How much scarring will likely occur in removing a chest tattoo from nearly 20 years ago?

Most patients see significant fading after several sessions and reach a satisfactory point. Each successive treatment is often has less effect than the previous. Keep in mind, not all patients can have 100% of removal, of the tattoo but the best approach is a combination of pico and nano technology. Depending on how many sessions you have, the lines may look faded instead of completely erased. Be sure to see a licensed technician if you decide to go froward with the treatments.
Best,
Anil Shah  

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

Thank you for your question. Yes, this can be removed with laser tattoo removal. In my office I use the Picosure laser as it is 95%+ effective in removing tattoos and works best on dark colors such as black, blue, purple and green and it can take up to 6-10 sessions. I recommend having a consultation with an expert to determine the best treatment plan for you. Best of Luck!

Hello, thank you for your question and for including a photo.  The way a laser rids the skin of unwanted ink is, it shatters the ink into tiny particles and your body absorbs those particles.  The latest technology in laser tattoo removal is the pico-second technology. The PicoWay Laser (Candela/Syneron) uses photoacoustic
impact/pressure waves rather than photothermal/heat.  This process has less heat, therefore it is
more comfortable and the chances of hyperpigmentation are less.  The Pico-second pulse shatters the ink into
even smaller particles, allowing the body to more easily absorb the ink.  This type of technology can usually remove a tattoo in about half as many treatments as the traditional Q-switch device. The PicoWay has 3 different wavelengths and can treat most all colors.  Because this device also had less heat, there are far fewer occurrences of any scarring at all.  The pricing will vary market to market and depending on the device being used.  The photo you supplied does not reference size at all.  This will definitely effect the cost to remove the ink.  You can click on the weblink below and put in your zip code to "Find a provider" in your area.Good Luck!

Thanks for your question and posting a picture.  Tattoo regret is very common.  Almost every tattoo can be completely removed with enough time and treatments.  The most important factor is patience.  You have to give your body time to absorb the ink.  For laser tattoo removal you have two routes.The older nanosecond or Q-Switch lasers that came out about 20 years ago.  The majority of former Q-Switch patients we see have significant hypopigmentation (ghosting) around and under their tattoo.  The Q-Switch lasers have trouble differentiating between the melanin in your skin and ink.  The technology uses heat to burn the pigment out of your skin.  In addition, we have seen patients with raised scars as if they have been branded.  Both of these condition are typically irreversible.  Picosecond laser came out about 4 years ago.  Every laser manufacturer has a different marketing hook to make you choose their laser.  At the end of the day, it's about the technology and experience of the clinician.  All PicoSecond lasers (like the Enlighten, PicoWay & PicoSure) fire 1000 times faster per second, using a pressure wave rather than heat to shear the ink molecules apart.  The hype of extra wavelengths does not make that much of a difference.  The 755 nm will get rid of most of the ink colors.  For red and pink ink, you would need to make sure they have 532 nm.  After using the PicoSure for 3 and half years, we have only seen pinpoint hypopigmentation in a very small number of patients usually of darker skin tones.  We cannot say it is impossible to get burned with a Picosecond laser, but it is highly unlikely.  We tell every PicoSure tattoo patient to expect at least 6 treatments, but don’t be surprised if it takes 10 to 12.  Patience is the key for our patients.  We typically see our tattoo removal patients every 8 to 12 weeks initially.  We eventually encourage them to wait up to 6 months as the tattoos seem to continue to fade while they wait.Treatment prices vary by market. The cost for picosecond treatments will be higher, but you should need less than half the treatments compared to a nanosecond laser.  The patch is only used with the older nanosecond lasers.  Best of luck

A medically-trained practitioner with a PicoSure laser can remove your tattoo with no scarring. I’ve found that chest tattoos are especially easy to eradicate, and yours should be no exception.
Good luck! Be sure to blog your progress here on RealSelf.