Short answer: most tattoos need several sessions, and large or colourful ones can need more than ten. Sessions are usually spaced 6 to 8 weeks apart. No one can promise an exact number in advance, but after a consultation you can get an honest estimate.
Why it cannot be done in one session
The laser sends very short pulses of light that break the ink into small particles. The immune system then clears those particles gradually, over weeks. If sessions are done more often, the skin has no time to recover, and the ink does not disappear any faster.
What decides the number of sessions
Specialists use the Kirby-Desai scale, which rates a tattoo on six factors:
- Skin type: darker skin needs gentler settings.
- Location: the head, neck and trunk clear faster than the arms and legs.
- Colours: black is the easiest; green, yellow and orange are the hardest.
- Amount of ink: homemade tattoos usually hold less ink than professional ones.
- Scarring: scar tissue holds on to the ink.
- Layering: a tattoo over an older tattoo means more ink.
In the study that introduced the scale, patients needed about 10 sessions on average, ranging from 3 to 20. That study used older Q-switched lasers. A picosecond laser works with even shorter pulses and often needs fewer sessions, but the same factors still apply.
Which colours are easier and which are harder
Black ink absorbs all laser wavelengths, so it is the easiest to remove. Other colours absorb only certain wavelengths and need particular lasers. Some light pigments, such as white, pink, red, tan and light brown, can darken with a standard laser, which is why the skin is usually tested first. Not every tattoo clears completely, and ink that sits very deep can stay.
How long the whole process takes
With 6 to 8 weeks between sessions, a removal that takes 6 sessions lasts about 7 to 9 months. Lightening a tattoo before a cover-up is usually shorter.
What helps it go faster
- Follow the aftercare instructions and keep the area out of the sun.
- Do not skip sessions, but do not squeeze them closer together either.
- Smoking is linked to slower clearing of the ink.
How to start
Send a photo of the tattoo and its approximate size through the inquiry form. At the consultation you will get an estimate of the number of sessions and a price before anything is booked. More about the procedure: laser tattoo removal in Lyubimets.
Related: what laser tattoo removal costs and aftercare between sessions.
Sources for the general information: ASLMS and Cleveland Clinic.