Persistent Redness on Foot After Tattoo Removal (Photo)

Question

I’m a healthy, 37 year old female who has had 5 tattoo removal sessions over the last year. The tattoo is on my foot and has had persistent redness. It goes away temporarily after my feet are elevated or I am off them for a while. It gets worse after a hot shower. It’s been persistent since the 2nd treatment. I’ve stretched the sessions out to 3-4 months in between now. The tech said she thinks it will go away. How can I treat this to ensure it’s not permanent?

Jon E. Mendelsohn, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question and photos. What you are experiencing is pink "flushing" of the skin associated with healing and ink reaborption following laser. I have seen this occur, especially on the lower extremities. I have always seen this clear with the passage of time as the healing continues. In our practice, we will space treatments farther apart than the usual 6-8 weeks when this occurs, and even take a significantly longer break till the redness fades, even up to 6 months, such as over the warmer months. Good luck!

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