device being used may have something to do with that.  Also, the ink is the target for the laser, as the ink lightens, there is less of a target and the energy is gradually increased in order to still impact the ink target. So, yes, you will have less tissue response when the target becomes lighter and the ink becomes less dense.Good Luck!

Does scabbing/healing time decrease the more tattoo sessions you have, or am I getting ineffective treatment?

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Does scabbing/healing time decrease the more tattoo sessions you have, or am I getting ineffective treatment?

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Everything you need to know about Tattoo Removal

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.