The Impact of Color on Tattoo Removal

If you are considering tattoo reoval, you might be surprised to learn that color matters when it comes to removing a tattoo. It is not the only factor that matters, however. A study cited by the Wall Street Journal in 2012 found that smoking can diminish by 70 percent a laser's ability to remove your colored tattoo. Dermatologists have long known that color can make a difference when trying to remove a tattoo. The study cited in the Wall Street Journal article found that about 47 percent of the people in the study were able to remove their tattoos after 10 treatments and 75 percent after 15 treatments. The study published in the American Medical Association's Archives of Dermatology found that black and red pigments were removed the most easily. However, when other colors are in the tattoo, the effectiveness of the tattoo removal process is reduced by about a 80 percent. Large designs or tattoos found on your legs or feet also reduce effectiveness.

Why does color matter?

It is all about physics. Light wavelengths are either visible or invisible and cannot be absorbed by all colors. The ability of the ink to absorb the laser's light energy is what allows the ink to be broken up and gradually fade with each treatment. If you have a color that does not effectively absorb light, your chances of erasing or diminishing that tattoo are reduced. As an example, a green light laser does not effectively diminish a green colored tattoo. However, that same green laser could be perfect to diminish the color on the opposite side of a color wheel, meaning red. This is the same across the color spectrum.

If you would like to remove your tattoo, contact Beloved Laser Tattoo Removal so that we can schedule a consultation to review your options. We can discuss your tattoos, the number of treatments that you might need and likelihood for successful removal or diminishing your tattoo.

Of course, if you have any questions on how to improve the tattoo removal process between sessions, never hesitate to contact Beloved Laser Tattoo Removal online or by calling 651-797-3738.