Mike Panic

Green can be more difficult to see progress in at the same rate as black, red and other colors. Everyone is different, and treats clients differently, but there is a wavelength that works on a Q-Switched Nd:YAG laser (which I use) that is very effective with green. What I do differently though, and partly because I understand how tattooing works better than most "laser professionals" is that shading involves whipping the color in, typically pulling in some of the black from the outline. When you treat green on it's own, there is a higher risk of problems and side effects if the laser hits other color pigments. This isn't true in every case, but I'd rather be on the safer side.

In the nearly 20 years I've been going to, hanging out in and generally being around tattoo shops and artists, I've never heard a patron come in and ask what kind of machine the artist is using. In my profession, I answer it almost daily.
Right behind how much does it hurt? and what is this going to cost me? one of the most frequently asked questions I get asked is what machine I use to treat people. This is mildly important and yet, people really stress about it.
Why it's important? There are China-made machines available on eBay for a few thousand dollars, these are untested, generally not FDA approved in the USA and worse, most don't carry an adequate UL rating. That last one is a biggie, that means there's not been proper testing on the machine to pass fire, smoke and safety regulations.
The 4 main technologies used in tattoo removal:

Q-Switched Nd:YAG - the most popular across the board, commonly called the 'gold standard'
Ruby - thus named because it emits a red light and is typically used on grenn pigments
Alexandrite - essentially a red laser as well, but less powerful than a Ruby, again mostly used on green pigment
Pico - the new kid on the block, this laser operates at a 'pico' second, or one trillionth of a second, however isn't as effective on red pgiments

There are many brands, but I'm not going to go into a this is better than that. The Q-Switched Nd:Yag is the most versatile as it operates at two wavelengths and does a great job on the vast majority of pigments, however it's also possible via a swap of hand pieces to operate this laser at the two other wavelengths, making it the technology choice of most facilities. This laser is a 'Nano' laser, pulsing light at one billionth of a second.
Typically speaking, Ruby lasers are much more rare because the scope of treatment is much more narrow and you're likely to only find these in the offices of dermatologists who have a very specific need for them.
Alexandrite lasers are extremely rare to be seen.
Pico laser is the new kid on the block - and the one with the most hype. The claims are 30-60% faster removal, due to the 'trillionth' of a second light bursts. I affectionately call this the Viagra (or Lipitor) of laser machines. Why? Well, they are mass marketed to the general public, so the public learns the name of them fast and since they are only available by prescription, they are knocking down doctor's doors to get their hands on them. Yes, the pico is effective, I've spoken at length with their sales reps and read the clinical trial reports on them. Here's the catch, it costs almost 3x as much as a new Q-Switched Nd:Yag laser, which is also why you typically see prices 2-5x higher when using this laser. The sales rep justifies it as, people don't want to wait 18 months to remove a tattoo, this machine will get it done in 8-12 and we feel people will pay a premium for that. This could be true in LA, NYC, Miami, etc., in my market, it's not.
OK, once we've established the place you're going to isn't using a my first laser beam machine and you now know what 'type' of laser you will most likely be treated with, here's why the machine used really isn't that important.
Lasers are just like Michael Jordan Nikes, they are awesome, are cool to have, but you won't dunk like Mike. Just because you saw someone online who showed you great before & after photos after being treated with Acme Brand Laser doesn't mean you will have the same results. There are 3 main factors that go into any given tattoo removal, provided of course the tech is capable and they are using one of the main lasers available on the market.

Immune system does 95% of the work! Yes, you read this right. The laser just facilitates the process. It's medically proven non-smokers heal faster (not just for tattoo removal, in general), but if you're in shape, eat right and generally take care of yourself you'll heal faster and see better progression between each treatment.
Pigment varies bottle to bottle sometimes, even from the same manufacture. Aside from the fact there is no FDA regulation in pigment, even if there was it wouldn't stop your artist from mixing it with another ink, or even tap water, which could have contaminates in it. Have two tattoos done by the same artist 6 months apart? They could have switched inks in between sittings.
Application. Tattooing is an art, not just in the work they create, but actually getting pigment into your skin. The needle groupings, voltage, angle the machine is held and pressure all make differences in how well your body takes the pigment, as does your ability to follow their aftercare instructions. While this typically is a very small contributing factor, if an artist has a barbed needle (fish hooked, typically from bottoming out in an ink cap while dipping, or from not inspecting needles while assembling the grips), it can cause damage to the skin. Most commonly this is seen in the form of a raised to the touch tattoo, or sometimes known as 'braille tattoos.'

As mentioned earlier, seeing before and after photos is important, I also strongly believe seeing progress photos is equally important so you can see how the tech was able to treat the entire piece, but as it fades focus on the areas containing pigment still and avoiding those without pigment, reducing the chances of hypo-pigmentation.
When you're doing your research, don't get sucked into the hype of 'state of the art ACME brand machine' because one of the leading manufactures that makes one of the most popular machines on the market today hasn't changed the guts of the machine from the two previous models available, they've only made the case prettier. This isn't just from my own research, this is from my tech who services my machine and has 15 years experience in the industry.

