The toughest laser tattoo removal questions online

Laser tattoo removal is discussed and debated on many online forums. On Reddit the merits of different machines are compared, and people showcase their proud removal results. On the page, r/tattooremoval users discuss the topic, with posts falling into a number of different categories, from before and after pics, to requests for advice about the process of laser tattoo removal. Providing support and motivation to nearly 15k members, the Reddit page has undoubtedly helped inform its readers about the different machines for laser tattoo removal and what to expect before and after treatment. We thought we’d take on some of the thornier questions on the page and answer with our own expert knowledge. While Reddit is a great resource, it must be said that you never know who you’re reading answers from: it could be an expert laser technician typing away in their office while on a lunch break, or it could be a bedroom-dwelling troll. Here are the top five questions on Reddit about laser tattoo removal answered by our experts:

• What is the best laser for tattoo removal?

• How do I prepare for treatments before and after?

• Does laser tattoo removal hurt?

• What tattoo trends and designs are least likely to be removed?

• How long does laser tattoo removal take?

What is the best laser for tattoo removal?

At NAAMA studios our expert nurses choose the LightSense® laser. It is exclusively available to us and so nurses have access to bespoke training and a strong portfolio of satisfied clients, each providing feedback and data on how to best implement the skin-kind treatments. In terms of credentials, the main reason we choose to operate with the LightSense® laser is that it uses super-low energy. The accurate spot size means that the laser requires an extremely low amount of energy to provide equal or better efficacy compared with other machines. This is because of the concept of fluence, which you can read about here, but essentially it works a bit like a garden hose. When watering the flowers you probably want a delicate spray, but when hosing down a muddy bike you might cover some of the nozzle to increase the strength of the water spray. The smaller spot size means we can operate on much lower energy than other machines. This provides two great benefits: we treat clients’ tattoos every 2-3 weeks instead of waiting months between sessions, and our treatments are skin-safe and skin-kind. How do I prepare for treatments before and after? Summer is fast approaching and so the best preparation for laser tattoo removal is a safe-in-the-sun routine and a well-functioning, healthy immune system. Because the LightSense® laser works with your body’s natural immune system to flush out unwanted ink particles, eating well and drinking plenty of water will greatly improve your chances of achieving the best results. In the four weeks before and after your treatments you should be slathering on sun cream with a high SPF and UVA 4* rating and above. You can read more about our sun exposure guidelines for thorough and pragmatic advice.

Does laser tattoo removal hurt?

If you’ve read Monty Lyman’s book The Painful Truth then the first thing to say is that everything we know about pain is, well, not wrong, but a little vexed. When asked this question our nurses usually answer that pain is an incredibly subjective phenomenon. One person’s light scratching sensation will be another’s burning. Thankfully we wrote an entire blog answering this question and looking at the science around pain. But the straightforward answer is that when working on ultra-low energy laser tattoo removal needn’t hurt, especially if you are well prepared, healthy, and have an ice pack handy. What tattoo trends and designs are least likely to be removed? No tattoo trend or design is 100% invulnerable to the passing of time. And as we learned from our interview with Dr Charlotte Dann, even the language around tattooing itself changes over time. A term once used widely in the media can become extremely unfashionable. “I’d not heard tramp stamp for such a long time, at least unironically.” “There is no male equivalent. And there’s no real other body part for women that gets discussed in this way […] that part of the body is still associated with promiscuity.” As you can see, the way we discuss tattooing is constantly evolving. From our own experience, tattoos with the names of children tend not to be removed (though the same courtesy does not extend to the names of our partners) and classic imagery like roses, pin-ups, and sailor iconography are all classic for a good reason. They’ve stood the test of time. How long does laser tattoo removal take? The last question and possibly the hardest to answer in a one-size-fits-all fashion. The best way to find out how long it will take our expert nurses to remove your tattoo with the LightSense® laser is to get in touch. Removals vary in duration because tattoos are all different, people’s immune systems are different, and inks are especially different. Read our client stories to find out how long it took them to remove a tattoo and remember that because the LightSense® laser works on ultra-low energy, we are able to treat tattoos every 2-3 weeks, offering tattoo removal in months, not years, and incredible results.