What is laser tattoo removal and how does it work?
Tattoo ink sits deep in the skin, in particles too large for your body to clear. Laser tattoo removal uses a picosecond laser, whose pulses last a trillionth of a second, to shatter that ink into much finer particles, mainly with a pressure wave rather than heat. Your immune system then carries the ink away over the following weeks, so each session clears another layer, and sessions are spaced about eight weeks apart.
Laser tattoo removal benefits
- Fades layer by layer: each session clears more ink, until it is gone or faint.
- Fewer sessions: picosecond pulses break ink finer than older lasers.
- Less heat: gentler on the surrounding skin, with scarring uncommon.
- Treats several colours: black, dark blue and red respond best.
- Short visits: 10–30 minutes, depending on the tattoo’s size.
- Cover-up ready: a few sessions lighten old ink for a new design.
Pico laser tattoo removal: how many sessions?
Most professional tattoos need 6–12 sessions or more, about eight weeks apart, so plan on a year or longer; no laser removes a tattoo in one session. Small, black, amateur tattoos on the face or neck clear fastest, while large, colourful or layered tattoos on the hands, feet or lower legs take longer. A picosecond laser breaks ink finer than an older Q-switched laser, and studies report tattoos clearing in fewer sessions. Your doctor estimates your number at the consultation, after looking at the ink, its colours and its age.
Tattoo removal before and after
Your tattoo looks lighter in the weeks after each session, and the change adds up visit by visit: most people see a clear difference after the first few sessions. In a study of 100 patients, removal took about 10 sessions on average, with a range of 3 to 20. Amateur tattoos often finish sooner, while some ink, or a faint outline, can remain, especially green or yellow.
Laser tattoo removal price in Pakistan
Laser tattoo removal costs from about Rs 12,000 a session in a course of 3, or Rs 14,995 for a single session, the same at all 12 of our clinics. Larger tattoos are priced at your free consultation.
Small tattoo, up to 3×3 inches
About 25 minutes
Rs 14,995 per session
3 sessions, up to 3×3 inches Save Rs 8,997
About Rs 12,000 a session
Rs 44,985 Rs 35,988 for the course
Medium tattoo, up to 4×4 inches
About 30 minutes
Rs 17,995 per session
3 sessions, up to 4×4 inches Save Rs 10,797
About Rs 14,400 a session
Rs 53,985 Rs 43,188 for the course
Free consultation first · Any current offer is explained at the clinic
Who shouldn’t have laser tattoo removal?
It isn’t suitable during pregnancy or breastfeeding, with a weakened immune system, on a fresh tan, or with an infection in the area. Tell your doctor if you form raised scars or take medicines that make your skin sun-sensitive.
Your laser tattoo removal, step by step
- Free consultation: your doctor assesses the ink, colours, age and your skin tone, and estimates sessions.
- Test spot: a small area is treated first, especially on brown skin or cosmetic tattoos.
- Treatment: numbing cream, then laser pulses for 10–30 minutes, depending on size.
- Course: often 6–12 sessions or more, about eight weeks apart.
- Review: your doctor checks fading and healing before each session.
Results and recovery
Expect redness, swelling, pinpoint bleeding and sometimes small blisters for a few days, and the area may feel like sunburn for a day or so. Lighter or darker patches can follow, more often on brown skin, and usually fade within 6–12 months; scarring is uncommon with careful settings. The ink keeps fading for weeks after each session, and ink that your body has cleared does not come back.
Aftercare
- Keep it out of the sun for 3 months
- Don’t pop blisters or pick scabs
- Use ointment and cover until healed
- No gym, sauna or swimming for 48 hours
Why choose Cutera Aesthetics
- Doctor-led: your tattoo removal is assessed, planned and performed by our qualified doctors, with female doctors at every clinic.
- Free consultation: an honest assessment and a clear plan before you commit to anything.
- Tattoo removal near you: at all 12 clinics in 7 cities, at the same price. Find your nearest clinic.
Sources
- American Academy of Dermatology. Tattoo removal: lasers outshine other methods. Why several sessions are needed, side effects and aftercare.
- Ho SG, Goh CL. Laser tattoo removal: a clinical update. Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery, 2015; 8(1): 9–15.
- Kirby W, et al. The Kirby-Desai scale: a proposed scale to assess tattoo-removal treatments. Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2009; 2(3): 32–7.
- Kasai K. Picosecond laser treatment for tattoos and benign cutaneous pigmented lesions (secondary publication). Laser Therapy, 2017; 26(4): 274–81.