In the nearly 20 years I've been going to, hanging out in and generally being around tattoo shops and artists, I've never heard a patron come in and ask what kind of machine the artist is using. In my profession, I answer it almost daily.
Right behind how much does it hurt? and what is this going to cost me? one of the most frequently asked questions I get asked is what machine I use to treat people. This is mildly important and yet, people really stress about it.
Why it's important? There are China-made machines available on eBay for a few thousand dollars, these are untested, generally not FDA approved in the USA and worse, most don't carry an adequate UL rating. That last one is a biggie, that means there's not been proper testing on the machine to pass fire, smoke and safety regulations.
The 4 main technologies used in tattoo removal:

Q-Switched Nd:YAG - the most popular across the board, commonly called the 'gold standard'
Ruby - thus named because it emits a red light and is typically used on grenn pigments
Alexandrite - essentially a red laser as well, but less powerful than a Ruby, again mostly used on green pigment
Pico - the new kid on the block, this laser operates at a 'pico' second, or one trillionth of a second, however isn't as effective on red pgiments

There are many brands, but I'm not going to go into a this is better than that. The Q-Switched Nd:Yag is the most versatile as it operates at two wavelengths and does a great job on the vast majority of pigments, however it's also possible via a swap of hand pieces to operate this laser at the two other wavelengths, making it the technology choice of most facilities. This laser is a 'Nano' laser, pulsing light at one billionth of a second.
Typically speaking, Ruby lasers are much more rare because the scope of treatment is much more narrow and you're likely to only find these in the offices of dermatologists who have a very specific need for them.
Alexandrite lasers are extremely rare to be seen.
Pico laser is the new kid on the block - and the one with the most hype. The claims are 30-60% faster removal, due to the 'trillionth' of a second light bursts. I affectionately call this the Viagra (or Lipitor) of laser machines. Why? Well, they are mass marketed to the general public, so the public learns the name of them fast and since they are only available by prescription, they are knocking down doctor's doors to get their hands on them. Yes, the pico is effective, I've spoken at length with their sales reps and read the clinical trial reports on them. Here's the catch, it costs almost 3x as much as a new Q-Switched Nd:Yag laser, which is also why you typically see prices 2-5x higher when using this laser. The sales rep justifies it as, people don't want to wait 18 months to remove a tattoo, this machine will get it done in 8-12 and we feel people will pay a premium for that. This could be true in LA, NYC, Miami, etc., in my market, it's not.
OK, once we've established the place you're going to isn't using a my first laser beam machine and you now know what 'type' of laser you will most likely be treated with, here's why the machine used really isn't that important.
Lasers are just like Michael Jordan Nikes, they are awesome, are cool to have, but you won't dunk like Mike. Just because you saw someone online who showed you great before & after photos after being treated with Acme Brand Laser doesn't mean you will have the same results. There are 3 main factors that go into any given tattoo removal, provided of course the tech is capable and they are using one of the main lasers available on the market.

Immune system does 95% of the work! Yes, you read this right. The laser just facilitates the process. It's medically proven non-smokers heal faster (not just for tattoo removal, in general), but if you're in shape, eat right and generally take care of yourself you'll heal faster and see better progression between each treatment.
Pigment varies bottle to bottle sometimes, even from the same manufacture. Aside from the fact there is no FDA regulation in pigment, even if there was it wouldn't stop your artist from mixing it with another ink, or even tap water, which could have contaminates in it. Have two tattoos done by the same artist 6 months apart? They could have switched inks in between sittings.
Application. Tattooing is an art, not just in the work they create, but actually getting pigment into your skin. The needle groupings, voltage, angle the machine is held and pressure all make differences in how well your body takes the pigment, as does your ability to follow their aftercare instructions. While this typically is a very small contributing factor, if an artist has a barbed needle (fish hooked, typically from bottoming out in an ink cap while dipping, or from not inspecting needles while assembling the grips), it can cause damage to the skin. Most commonly this is seen in the form of a raised to the touch tattoo, or sometimes known as 'braille tattoos.'

As mentioned earlier, seeing before and after photos is important, I also strongly believe seeing progress photos is equally important so you can see how the tech was able to treat the entire piece, but as it fades focus on the areas containing pigment still and avoiding those without pigment, reducing the chances of hypo-pigmentation.
When you're doing your research, don't get sucked into the hype of 'state of the art ACME brand machine' because one of the leading manufactures that makes one of the most popular machines on the market today hasn't changed the guts of the machine from the two previous models available, they've only made the case prettier. This isn't just from my own research, this is from my tech who services my machine and has 15 years experience in the industry.

In the nearly 20 years I've been going to, hanging out in and generally being around tattoo shops and artists, I've never heard a patron come in and ask what kind of machine the artist is using. In my profession, I answer it almost daily.
Right behind how much does it hurt? and what is this going to cost me? one of the most frequently asked questions I get asked is what machine I use to treat people. This is mildly important and yet, people really stress about it.
Why it's important? There are China-made machines available on eBay for a few thousand dollars, these are untested, generally not FDA approved in the USA and worse, most don't carry an adequate UL rating. That last one is a biggie, that means there's not been proper testing on the machine to pass fire, smoke and safety regulations.
The 4 main technologies used in tattoo removal:

Q-Switched Nd:YAG - the most popular across the board, commonly called the 'gold standard'
Ruby - thus named because it emits a red light and is typically used on grenn pigments
Alexandrite - essentially a red laser as well, but less powerful than a Ruby, again mostly used on green pigment
Pico - the new kid on the block, this laser operates at a 'pico' second, or one trillionth of a second, however isn't as effective on red pgiments

