Expert Dermatologist Tips: Can Multi-color Tattoos Be Removed?

Black and red tattoo inks usually fade very well with laser treatment. Colored tattoos often require more treatment sessions to completely remove compared to all-black tattoos...

Many people have asked us the question of which kinds of tattoos can be removed. Black and red tattoo inks usually fade very well with laser treatment. Colored tattoos often require more treatment sessions to completely remove compared to all-black tattoos. However full removal of even the most colorful tattoos is possible. Green, blue, purple and orange tattoo inks are the most resistant to laser treatment. At the Orlando Dermatology Center, we have everything you need to treat tattoos gently and efficiently. Our top-of-the-line laser is renowned for its ability to treat greens, blues, and black. New laser-pumped-laser technology makes it possible to deliver that same performance across a wide range of tattoo colors.

Removing Multicolor Tattoos:

In order to be removed, ink colors must be able to absorb enough laser light to be broken down. Ink colors vary in their ability to absorb laser light. Black ink is able to absorb a wide spectrum of laser light wavelengths making it the easiest color to remove. In contrast, colored ink is only able to absorb a relatively small laser wavelength, limiting the efficacy of each treatment.

CAN LASERS COMPLETELY REMOVE COLOR TATTOOS?

One of the most common questions received from tattoo removal patients revolves around the removal of colored tattoos. Ink color does play a role in tattoo removal success. Colored tattoos often require more treatment sessions to completely remove compared to all-black tattoos. However full removal of even the most colorful tattoos is possible.

WHY ARE COLORED TATTOOS HARDER TO REMOVE?

Laser tattoo removal works by delivering laser light energy into pigmented skin. This transmission shatters the targeted tattoo ink into tiny particles while leaving the surrounding tissue unharmed. Fractured ink particles are later absorbed and eliminated by the body through natural metabolic processes.

By far the most common way to remove tattoos is by using lasers. Lasers treat tattoos by using laser energy to destroy tattoo pigments. The concept of “selective photothermolysis” means that the laser can target the ink without destroying tissue. Laser energy is absorbed depending on the pigment color which is the challenge with most tattoo removals.

A color must be able to absorb the laser in order to be broken down and removed. It is particularly important to ensure that the laser is able to emit the proper wavelength necessary to remove a certain color.

What are the hardest colors to remove?

Easiest colors to remove: Black tattoos (or ones that use gradients of gray and black for shading) are the easiest tattoos to remove.
Slightly difficult to remove: Red, dark blue, or dark green colored inks are also fairly easy colors to remove since these inks have darker hues and are better able to absorb laser light.
More difficult to remove: Lighter toned colors like purple, green, yellow, and standard blue are more difficult types of colors to remove since their absorption spectrums are lower. Neon colors can also be difficult to remove.
Most difficult to remove: White is the most difficult color to remove as laser removal treatments can actually cause white ink to darken.

How does the body remove the shattered ink?

Once the ink is broken down by the tattoo removal laser, the body will respond by moving fluid to the area to help flush away the ink. This immune response will be obvious to the patient in the form of some swelling and redness in the area. Over the next days, weeks, and months the small, shattered ink particles will be flushed away naturally. The tattoo removal effects aren’t seen overnight and 99% of tattoos require multiple treatments.

Scheduling your first session:

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