Laser Tattoo Removal

Your tattoo’s size, style, color, depth, and age (how long you’ve had the tattoo) will determine the method and cost of its removal. A doctor or nurse practitioner can discuss these factors with you and recommend an appropriate treatment.

Laser treatments work best on dark colors, such as black, purple, blue, and red. Lighter colors, such as white, yellow, orange, green, and aqua, may take longer or may need more treatments. In fact, these colors may never be completely eliminated. The depth of your tattoo will also affect the number of treatments you need. Most treatments take 15 minutes or longer, and it’s not uncommon to need eight or more treatments spaced 6 to 8 weeks apart. Tattoo removals are done on an outpatient basis, usually with a local anesthetic.

After each treatment, your skin may be red and may sting like a sunburn for a few days. However, you should be able to resume your normal activities immediately. Keep the treated and dressed area out of the sun for at least 6 weeks, or as long as your doctor advises. Once the area has healed, you should protect it with sunblock with an SPF of 30 or higher whenever it is exposed to the sun.

What Should I Look for in a Laser Practitioner?

The treatment should be performed by a registered nurse (RN) or physician who’s trained to operate a laser. Different treatment choices must be made for each patient. Side effects such as skin discoloration can result if the laser is operated by an inexperienced practitioner. At Kaiser Permanente, we provide only laser trained RNs or physicians to deliver high-quality care to our patients.

I’m Interested! What’s My Next Step?

To determine if you’re a good candidate for laser tattoo removal or to simply learn more about the procedure, request a consultation.