There are many brands, but I'm not going to go into a this is better than that. The Q-Switched Nd:Yag is the most versatile as it operates at two wavelengths and does a great job on the vast majority of pigments, however it's also possible via a swap of hand pieces to operate this laser at the two other wavelengths, making it the technology choice of most facilities. This laser is a 'Nano' laser, pulsing light at one billionth of a second.
Typically speaking, Ruby lasers are much more rare because the scope of treatment is much more narrow and you're likely to only find these in the offices of dermatologists who have a very specific need for them.
Alexandrite lasers are extremely rare to be seen.
Pico laser is the new kid on the block - and the one with the most hype. The claims are 30-60% faster removal, due to the 'trillionth' of a second light bursts. I affectionately call this the Viagra (or Lipitor) of laser machines. Why? Well, they are mass marketed to the general public, so the public learns the name of them fast and since they are only available by prescription, they are knocking down doctor's doors to get their hands on them. Yes, the pico is effective, I've spoken at length with their sales reps and read the clinical trial reports on them. Here's the catch, it costs almost 3x as much as a new Q-Switched Nd:Yag laser, which is also why you typically see prices 2-5x higher when using this laser. The sales rep justifies it as, people don't want to wait 18 months to remove a tattoo, this machine will get it done in 8-12 and we feel people will pay a premium for that. This could be true in LA, NYC, Miami, etc., in my market, it's not.
OK, once we've established the place you're going to isn't using a my first laser beam machine and you now know what 'type' of laser you will most likely be treated with, here's why the machine used really isn't that important.
Lasers are just like Michael Jordan Nikes, they are awesome, are cool to have, but you won't dunk like Mike. Just because you saw someone online who showed you great before & after photos after being treated with Acme Brand Laser doesn't mean you will have the same results. There are 3 main factors that go into any given tattoo removal, provided of course the tech is capable and they are using one of the main lasers available on the market.

Immune system does 95% of the work! Yes, you read this right. The laser just facilitates the process. It's medically proven non-smokers heal faster (not just for tattoo removal, in general), but if you're in shape, eat right and generally take care of yourself you'll heal faster and see better progression between each treatment.
Pigment varies bottle to bottle sometimes, even from the same manufacture. Aside from the fact there is no FDA regulation in pigment, even if there was it wouldn't stop your artist from mixing it with another ink, or even tap water, which could have contaminates in it. Have two tattoos done by the same artist 6 months apart? They could have switched inks in between sittings.
Application. Tattooing is an art, not just in the work they create, but actually getting pigment into your skin. The needle groupings, voltage, angle the machine is held and pressure all make differences in how well your body takes the pigment, as does your ability to follow their aftercare instructions. While this typically is a very small contributing factor, if an artist has a barbed needle (fish hooked, typically from bottoming out in an ink cap while dipping, or from not inspecting needles while assembling the grips), it can cause damage to the skin. Most commonly this is seen in the form of a raised to the touch tattoo, or sometimes known as 'braille tattoos.'

As mentioned earlier, seeing before and after photos is important, I also strongly believe seeing progress photos is equally important so you can see how the tech was able to treat the entire piece, but as it fades focus on the areas containing pigment still and avoiding those without pigment, reducing the chances of hypo-pigmentation.
When you're doing your research, don't get sucked into the hype of 'state of the art ACME brand machine' because one of the leading manufactures that makes one of the most popular machines on the market today hasn't changed the guts of the machine from the two previous models available, they've only made the case prettier. This isn't just from my own research, this is from my tech who services my machine and has 15 years experience in the industry.

In the nearly 20 years I've been going to, hanging out in and generally being around tattoo shops and artists, I've never heard a patron come in and ask what kind of machine the artist is using. In my profession, I answer it almost daily.
Right behind how much does it hurt? and what is this going to cost me? one of the most frequently asked questions I get asked is what machine I use to treat people. This is mildly important and yet, people really stress about it.
Why it's important? There are China-made machines available on eBay for a few thousand dollars, these are untested, generally not FDA approved in the USA and worse, most don't carry an adequate UL rating. That last one is a biggie, that means there's not been proper testing on the machine to pass fire, smoke and safety regulations.
The 4 main technologies used in tattoo removal:

Q-Switched Nd:YAG - the most popular across the board, commonly called the 'gold standard'
Ruby - thus named because it emits a red light and is typically used on grenn pigments
Alexandrite - essentially a red laser as well, but less powerful than a Ruby, again mostly used on green pigment
Pico - the new kid on the block, this laser operates at a 'pico' second, or one trillionth of a second, however isn't as effective on red pgiments

There are many brands, but I'm not going to go into a this is better than that. The Q-Switched Nd:Yag is the most versatile as it operates at two wavelengths and does a great job on the vast majority of pigments, however it's also possible via a swap of hand pieces to operate this laser at the two other wavelengths, making it the technology choice of most facilities. This laser is a 'Nano' laser, pulsing light at one billionth of a second.
Typically speaking, Ruby lasers are much more rare because the scope of treatment is much more narrow and you're likely to only find these in the offices of dermatologists who have a very specific need for them.
Alexandrite lasers are extremely rare to be seen.
Pico laser is the new kid on the block - and the one with the most hype. The claims are 30-60% faster removal, due to the 'trillionth' of a second light bursts. I affectionately call this the Viagra (or Lipitor) of laser machines. Why? Well, they are mass marketed to the general public, so the public learns the name of them fast and since they are only available by prescription, they are knocking down doctor's doors to get their hands on them. Yes, the pico is effective, I've spoken at length with their sales reps and read the clinical trial reports on them. Here's the catch, it costs almost 3x as much as a new Q-Switched Nd:Yag laser, which is also why you typically see prices 2-5x higher when using this laser. The sales rep justifies it as, people don't want to wait 18 months to remove a tattoo, this machine will get it done in 8-12 and we feel people will pay a premium for that. This could be true in LA, NYC, Miami, etc., in my market, it's not.
OK, once we've established the place you're going to isn't using a my first laser beam machine and you now know what 'type' of laser you will most likely be treated with, here's why the machine used really isn't that important.
Lasers are just like Michael Jordan Nikes, they are awesome, are cool to have, but you won't dunk like Mike. Just because you saw someone online who showed you great before & after photos after being treated with Acme Brand Laser doesn't mean you will have the same results. There are 3 main factors that go into any given tattoo removal, provided of course the tech is capable and they are using one of the main lasers available on the market.

