Hello, I am Dr. Lee Hye-young, a board-certified dermatologist. Many people undergoing tattoo removal treatments worry, "Why isn't the color fading well?" or "Is it wrong that my skin is turning red?" yet find it difficult to ask their doctor directly. This can unfortunately lead to people believing incorrect information online and abandoning their treatment midway.
Today, I would like to correct common misunderstandings about tattoo removal and provide accurate information.
Why don't tattoos fade easily over time?
In fact, over time, our body's macrophages, which are immune cells, gradually absorb small pigment particles, causing the tattoo color to fade slightly. However, there is a limit to how much they can fade naturally, and most tattoos generally last a lifetime. Therefore, to remove tattoos more quickly and effectively, laser tattoo removal procedures are performed.
Why does laser tattoo removal take so long?
Laser tattoo removal uses a picosecond laser that delivers energy in one-trillionth of a second to break down tattoo pigments into tiny particles. These finely fragmented pigments are then absorbed more quickly by macrophages and expelled from the body.
However, during typical laser tattoo removal procedures, a white foam (frosting) forms on the skin surface as the pigment is removed. Since the laser cannot properly penetrate this white foam, only one pass of treatment is possible at a time. This is considered a disadvantage of conventional laser tattoo removal, as it can take many months, sometimes even dozens of months, for a tattoo to be completely removed.
The misconception that lettering tattoos fade the fastest
Many people believe that thin, black lettering tattoos will fade the fastest. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The reasons are as follows:
- Picture tattoos often have shading, with both dark and light areas.
- However, lettering tattoos are typically filled densely with black ink throughout the entire letter.
This is because a large amount of pigment must be injected deeply into a small area to create a lettering tattoo. Therefore, lettering tattoos can actually take much longer to remove than picture tattoos. Not only lettering tattoos, but also the sketch lines in picture tattoos tend to be the last to fade during tattoo removal for the same reason. If you are planning to remove a tattoo that includes lettering or lines, we recommend allowing ample time for the treatment.
Is it okay if brown marks remain after tattoo removal?
Some people may be concerned about brown marks remaining on the treated area even after the clinic says the tattoo removal is complete. If the tattoo pigment seems to be less faded, why are they told they don't need to visit anymore?
This is because the tattoo pigment has indeed been completely removed. If the tattoo pigment were still present, the color remaining would be the original tattoo ink color, not brown. The areas where tattoo ink has been removed can sometimes appear brown, which is similar to how a wound from a fall initially appears red, then turns brown over time, and eventually returns to skin color. In other words, as the tattoo pigment breaks down, a wound forms in the skin, which then swells and reddens, and over time, it becomes brown due to pigmentation.
If a light brown mark remains in the tattoo removal area, it is post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation that occurs after the procedure, not tattoo pigment. In this state, no matter how strongly the laser is applied, it will no longer react to the tattoo pigment, so we advise that you can conclude your visits. In most cases, it will naturally disappear over time, so there is no need to worry excessively. If you wish to improve the brown pigmentation more quickly, you can seek help from laser toning, which is effective for pigment treatment.
Methods for faster and more effective tattoo removal
As explained earlier, conventional tattoo removal is difficult to perform more than one pass at a time due to the white foam (frosting) that forms during the procedure. To compensate for this disadvantage of existing laser tattoo removal, our clinic uses a special medication to enable up to four laser passes at once with the R-Zero Technique for tattoo removal.
Many people worry that multiple treatments at once might strain the skin or cause scarring. However, you don't need to be overly concerned. When removing tattoos with the R-Zero Technique, we do not uniformly apply four passes to all skin; instead, we adjust the laser intensity and number of passes according to the individual's skin sensitivity and skin type. If we determine that it might strain the skin, we adjust the number of passes to ensure safe treatment.
Furthermore, as Yonsei Star Dermatology Sinchon is well-known for scar treatment, we also combine scar prevention treatment with tattoo removal. Through our unique scar prevention treatment, we minimize the possibility of blisters forming during tattoo removal and help them heal quickly if they do occur.
Can tattoos be removed immediately after getting them?
If you get a tattoo and don't like it, you might want to remove it right away. However, most tattoo removal clinics often advise that removal is only possible after about 4 to 6 weeks. But in fact, this is not true. We actually recommend that if you regret a tattoo, you should remove it as soon as possible.
This is because if the laser is applied before the wound caused by the tattoo procedure has healed, the tattoo pigment can be expelled more quickly, leading to better results. There might be concerns about scarring if the laser is applied before the skin heals. The probability of scarring can be high if the procedure is performed by someone with limited experience in tattoo removal and scar treatment.
However, a practitioner with a deep understanding of scars and tattoo removal can effectively apply the laser to remove tattoo pigment without leaving scars. Therefore, we recommend removing tattoos as soon as possible after the procedure.
So far, we have corrected several misunderstandings related to tattoo removal. If you experience any symptoms or have questions during tattoo removal, we recommend contacting the clinic where you received the treatment for consultation.