FAQ "Can Laser Tattoo Removal Work on Dark or Very Light Skin Tones?"

A frequently asked question about laser tattoo removal is "Can laser tattoo removal work on dark or very light skin tones?" And the answer is simply yes, it does; however, there are some added complications or precautions one must take when dealing with the tattoo removal with darker skin tones because it is often close in pigment color to the ink. The same precautions apply to very light skin and lighter ink colors.

The main issues with very light or dark skin tones during and after the laser tattoo removal is that the possibility of hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation are is higher than when performing the procedure on someone with a more "medium" skin tone. In case you do not know, pigment is what makes your skin the color it is. Hyperpigmentation is when the skin darkens; the pigment gets hyper and due to its hyper activity, it darkens. Hypopigmentation is when the skin gets lighter; the prefix "hypo" means "without." Due to the increased probability of hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation, the doctor will have to proceed with caution. One way the doctor will help reduce the risk will be to have shorter sessions and then increase the amount of sessions, but the cost will all work out the same way. It is important to note that complete removal may not always be possible if the ink pigment and your skin pigment are too similar and the laser cannot tell which is which.

Another reality of much darker skin tones and laser tattoo removal is that they are more likely to have keloid scars form. Keloid scars are scars that do not remain within the injury boundary line. For example, if you scrape your knee and it heals but you get a scar, the scar will be the same size and shape as the original injury, nothing more. This is called a hypertrophic scar. A keloid scar ignores that initial injury boundary and goes where it wants. Keloid scars are punks with big egos while hypertrophic scars are the obedient, good child you like to brag about.

Hopefully this blog has helped you resolve some questions about laser tattoo removal , my friends!