Immune system does 95% of the work! Yes, you read this right. The laser just facilitates the process. It's medically proven non-smokers heal faster (not just for tattoo removal, in general), but if you're in shape, eat right and generally take care of yourself you'll heal faster and see better progression between each treatment.
Pigment varies bottle to bottle sometimes, even from the same manufacture. Aside from the fact there is no FDA regulation in pigment, even if there was it wouldn't stop your artist from mixing it with another ink, or even tap water, which could have contaminates in it. Have two tattoos done by the same artist 6 months apart? They could have switched inks in between sittings.
Application. Tattooing is an art, not just in the work they create, but actually getting pigment into your skin. The needle groupings, voltage, angle the machine is held and pressure all make differences in how well your body takes the pigment, as does your ability to follow their aftercare instructions. While this typically is a very small contributing factor, if an artist has a barbed needle (fish hooked, typically from bottoming out in an ink cap while dipping, or from not inspecting needles while assembling the grips), it can cause damage to the skin. Most commonly this is seen in the form of a raised to the touch tattoo, or sometimes known as 'braille tattoos.'

As mentioned earlier, seeing before and after photos is important, I also strongly believe seeing progress photos is equally important so you can see how the tech was able to treat the entire piece, but as it fades focus on the areas containing pigment still and avoiding those without pigment, reducing the chances of hypo-pigmentation.
When you're doing your research, don't get sucked into the hype of 'state of the art ACME brand machine' because one of the leading manufactures that makes one of the most popular machines on the market today hasn't changed the guts of the machine from the two previous models available, they've only made the case prettier. This isn't just from my own research, this is from my tech who services my machine and has 15 years experience in the industry.

In the nearly 20 years I've been going to, hanging out in and generally being around tattoo shops and artists, I've never heard a patron come in and ask what kind of machine the artist is using. In my profession, I answer it almost daily.
Right behind how much does it hurt? and what is this going to cost me? one of the most frequently asked questions I get asked is what machine I use to treat people. This is mildly important and yet, people really stress about it.
Why it's important? There are China-made machines available on eBay for a few thousand dollars, these are untested, generally not FDA approved in the USA and worse, most don't carry an adequate UL rating. That last one is a biggie, that means there's not been proper testing on the machine to pass fire, smoke and safety regulations.
The 4 main technologies used in tattoo removal:

Q-Switched Nd:YAG - the most popular across the board, commonly called the 'gold standard'
Ruby - thus named because it emits a red light and is typically used on grenn pigments
Alexandrite - essentially a red laser as well, but less powerful than a Ruby, again mostly used on green pigment
Pico - the new kid on the block, this laser operates at a 'pico' second, or one trillionth of a second, however isn't as effective on red pgiments

There are many brands, but I'm not going to go into a this is better than that. The Q-Switched Nd:Yag is the most versatile as it operates at two wavelengths and does a great job on the vast majority of pigments, however it's also possible via a swap of hand pieces to operate this laser at the two other wavelengths, making it the technology choice of most facilities. This laser is a 'Nano' laser, pulsing light at one billionth of a second.
Typically speaking, Ruby lasers are much more rare because the scope of treatment is much more narrow and you're likely to only find these in the offices of dermatologists who have a very specific need for them.
Alexandrite lasers are extremely rare to be seen.
Pico laser is the new kid on the block - and the one with the most hype. The claims are 30-60% faster removal, due to the 'trillionth' of a second light bursts. I affectionately call this the Viagra (or Lipitor) of laser machines. Why? Well, they are mass marketed to the general public, so the public learns the name of them fast and since they are only available by prescription, they are knocking down doctor's doors to get their hands on them. Yes, the pico is effective, I've spoken at length with their sales reps and read the clinical trial reports on them. Here's the catch, it costs almost 3x as much as a new Q-Switched Nd:Yag laser, which is also why you typically see prices 2-5x higher when using this laser. The sales rep justifies it as, people don't want to wait 18 months to remove a tattoo, this machine will get it done in 8-12 and we feel people will pay a premium for that. This could be true in LA, NYC, Miami, etc., in my market, it's not.
OK, once we've established the place you're going to isn't using a my first laser beam machine and you now know what 'type' of laser you will most likely be treated with, here's why the machine used really isn't that important.
Lasers are just like Michael Jordan Nikes, they are awesome, are cool to have, but you won't dunk like Mike. Just because you saw someone online who showed you great before & after photos after being treated with Acme Brand Laser doesn't mean you will have the same results. There are 3 main factors that go into any given tattoo removal, provided of course the tech is capable and they are using one of the main lasers available on the market.

Immune system does 95% of the work! Yes, you read this right. The laser just facilitates the process. It's medically proven non-smokers heal faster (not just for tattoo removal, in general), but if you're in shape, eat right and generally take care of yourself you'll heal faster and see better progression between each treatment.
Pigment varies bottle to bottle sometimes, even from the same manufacture. Aside from the fact there is no FDA regulation in pigment, even if there was it wouldn't stop your artist from mixing it with another ink, or even tap water, which could have contaminates in it. Have two tattoos done by the same artist 6 months apart? They could have switched inks in between sittings.
Application. Tattooing is an art, not just in the work they create, but actually getting pigment into your skin. The needle groupings, voltage, angle the machine is held and pressure all make differences in how well your body takes the pigment, as does your ability to follow their aftercare instructions. While this typically is a very small contributing factor, if an artist has a barbed needle (fish hooked, typically from bottoming out in an ink cap while dipping, or from not inspecting needles while assembling the grips), it can cause damage to the skin. Most commonly this is seen in the form of a raised to the touch tattoo, or sometimes known as 'braille tattoos.'

As mentioned earlier, seeing before and after photos is important, I also strongly believe seeing progress photos is equally important so you can see how the tech was able to treat the entire piece, but as it fades focus on the areas containing pigment still and avoiding those without pigment, reducing the chances of hypo-pigmentation.
When you're doing your research, don't get sucked into the hype of 'state of the art ACME brand machine' because one of the leading manufactures that makes one of the most popular machines on the market today hasn't changed the guts of the machine from the two previous models available, they've only made the case prettier. This isn't just from my own research, this is from my tech who services my machine and has 15 years experience in the industry.

