How Long To Wait Between Tattoo Removal Sessions?
As much as a tattoo has sentimental value to someone, sometimes it can be burdensome. It can be due to the change in people’s taste or something they do not like anymore to carry within themselves. So, they look for solutions because permanent tattoos take forever to fade naturally.
But thanks to technological advancement, the laser has become a proven and safe option for removing a tat. It is a lengthy process that takes several appointments, requiring you to wait between the tattoo removal sessions.
The time gap between every two sessions is 6 to 8 weeks long. It gives your skin enough time to take in the treatment.
Yes, it is too long, but there are reasons. You can also play a role in speeding up the process. Let’s learn all about it below.
How Does The Laser Remove A Tattoo?
Getting a tattoo means agreeing that it will stay with you forever. But the commitment does not serve everyone equally. Laser technology can be their savior in that case. It is the most effective way of clearing your skin of undesired tattoo designs. Today, no one has to live with their tattoos any longer than they want.
The laser removes a tattoo by emitting its beams that aim at your tattoo’s colors. When that happens, the ink pigments absorb the energy and break down.
That might worry some of you – what if the beams threaten the tissues around the tattoo? You can rest assured that will not be the case. The process is entirely secure.
Once the beams blast the ink pigments into minuscule particles, it will enable your body to reabsorb them via the natural course of your immunity.
Why Does It Take So Much Time To Remove The Tattoo Ink?
It used to be a hectic process to get rid of a tattoo before the laser had come. But it takes time, even with the new technology. It is due to how it settles into the cells of your body.
Your Internal System’s Inability To Process The Ink By Itself
The immune system of your body does the job of regulating your skin. When your body identifies a foreign component like tattoo ink, it tries to get it out of your system.
It gets special cells named macrophages to clear the substances under most circumstances, which usually draws them in for ultimate disposal.
But tattoo ink is an exception to the typical scenario. The macrophages cannot dispose of them during absorption. Even if one of them manages to rupture the ink pigment, another will take it in afterwards. And it will cause the tattoo to stay stuck permanently to your skin unless you do something about it.
Laser Requiring Time To Handle Your Internal System
The most secure option to remove every trace of a tattoo is laser treatment. The ink fragments get split into tiny particles after each session, paving the way for the macrophages to eliminate them.
That is why your internal system requires time after each appointment to get through the clearing process. Hence, you wait for 1.5 to 2 months between your tattoo removal sessions. As you progress with them, you will notice your tattoo disappearing.
What Factors Are Responsible For Quickening Or Slowing Down The Process?
The result of the laser treatments differs from one patient to another. While one gets it within a few months, it takes two years for others. Here is why.
The Depth And Age Of The Ink Of Your Tattoo
The older your tattoo, the faster it is to remove the ink and vice versa. Brand-new tattoos need some time to heal before getting the treatment. If you want to remove a tattoo right after having it done, you should wait for 1 to 1.5 months before getting ready for the treatment.
Another major factor is how deep the tattoo ink goes into your skin. As you can guess, if it is deeper, the process will be lengthier.
So it can give you an edge if you have a tattoo designed by an amateur. (Look at the irony, though!)
You might never need the removal if the tattoo was well-made. But if luck would have it that way, your takeaway is that the process will be shorter in your case since the ink stays closer to the upper layer of your skin than a professionally done tattoo.
The Tattoo Location
It may come as a shocker, but how long it will take to remove your tattoo depends much on the place of the tattoo. Tattoos around your heart will fade faster than those far away because the cell activity and blood circulation are higher there. If you have a tattoo on your foot or hand, it will take longer to disappear.
The Immune System Of Your Body
If your immune system is healthy, your tattoo removal process will be faster than those with poor immunity levels. That is because an active immune system can dispose of the ink fragments more efficiently.
The Ink Color
It is one of the key things on which the fading process depends. You may think that darker colors recede slower, especially if they are pastels. But the case is the opposite.
The green ones are more like a challenge. However, since the lasers use highly sophisticated technology, they can tackle all colors. This capability makes them the best of all tattoo removal treatments discovered so far. So, if the results are faster in certain parts of the tattoo than others, take it easy. It is only because the shades were easier for the lasers to treat. The late ones will also catch up soon.
The Tattoo Size
Well, this one is self-explanatory. If your tattoo is small, it will take fewer laser appointments than the large ones.
What Are The Benefits Of Undergoing The Laser Tattoo Removal Process?
Getting Rid Of A Tattoo
It is only natural that your tastes will change as time passes. So, if your tattoo does not please you as it used to, you might want to get rid of it. The laser can be the best way to do that.
The Safety Of The Process
There are multiple processes of removing a tattoo, but they are not effective and safe. Only laser treatment can give you the best result with zero danger.
Make sure the technology is FDA-approved before undergoing the process. That is a way to know that the procedure will maintain the highest safety and health standards. And when you are finally through, it will leave you amazed at the output.
An Easy Option To Alter A Tattoo
The characteristics of laser treatment are not limited to removing a tattoo only. It can also change tattoos. If you dislike a particular part of your tattoo design, you can eliminate it with this treatment so that your tattooist can make your desired alterations.
How Can I Pace Up The Process?
There are some things on your part to aid your body in responding to the treatment. The first one includes eating healthy, staying well, and keeping your immunity high. Treat yourself to good food, and make sure your sleep schedule is perfect. It will make the job easier for your macrophages.
Secondly, do not smoke during this period. It compromises your immunity and slows down the procedure.
The third rule prevents you from getting sunburn when your treatment session comes close. Laser technology will not work on your sun-damaged skin, causing you to postpone the appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How Long Does The Process Take To Provide The Initial Outcome?
It takes several sessions to make a tattoo wear off entirely, but the outcome progresses with each appointment.
As there is a time gap of 6 to 8 weeks between the sessions to let your skin process it, you can expect to see changes within 18 weeks. That means it will take 3 appointments.
2. When Will The Final Result Be Visible?
The timeline varies among individuals, but most get the final result between 6 to 12 sessions for the complete removal. That will take 1 to 2 years, considering the time before each appointment. But again, for some, it might take 15 sessions while others can get away with only 4.
Anyway, it is safe to expect that there will be no instant results. As you go through each session, there will be cumulative changes. You will experience your tattoo walking toward oblivion by carrying on with the procedure.
Final Words
Removing a tattoo is now simpler than ever. Even though the process is lengthy, it is faster than the others. Depending on your response to the technology, the laser will deliver noticeable changes within 3 to 4 months. After 1 to 2 years, it will be as if there were no tattoos on your body. That is when all your waiting between the tattoo removal sessions will pay off.
That would be all from here. Over and out!