How many sessions of laser treatment will I need to fade my tattoo for a cover up? (Photo)

Question

My tattoo is 5 months old ive been very disappointed the way it looks and the colors it has i cant stop thinking how much regret i have on making this decision im depressed and been having anxiety over this, i want to get rid of it or if its possible to do a cover up? If not,will laser treatment will be better to fade the tattoo and then do a cover up? How many sessions will it take to fade? What is best to do? Also what type of laser should i use?

Harold J. Kaplan, MD · Answer

Hi Yeni.  The number of treatments to remove or fade a tattoo depends on many factors including the type of ink, color of ink, depth of placement, practitioner skill, type of laser (wavelength).In your situation, because of the green ink, we would recommend you find a facility that has both 532 and 755 wavelengths for q-switched lasers.  The reason is that the 532 wavelength is most effective for red ink and the 755 wavelength is most effective for green ink.  If you want to minimize the number of treatments, the technology used will be somewhat important.  The reason we say somewhat is that the practitioner using the machine is more important than the machine itself as you need to know the best settings (experience) to create optimal removal while avoiding side effects.  With that said, if you find a practice that has the optimal wavelengths and an experienced practitioner, you should be able to achieve enough lightening after 4-6 visits to cover it up.  This also depends on what you are trying to cover it with.  Finally, we often see patients that are going through the removal process after doing a cover up.  Having to remove two different tattoos that were placed on top of each other is even harder, so make sure you really want the cover up before getting it.

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

Tattoos can be removed with laser tattoo removal. Tattoos should be removed with q switched or pico lasers. It's difficult to predict how many sessions will be needed, but it will take a series of treatments for removal. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with a laser tattoo removal expert. Best, Dr. Emer

Kory Kitagawa, MD · Answer

I’m sorry that you are unhappy with your tattoo. A quick look through these boards will demonstrate that you are not alone; tattoo regret is common. Luckily, the PicoWay laser is highly effective at removing a wide variety of tattoo pigments. It uses short bursts of high energy to shatter the tattoo. Very little heat is generated. You will need to leave about 2 months between each removal session so your skin can recover and your body can remove the pigment fragments. The minimum number of treatments you’d need just to fade your tattoo would be 5 to 8. To completely remove it may take more. A board-certified dermatologist will be able to help you decide what to do and to set up a removal/fading schedule.

David S. Rosenberg, MD · Answer

i'm so sorry  you are unhappy with your tattoo.  It will likely take 6-8 sessions to fade it enough for a cover up and 12-13 to completely remove it.  We use the PicoSure which is the  best laser on the market.  We offer free consults.  Good luck! DSR

Brian Citro, MD · Answer

Laser treatment is definitely the best option for your tattoo. Removal can take some time and no one can tell you how many treatments it will actually take. Reds, greens, oranges, yellows and blues are all hard colors to remove despite how good our lasers are. With enough time, treatments and money, the tattoo could be completely removed. The option of a cover up is not a bad idea in your case. Usually 5 or so treatments with a laser is all that is needed for an artist to do a really good cover up.
As far as lasers go, I would go for a pico laser (PiQo4, Picoway, Enlighten3, Picosure). These lasers are more effective at tattoo removal and can decrease the number of treatments required. Should you choose laser therapy, keep in mind that you don't have decide between removal and cover up. You can just get the treatment started and see how things go. If you decide to do cover up then you can stop the treatments when the ink has faded enough and just go for the cover up.

How many sessions of laser treatment will I need to fade my tattoo for a cover up? (Photo)

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How many sessions of laser treatment will I need to fade my tattoo for a cover up? (Photo)

Answers (7)

Answer: Tattoo regret

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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.