In the nearly 20 years I've been going to, hanging out in and generally being around tattoo shops and artists, I've never heard a patron come in and ask what kind of machine the artist is using. In my profession, I answer it almost daily.
Right behind how much does it hurt? and what is this going to cost me? one of the most frequently asked questions I get asked is what machine I use to treat people. This is mildly important and yet, people really stress about it.
Why it's important? There are China-made machines available on eBay for a few thousand dollars, these are untested, generally not FDA approved in the USA and worse, most don't carry an adequate UL rating. That last one is a biggie, that means there's not been proper testing on the machine to pass fire, smoke and safety regulations.
The 4 main technologies used in tattoo removal:

Q-Switched Nd:YAG - the most popular across the board, commonly called the 'gold standard'
Ruby - thus named because it emits a red light and is typically used on grenn pigments
Alexandrite - essentially a red laser as well, but less powerful than a Ruby, again mostly used on green pigment
Pico - the new kid on the block, this laser operates at a 'pico' second, or one trillionth of a second, however isn't as effective on red pgiments

There are many brands, but I'm not going to go into a this is better than that. The Q-Switched Nd:Yag is the most versatile as it operates at two wavelengths and does a great job on the vast majority of pigments, however it's also possible via a swap of hand pieces to operate this laser at the two other wavelengths, making it the technology choice of most facilities. This laser is a 'Nano' laser, pulsing light at one billionth of a second.
Typically speaking, Ruby lasers are much more rare because the scope of treatment is much more narrow and you're likely to only find these in the offices of dermatologists who have a very specific need for them.
Alexandrite lasers are extremely rare to be seen.
Pico laser is the new kid on the block - and the one with the most hype. The claims are 30-60% faster removal, due to the 'trillionth' of a second light bursts. I affectionately call this the Viagra (or Lipitor) of laser machines. Why? Well, they are mass marketed to the general public, so the public learns the name of them fast and since they are only available by prescription, they are knocking down doctor's doors to get their hands on them. Yes, the pico is effective, I've spoken at length with their sales reps and read the clinical trial reports on them. Here's the catch, it costs almost 3x as much as a new Q-Switched Nd:Yag laser, which is also why you typically see prices 2-5x higher when using this laser. The sales rep justifies it as, people don't want to wait 18 months to remove a tattoo, this machine will get it done in 8-12 and we feel people will pay a premium for that. This could be true in LA, NYC, Miami, etc., in my market, it's not.
OK, once we've established the place you're going to isn't using a my first laser beam machine and you now know what 'type' of laser you will most likely be treated with, here's why the machine used really isn't that important.
Lasers are just like Michael Jordan Nikes, they are awesome, are cool to have, but you won't dunk like Mike. Just because you saw someone online who showed you great before & after photos after being treated with Acme Brand Laser doesn't mean you will have the same results. There are 3 main factors that go into any given tattoo removal, provided of course the tech is capable and they are using one of the main lasers available on the market.

Immune system does 95% of the work! Yes, you read this right. The laser just facilitates the process. It's medically proven non-smokers heal faster (not just for tattoo removal, in general), but if you're in shape, eat right and generally take care of yourself you'll heal faster and see better progression between each treatment.
Pigment varies bottle to bottle sometimes, even from the same manufacture. Aside from the fact there is no FDA regulation in pigment, even if there was it wouldn't stop your artist from mixing it with another ink, or even tap water, which could have contaminates in it. Have two tattoos done by the same artist 6 months apart? They could have switched inks in between sittings.
Application. Tattooing is an art, not just in the work they create, but actually getting pigment into your skin. The needle groupings, voltage, angle the machine is held and pressure all make differences in how well your body takes the pigment, as does your ability to follow their aftercare instructions. While this typically is a very small contributing factor, if an artist has a barbed needle (fish hooked, typically from bottoming out in an ink cap while dipping, or from not inspecting needles while assembling the grips), it can cause damage to the skin. Most commonly this is seen in the form of a raised to the touch tattoo, or sometimes known as 'braille tattoos.'

As mentioned earlier, seeing before and after photos is important, I also strongly believe seeing progress photos is equally important so you can see how the tech was able to treat the entire piece, but as it fades focus on the areas containing pigment still and avoiding those without pigment, reducing the chances of hypo-pigmentation.
When you're doing your research, don't get sucked into the hype of 'state of the art ACME brand machine' because one of the leading manufactures that makes one of the most popular machines on the market today hasn't changed the guts of the machine from the two previous models available, they've only made the case prettier. This isn't just from my own research, this is from my tech who services my machine and has 15 years experience in the industry.

In the nearly 20 years I've been going to, hanging out in and generally being around tattoo shops and artists, I've never heard a patron come in and ask what kind of machine the artist is using. In my profession, I answer it almost daily.
Right behind how much does it hurt? and what is this going to cost me? one of the most frequently asked questions I get asked is what machine I use to treat people. This is mildly important and yet, people really stress about it.
Why it's important? There are China-made machines available on eBay for a few thousand dollars, these are untested, generally not FDA approved in the USA and worse, most don't carry an adequate UL rating. That last one is a biggie, that means there's not been proper testing on the machine to pass fire, smoke and safety regulations.
The 4 main technologies used in tattoo removal:

Q-Switched Nd:YAG - the most popular across the board, commonly called the 'gold standard'
Ruby - thus named because it emits a red light and is typically used on grenn pigments
Alexandrite - essentially a red laser as well, but less powerful than a Ruby, again mostly used on green pigment
Pico - the new kid on the block, this laser operates at a 'pico' second, or one trillionth of a second, however isn't as effective on red pgiments

