Since 2015 I have been working on a sleeve tattoo. Most of it is finished but for about a year now i have been thinking of looking into laser removal. I have found my skin does not hold ink well, and thus my tattoo fades fast. I have already gone in for one touch up and the ink still looks like a grey wash. Is it possible for me to have my whole sleeve removed? If I choose to start the process how many sessions should it take? Will my arm ever look 100% tattoo free? Will there be scaring?
October 2, 2017
Answer: Removing a full sleave black tattoo This is a difficult tattoo to remove. You have a darker skin type that is at risk for hyperpigmentation. I don't think you would ever be 100% tattoo free. In it's favor is that the ink is black, which is the easiest ink to remove. I would use a 1064 nano and picosecond laser. It will take 10 treatments or more. It will be very expensive as well, about 300 or more per treatment.
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October 2, 2017
Answer: Removing a full sleave black tattoo This is a difficult tattoo to remove. You have a darker skin type that is at risk for hyperpigmentation. I don't think you would ever be 100% tattoo free. In it's favor is that the ink is black, which is the easiest ink to remove. I would use a 1064 nano and picosecond laser. It will take 10 treatments or more. It will be very expensive as well, about 300 or more per treatment.
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October 3, 2017
Answer: Full Sleeve Tattoo Removal is Achievable Hello and thank you for your question and for sharing your photos. Removing an entire sleeve tattoo is completely achievable, it will just require time and patience. In our practice, we use the PicoSure tattoo removal laser, which literally shatters the ink into microscopic particles which are then eliminated naturally by your body over a period of time. Treatments should be spaced at least 8 weeks apart per area, to allow your body time to eliminate the treated ink. I recommend that you seek out a consultation with a clinician that has experience with larger areas such as yours. Most clinicians will offer a free consultation. The consultation should include a treatment plan which outlines how many treatments are likely needed, what the timeline would be, what the strategy will be for removal, and you should feel comfortable with the clinician as this will be a relationship that lasts awhile. For example, the clinician may recommend segmenting areas of the sleeve-basically, dividing it into sections-and work on a different area at each appointment. This is sometimes preferred for larger areas, as you typically don't want to laser for extended periods of time in a single session, out of concern for patient comfort. That doesn't mean that you would need to wait 8 weeks between each segment appointment, just between repeated treatments of the same areas. Overall, I would estimate that it would take 4-6 complete treatments to achieve the results you are looking for, you may see results sooner in the lighter areas, some of the denser ink may take longer. Time and patience are really the keys! If you decide to pursue removal, it may be beneficial to others for you to post photos of your progress. All the best to you!
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October 3, 2017
Answer: Full Sleeve Tattoo Removal is Achievable Hello and thank you for your question and for sharing your photos. Removing an entire sleeve tattoo is completely achievable, it will just require time and patience. In our practice, we use the PicoSure tattoo removal laser, which literally shatters the ink into microscopic particles which are then eliminated naturally by your body over a period of time. Treatments should be spaced at least 8 weeks apart per area, to allow your body time to eliminate the treated ink. I recommend that you seek out a consultation with a clinician that has experience with larger areas such as yours. Most clinicians will offer a free consultation. The consultation should include a treatment plan which outlines how many treatments are likely needed, what the timeline would be, what the strategy will be for removal, and you should feel comfortable with the clinician as this will be a relationship that lasts awhile. For example, the clinician may recommend segmenting areas of the sleeve-basically, dividing it into sections-and work on a different area at each appointment. This is sometimes preferred for larger areas, as you typically don't want to laser for extended periods of time in a single session, out of concern for patient comfort. That doesn't mean that you would need to wait 8 weeks between each segment appointment, just between repeated treatments of the same areas. Overall, I would estimate that it would take 4-6 complete treatments to achieve the results you are looking for, you may see results sooner in the lighter areas, some of the denser ink may take longer. Time and patience are really the keys! If you decide to pursue removal, it may be beneficial to others for you to post photos of your progress. All the best to you!
Helpful