As our lives have become busier and busier, our free time seems to dwindle into tiny moments between video calls and procuring food. As all of our free time has shrunk, we have had more and more inquiries about Laser Hair Removal. After all, getting rid of unwanted hair is time-consuming! It is also often painful if you are waxing or shaving. Laser Hair Removal is a great time-saver in the long run, and you’ll have no more ingrown hairs, razor burn or irritated skin.
Since tattoos have also become so prevalent, we have fielded a lot of questions about whether laser hair removal will affect a tattoo, and even whether tattoos will prevent having the treatment altogether. This article addresses how you can still have Laser Hair Removal if you have a tattoo.
Yes, you can still have laser hair removal if you have a tattoo, as long as the tattoo is not in the direct treatment area. If you undergo brazilian laser hair removal, a nearby tattoo will not affect the treatment. But if you have a tattoo in the area to be treated, for example on the ankle or calf, then the tattoo must be covered for the laser treatment to remove the hair on the leg.
No, the type of laser used for laser hair removal is different from the kinds of lasers needed to remove a tattoo. The laser used for laser hair removal targets the pigment deep in the hair shaft to kill the follicle. If a tattoo were in the way, the laser would target the ink and damage the skin, causing burning and possibly scarring. For this reason we cannot perform laser hair removal in the same area as a tattoo.
However, entirely different kinds of lasers are needed to remove a tattoo. Because lasers target the color of the ink, several different kinds of lasers are needed to remove many tattoos that use different colors. Reds and Greens are particularly tricky to remove. The laser used for hair removal will only cause burning, not ink removal.
If you have been thinking about getting a tattoo, we recommend that you complete any laser hair removal treatment before getting inked. This will produce a relatively clean slate for your art. If you are considering a tattoo in an area of skin that has unwanted hair– absolutely plan to get rid of the hair first! It is completely safe to have a tattoo after laser hair removal. Just make sure the skin is completely healed from any laser treatment before getting the tattoo. However, keep in mind if you do ever need a touch-up for hair removal, it won’t be possible to do in the area of the tattoo.
Laser Hair Removal is permanent in the sense that it permanently kills hair follicles. In any given session, the laser is able to kill approximately 15-20% of the hair follicles. Over 6 to 8 sessions, most people find they can fully remove hair from any given body part, though this does vary from person to person, sometimes requiring up to 10 or 12 treatments. However, the body does recruit new dark terminal hairs over time. New dark hairs can slowly pop up, and eventually some people find they need the occasional touch up. This depends on the person and the body part.
You are a good candidate for laser hair removal if you have unwanted hair with pigment in it. The lasers target the pigment in the hair, but will not work on blond, white or gray hairs. People of any skin type can have laser hair removal, but if you have dark skin it is very important to make sure the place you go to has the right laser and experience with dark skin. The best laser for laser hair removal is a dual-wavelength Alexandrite / Nd-Yag laser that is made for hair removal. If you have a tattoo, you can still have laser hair removal, just not in the exact area of the ink. Questions? If you are thinking about laser hair removal, feel free to contact us or book a consultation directly online here.
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