There are many brands, but I'm not going to go into a this is better than that. The Q-Switched Nd:Yag is the most versatile as it operates at two wavelengths and does a great job on the vast majority of pigments, however it's also possible via a swap of hand pieces to operate this laser at the two other wavelengths, making it the technology choice of most facilities. This laser is a 'Nano' laser, pulsing light at one billionth of a second.
Typically speaking, Ruby lasers are much more rare because the scope of treatment is much more narrow and you're likely to only find these in the offices of dermatologists who have a very specific need for them.
Alexandrite lasers are extremely rare to be seen.
Pico laser is the new kid on the block - and the one with the most hype. The claims are 30-60% faster removal, due to the 'trillionth' of a second light bursts. I affectionately call this the Viagra (or Lipitor) of laser machines. Why? Well, they are mass marketed to the general public, so the public learns the name of them fast and since they are only available by prescription, they are knocking down doctor's doors to get their hands on them. Yes, the pico is effective, I've spoken at length with their sales reps and read the clinical trial reports on them. Here's the catch, it costs almost 3x as much as a new Q-Switched Nd:Yag laser, which is also why you typically see prices 2-5x higher when using this laser. The sales rep justifies it as, people don't want to wait 18 months to remove a tattoo, this machine will get it done in 8-12 and we feel people will pay a premium for that. This could be true in LA, NYC, Miami, etc., in my market, it's not.
OK, once we've established the place you're going to isn't using a my first laser beam machine and you now know what 'type' of laser you will most likely be treated with, here's why the machine used really isn't that important.
Lasers are just like Michael Jordan Nikes, they are awesome, are cool to have, but you won't dunk like Mike. Just because you saw someone online who showed you great before & after photos after being treated with Acme Brand Laser doesn't mean you will have the same results. There are 3 main factors that go into any given tattoo removal, provided of course the tech is capable and they are using one of the main lasers available on the market.

Immune system does 95% of the work! Yes, you read this right. The laser just facilitates the process. It's medically proven non-smokers heal faster (not just for tattoo removal, in general), but if you're in shape, eat right and generally take care of yourself you'll heal faster and see better progression between each treatment.
Pigment varies bottle to bottle sometimes, even from the same manufacture. Aside from the fact there is no FDA regulation in pigment, even if there was it wouldn't stop your artist from mixing it with another ink, or even tap water, which could have contaminates in it. Have two tattoos done by the same artist 6 months apart? They could have switched inks in between sittings.
Application. Tattooing is an art, not just in the work they create, but actually getting pigment into your skin. The needle groupings, voltage, angle the machine is held and pressure all make differences in how well your body takes the pigment, as does your ability to follow their aftercare instructions. While this typically is a very small contributing factor, if an artist has a barbed needle (fish hooked, typically from bottoming out in an ink cap while dipping, or from not inspecting needles while assembling the grips), it can cause damage to the skin. Most commonly this is seen in the form of a raised to the touch tattoo, or sometimes known as 'braille tattoos.'

As mentioned earlier, seeing before and after photos is important, I also strongly believe seeing progress photos is equally important so you can see how the tech was able to treat the entire piece, but as it fades focus on the areas containing pigment still and avoiding those without pigment, reducing the chances of hypo-pigmentation.
When you're doing your research, don't get sucked into the hype of 'state of the art ACME brand machine' because one of the leading manufactures that makes one of the most popular machines on the market today hasn't changed the guts of the machine from the two previous models available, they've only made the case prettier. This isn't just from my own research, this is from my tech who services my machine and has 15 years experience in the industry.

In the nearly 20 years I've been going to, hanging out in and generally being around tattoo shops and artists, I've never heard a patron come in and ask what kind of machine the artist is using. In my profession, I answer it almost daily.
Right behind how much does it hurt? and what is this going to cost me? one of the most frequently asked questions I get asked is what machine I use to treat people. This is mildly important and yet, people really stress about it.
Why it's important? There are China-made machines available on eBay for a few thousand dollars, these are untested, generally not FDA approved in the USA and worse, most don't carry an adequate UL rating. That last one is a biggie, that means there's not been proper testing on the machine to pass fire, smoke and safety regulations.
The 4 main technologies used in tattoo removal:

Q-Switched Nd:YAG - the most popular across the board, commonly called the 'gold standard'
Ruby - thus named because it emits a red light and is typically used on grenn pigments
Alexandrite - essentially a red laser as well, but less powerful than a Ruby, again mostly used on green pigment
Pico - the new kid on the block, this laser operates at a 'pico' second, or one trillionth of a second, however isn't as effective on red pgiments

There are many brands, but I'm not going to go into a this is better than that. The Q-Switched Nd:Yag is the most versatile as it operates at two wavelengths and does a great job on the vast majority of pigments, however it's also possible via a swap of hand pieces to operate this laser at the two other wavelengths, making it the technology choice of most facilities. This laser is a 'Nano' laser, pulsing light at one billionth of a second.
Typically speaking, Ruby lasers are much more rare because the scope of treatment is much more narrow and you're likely to only find these in the offices of dermatologists who have a very specific need for them.
Alexandrite lasers are extremely rare to be seen.
Pico laser is the new kid on the block - and the one with the most hype. The claims are 30-60% faster removal, due to the 'trillionth' of a second light bursts. I affectionately call this the Viagra (or Lipitor) of laser machines. Why? Well, they are mass marketed to the general public, so the public learns the name of them fast and since they are only available by prescription, they are knocking down doctor's doors to get their hands on them. Yes, the pico is effective, I've spoken at length with their sales reps and read the clinical trial reports on them. Here's the catch, it costs almost 3x as much as a new Q-Switched Nd:Yag laser, which is also why you typically see prices 2-5x higher when using this laser. The sales rep justifies it as, people don't want to wait 18 months to remove a tattoo, this machine will get it done in 8-12 and we feel people will pay a premium for that. This could be true in LA, NYC, Miami, etc., in my market, it's not.
OK, once we've established the place you're going to isn't using a my first laser beam machine and you now know what 'type' of laser you will most likely be treated with, here's why the machine used really isn't that important.
Lasers are just like Michael Jordan Nikes, they are awesome, are cool to have, but you won't dunk like Mike. Just because you saw someone online who showed you great before & after photos after being treated with Acme Brand Laser doesn't mean you will have the same results. There are 3 main factors that go into any given tattoo removal, provided of course the tech is capable and they are using one of the main lasers available on the market.

