What Is Laser Tattoo Removal and How Does It Work?

For centuries, tattoos were created using traditional methods, often in conditions that weren't always optimal for skin health, and frequently using low-quality substances such as Indian ink, charcoal or even tallow. Fortunately, this is no longer the case today, and all tattoo artists now use industrially produced ink, which is less harmful to the skin and easier to remove. This ink is generally injected directly into the dermis, the intermediate layer of skin beneath the epidermis (roughly one to four millimetres deep), which is what makes a tattoo permanent.

Laser tattoo removal works by breaking down the ink particles that make up the tattoo, which sit in these lower layers of the skin. Several methods have been explored and developed over recent decades to achieve this, but today it's clear that laser treatment is the only truly effective and safe option. That's why, at Ray studios, we only offer laser tattoo removal, using the best lasers on the market: the PicoWay® lasers from Candela.

How does laser tattoo removal work?

A common misconception is that it's the machine or the treatment that removes the tattoo. This isn't the case. Except in surgery, a very specific scenario in which the tattooed skin is surgically removed, it isn't the tool that gets rid of the tattoo, but the customer's own body. The treatment simply makes possible a process your body can carry out itself. The procedure remains necessary, since no body can clear a tattoo on command, but it's the body, and only the body, that carries out the removal. 

In laser tattoo removal, the process simply breaks down the ink particles under the skin into smaller fragments. By reducing their size, the laser allows the body to eliminate them naturally, through the lymphatic system and then through excretion. This is why tattoo removal is a fairly lengthy process, with each session needing to be spaced around eight weeks apart. It's often wrongly assumed that this interval is needed to let the skin heal, when it's actually needed to give the body time to clear the ink particles. There's no benefit to shortening the gap between sessions, as this would make them less effective. 

As for other tattoo removal methods, even though the tool and its action differ from laser treatment, the underlying principle is broadly the same. However, laser treatment is the only method genuinely recommended by health experts. Chemical tattoo removal, such as with lactic acid, tattoo removal creams, or worse, so-called "home remedies," should be avoided. These are of little to no effectiveness and often carry a high risk of significant, irreversible side effects. This is why laser treatment is the only method offered at Ray studios, with every centre equipped with the PicoWay® picosecond laser from Candela, the most advanced on the market.

What happens during a tattoo removal treatment?

A full laser tattoo removal treatment typically requires several sessions, usually between five and twelve, depending on several factors such as the ink colours used in the tattoo or the customer's skin type. While initial results can appear after just one or two sessions, complete removal generally takes several months. For tattoos that are harder to remove, such as those with multiple colours, some patience is required.

At Ray studios, every treatment begins with an initial consultation with one of our skin therapists, with no obligation to proceed. The aim of this appointment is to explain the procedure in detail and answer all your questions: establishing your initial assessment based on customers with a similar profile to yours, along with any contraindications and aftercare advice. It's worth noting that the skin therapists we work with, all trained in laser treatments, undergo dedicated training in laser technology and correct laser settings rather than a general medical background, which is why we use the term "skin therapist." Individual results vary. During the appointment, your skin therapist explains the procedure, talks you through the indications and contraindications, and outlines the Full Remove plan, based on the size of your tattoo.

If you wish, and provided there are no contraindications (such as pregnancy), you can have your first session straight after the consultation. Its duration depends on the area being treated, and therefore the size of the tattoo. Sessions typically last from around ten minutes (for an XS tattoo) to forty minutes (for an XXL tattoo). The entire treatment is carried out by one of our expert skin therapists, who is solely responsible for setting the laser according to several factors, including the tattoo's colour. Afterwards, they apply a moisturising cream and a dressing to the treated area.

After each session, you can book your next appointment straight away, which must take place at least eight weeks later. In the meantime, you'll need to moisturise the skin regularly and protect it for several days, following your skin therapist's advice.