Will insurance cover removal of a tattoo that I am allergic to? (Photo)

Thank you for your question in regards to tattoo removal. Unfortunately, insurance will not cover any cost to remove a tattoo. To be sure what is best for you, see two or more board-certified providers in your area for a complete evaluation to make sure you are a good candidate and that it is safe for you to have treatment. I hope this helps.

I can't speak to your insurance coverage, but this is unlikely covered. This can be removed with laser tattoo removal. Tattoos should be removed with q switched or pico lasers. We also use the pfd patch to help speed up the process. It will take a series of treatments, but it's difficult to determine how many sessions will be needed. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with a laser tattoo removal expert. Best, Dr. Emer

Thanks for your question. Unfortunately, insurance would not likely cover laser tattoo removal. In fact, laser tattoo removal would likely WORSEN the reaction locally and it could even cause a widespread allergic reaction (involving more that just the skin at the site, in other words). By breaking the ink into smaller particles your body may react to it even more. It may make sense to see a dermatologist or plastic surgeon to see if excision is an option (hard to tell the size of this based on your photo)- and perhaps that could be coded in such a way that insurance would cover the procedure.
Best,
Lisa Vuich, MD