Immune system does 95% of the work! Yes, you read this right. The laser just facilitates the process. It's medically proven non-smokers heal faster (not just for tattoo removal, in general), but if you're in shape, eat right and generally take care of yourself you'll heal faster and see better progression between each treatment.
Pigment varies bottle to bottle sometimes, even from the same manufacture. Aside from the fact there is no FDA regulation in pigment, even if there was it wouldn't stop your artist from mixing it with another ink, or even tap water, which could have contaminates in it. Have two tattoos done by the same artist 6 months apart? They could have switched inks in between sittings.
Application. Tattooing is an art, not just in the work they create, but actually getting pigment into your skin. The needle groupings, voltage, angle the machine is held and pressure all make differences in how well your body takes the pigment, as does your ability to follow their aftercare instructions. While this typically is a very small contributing factor, if an artist has a barbed needle (fish hooked, typically from bottoming out in an ink cap while dipping, or from not inspecting needles while assembling the grips), it can cause damage to the skin. Most commonly this is seen in the form of a raised to the touch tattoo, or sometimes known as 'braille tattoos.'

As mentioned earlier, seeing before and after photos is important, I also strongly believe seeing progress photos is equally important so you can see how the tech was able to treat the entire piece, but as it fades focus on the areas containing pigment still and avoiding those without pigment, reducing the chances of hypo-pigmentation.
When you're doing your research, don't get sucked into the hype of 'state of the art ACME brand machine' because one of the leading manufactures that makes one of the most popular machines on the market today hasn't changed the guts of the machine from the two previous models available, they've only made the case prettier. This isn't just from my own research, this is from my tech who services my machine and has 15 years experience in the industry.

Yes, that's very heavy scaring. In a nut shell, they are opening up the skin to create a wound, putting an agitator in there so your body must 'reject' the pigment and during the scabby / crusty / crappy / painful healing process, hopefully the ink will come out. If you're not 100% on top of the healing process, this is what can happen. And no, this wouldn't be fun to tattoo over, the raised and bumpy skin won't go away when it's tattooed.

Yes, that's very heavy scaring. In a nut shell, they are opening up the skin to create a wound, putting an agitator in there so your body must 'reject' the pigment and during the scabby / crusty / crappy / painful healing process, hopefully the ink will come out. If you're not 100% on top of the healing process, this is what can happen. And no, this wouldn't be fun to tattoo over, the raised and bumpy skin won't go away when it's tattooed.

One of the private LinkedIn groups I'm a member of for tattoo removal specialist has an on-going thread about the 'natural' and 'saline' tattoo removals people are offering, some with tattoo machines, so who are running just water though the machine than packing in salt to an open wound for up to 10 minutes.
This is a photo one member shared of their client who came in after trying it. https://celibreinc.app.box.com/embed/hrzsrk6vlfn7hz2.swf#!

Every tattoo will appear darker, for 2-20 days post treatment, the initial fading won't be noticeable until 3-6 weeks. If you're tech or doctor isn't taking photos at every treatment, I strongly encourage you to. My clients are always, "yea it's looking good" then I do a quick photoshop comparison and their reply is WOW!

Colors will be darker initially. The real fading won't take place until your body starts to absorb the ink. Mine took 2-3 weeks before it started showing up and 6-8 weeks to be "finished" from that particular session.
Avoid infection? Don't mess with it, let the blisters pop on their own. Keep it covered and wash it a couple of times/day. I covered mine with non-stick gauze until the blisters dried up.

The technology is shorter bursts of light mean less heat, in turn means less damage to the surrounding skin tissue and yield faster healing with more efficient fading. 2-3x faster removal? That I'm not so sure of. I can't see a tattoo that would normally take 12 treatments being cut back to 6, but maybe down to 9-10, that seems reasonable to me.
Pico- - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Nd:YAG laser you're currently being treated with is a nano-second laser, or a billionth of a second burst of light at a time. The Pico will be firing at a trillionth of a second, but from what I've read they both still operate at 10hz

Ha, true. Thing is, it's a well done tattoo, and sure, it will evoke a lot of stares and gasps and people will point their fingers. Nearly 18 years ago it was 1995 and I was 16, had all kinds of metal in my face, could stick my fingers through my ears and was on my way to a 2ga barbell in my tongue. I was also the second person in my high school that was tattooed and got drug into the guidance counselors office, was told to explain why I was mutilating my body.
As it turns out, I was also making acrylic captive bead body jewelery and plugs and had spent more than my fair share of time in tattoo shops, so my reply was:
Why are your ears pierced?
The specialist that was called it told me her mother had them done to her when she was a child, so I went down the whole "wow your mom mutilated you when you couldn't even make up your own mind or say no" route with her, followed by the "oh it's OK because your mom did it to you and ear lobes are considered OK for women to pierce." Keep in mind, this is before it was common place to see guys with both lobes done. Things where very different back then.
It's shocking, discomforting to look at, new, strange, different. Doesn't mean she needs it removed, should be called out or made fun of, it actually looks like a half decent tattoo and clearly she wants to make a statement. Sadly, most people out there don't even know what Timmy B has tattoo'd on his face, what it means or why it's so controversial Announcing the Timmy B Machine, a Full Sized Liner | Custom Tattoo Machines | - and people are doing these "smaller" face tattoos on a very regular basis.

