COWELL ST SKIN & HAIR CLINIC • ADVICE

How Many Sessions Does Laser Tattoo Removal Take?

Professional tattoos can take up to 12 sessions to remove. Amateur tattoos often clear in far fewer. Sessions are spaced 6 to 10 weeks apart, so removing a professional tattoo fully can take a year or more.

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That is the honest range. Nobody can give you an exact number from a photo, and you should be wary of anyone who does. Here is what decides where your tattoo falls.

What affects how many tattoo removal sessions you need?

Who did the tattoo. Professional tattoos hold more ink, placed deeper and more evenly, so they take longer. Amateur tattoos usually hold less ink and often clear faster.

The colours. Black ink usually responds fastest. Some colours, such as greens and blues, can take more sessions. This is why we use more than one type of laser and look at your tattoo before quoting.

Whether you want it gone or just faded. If you are planning a cover-up, you may only need a few sessions. Fading takes fewer sessions than full removal and gives your tattoo artist a much cleaner base to work on.

How your skin responds. Results vary from person to person. We start with a patch test on a small part of the tattoo, which shows us how your skin and the ink react before a full session.

How long do you wait between tattoo removal sessions?

We space sessions 6 to 10 weeks apart. Each session breaks down more ink, and your body then clears it gradually. The skin also needs time to heal. Treating again too soon does not speed things up and raises the risk of skin reactions.

What does a tattoo look like between sessions?

Straight after treatment the tattoo can look bruised, with a grey or purple colour that fades over 7 to 12 days. Mild swelling, redness and tenderness usually last up to a week. Blisters sometimes form, more often with red ink. The fading you are waiting for shows gradually over the following weeks.

Can you reduce the number of sessions?

You cannot make the ink clear faster, but you can avoid delays:

Keep the area out of the sun. We cannot treat tanned skin, real or fake, and a tan means waiting for it to fade.
Follow the aftercare, especially leaving scabs and crusts alone.
Keep your appointments at the recommended spacing.

How much does laser tattoo removal cost per session?

You pay per session, with no upfront course fee. Prices are set by the size of the tattoo, from £30 a session for one around 3cm by 3cm to £100 for one around 12cm by 12cm. Larger tattoos are priced at consultation.

How do I find out how many sessions my tattoo needs?

The only way to get a realistic estimate is to have the tattoo looked at. At your free consultation at our clinic in Llanelli we assess the ink, do a patch test, and give you an estimated number of sessions and a fixed price per session.

Next step

Read more about laser tattoo removal, or call 01554 227543 to book a free consultation.

Ready to Start? Book Your Free Consultation

Come in for a free consultation and find out what treatment involves and what it will cost.