I've recently joined a private LinkedIn group for tattoo removal specialists, and this recently came up. All of the members, most of them doctors, have said this stuff leaves scars and changes the skin texture on the clients they've seen healed treatments on.

I've recently joined a private LinkedIn group for tattoo removal specialists, and this recently came up. All of the members, most of them doctors, have said this stuff leaves scars and changes the skin texture on the clients they've seen healed treatments on.

I once had a customer show me this method that was being used on her foot tattoo (i tattooed something else on her arm) and it looked horrific.
it did indeed take off the tattoo (mostly) in the spots where the treatment had taken place, but if anything it makes a cover up way harder because of the contrast between the 'skin' spots and the rest of the tattoo.
she also said the scabs took months to heal, were incredibly painful to apply and heal, the area stayed swollen for weeks.
she said the spots had to be over an inch apart due to the swelling, the person doing it told her.
if a customer of mine brought me a tattoo in such a estate asking for me to cover it, i'd be very dubious as to take it on. google image search results.
i'd say speak to your tattooer before you do anything, the tattoo you want covered up might not need such drastic removal, or simply a couple of laser removal treatments might be enough to evenly fade the tattoo away to allow a less heavy cover up.

My opinion, avoid this. It looks similar to Tatt2Away® by Rejuvatek Medical, Inc. (Official Site) | Tatt2Away® Natural Non Laser Tattoo Removal System, which I also don't trust.
Here's the thing. Who out there thinks it makes sense to open up a tattoo (create an open wound) via tattoo machine with no ink in it, then pour salt in it, or use saline (salt water) instead of tattoo pigment? No one. Ask your family doctor what they think about this, and they will tell you the possible side effects, you'll walk away.
It's non-FDA regulated. There's no governing body on how this is to be done, or instructional information. There's nothing saying who is and who isn't doing it right. It's also invasive. Whenever you open up the skin, you are opening yourself up to long term negative effects.

My opinion, avoid this. It looks similar to Tatt2Away® by Rejuvatek Medical, Inc. (Official Site) | Tatt2Away® Natural Non Laser Tattoo Removal System, which I also don't trust.
Here's the thing. Who out there thinks it makes sense to open up a tattoo (create an open wound) via tattoo machine with no ink in it, then pour salt in it, or use saline (salt water) instead of tattoo pigment? No one. Ask your family doctor what they think about this, and they will tell you the possible side effects, you'll walk away.
It's non-FDA regulated. There's no governing body on how this is to be done, or instructional information. There's nothing saying who is and who isn't doing it right. It's also invasive. Whenever you open up the skin, you are opening yourself up to long term negative effects.

My opinion, avoid this. It looks similar to Tatt2Away® by Rejuvatek Medical, Inc. (Official Site) | Tatt2Away® Natural Non Laser Tattoo Removal System, which I also don't trust.
Here's the thing. Who out there thinks it makes sense to open up a tattoo (create an open wound) via tattoo machine with no ink in it, then pour salt in it, or use saline (salt water) instead of tattoo pigment? No one. Ask your family doctor what they think about this, and they will tell you the possible side effects, you'll walk away.
It's non-FDA regulated. There's no governing body on how this is to be done, or instructional information. There's nothing saying who is and who isn't doing it right. It's also invasive. Whenever you open up the skin, you are opening yourself up to long term negative effects.

My opinion, avoid this. It looks similar to Tatt2Away® by Rejuvatek Medical, Inc. (Official Site) | Tatt2Away® Natural Non Laser Tattoo Removal System, which I also don't trust.
Here's the thing. Who out there thinks it makes sense to open up a tattoo (create an open wound) via tattoo machine with no ink in it, then pour salt in it, or use saline (salt water) instead of tattoo pigment? No one. Ask your family doctor what they think about this, and they will tell you the possible side effects, you'll walk away.
It's non-FDA regulated. There's no governing body on how this is to be done, or instructional information. There's nothing saying who is and who isn't doing it right. It's also invasive. Whenever you open up the skin, you are opening yourself up to long term negative effects.

Thanks @Brock Varty & @YOMONEY - I probably said this elsewhere on LST but when we started, we made it clear in our plan that we don't want to shame people about having tattoos, for any reason. I also am not offended when someone only wants a few treatments because they want a cover up. At the end of the day, we (business partner & I) want to make people happy. Tattoo removal is very different compared to being tattooed. I build relationships with my clients, I see them every 4-6 weeks for months on end, in some cases a year or more. They need to be as comfortable coming into me as possible, because they obviously don't like what they have on them, so why make the environment one of regret and shame? Seems like bad business.
We offer a standing discount to enlisted members of the military and first responders, but like I said, are trying to work with recruiters about those wishing to enlist and trying to find government money to help even partially fund removal of tattoos for those who are re-entering the working world after being incarcerated, no longer in a gang or former member of a hate group. Also looking to partner up with local job fairs to help those who tattoos in visible locations (knucks & necks) who are now having issues pursuing more "conservative" jobs where such tattoos are frowned upon.
We're all tattooed, we all know that there shouldn't be prejudice but there is, and sometimes you just have to bend a little "for the man" as they say. Having worked in NYC, it's perfectly acceptable to be tattooed up and down, left and right, in most industries. Go to small town USA, totally different story.
I also agree with the pricing. We're not undercutting our local competition, we're competitively priced, but due to promos, sales and specials you can probably get a slightly better deal through us. That said, I have a few clients who come in from a neighboring state and would rather drive 2 and a half to three hours to me because their local options cost THREE TIMES what we charge!