After the removal, you will experience the same irritation that you do when you get a tattoo. To soothe the site, ice the area for three minutes with 15 to 20 minutes gaps until you feel relief from the pain.
One of the most common methods for managing discomfort during tattoo removal is the use of topical numbing creams. Applied around 30 to 45 minutes before the session, these creams desensitise the skin, reducing the intensity of the pain felt during the laser treatment.
Moisturize Skin
It's a good idea to keep the treated area well moisturized for several days post treatment. This helps to reduce irritation and itching as it heals. Moisturizers such as Aquaphor ointment can also help restore any damaged skin cells during the treatment process.
Keep it bandaged with sterilized gauze. Don't apply any other creams or makeup to the treated area within the first few days. You can remove the bandage after three days, but keep the area as clean and dry as possible. You may also apply Vaseline, Aquaphor, or hydrocortisone cream to moisturize the area as it heals.
With each session, the tattoo fades more, but the discomfort can also build up. After your first session, you may feel soreness or redness in the treated area, but this will typically subside after a few hours. With subsequent sessions, the pain may feel less intense since the tattoo is getting progressively lighter.
The pain of removing a tattoo has the same root cause: the very high temperature to which the tattoo ink is heated during the procedure. This kind of ink contains metals which—as anyone who's ever touched the wrong side of a steam iron or stovetop kettle would know—can get painfully hot.
After lasers break up the ink, your body's immune system disperses it into your bloodstream, where it travels to your kidneys. Ink is then released through your urine and sweat. It doesn't change the color of your pee, but you shouldn't have too many tattoos removed at the same time either.
At 5-10 days following treatment, massaging the treated area for 5-10 minutes daily can help speed up ink absorption. Stay properly hydrated by drinking lots of water.
Aquaphor, hydrocortisone cream, or vitamin E ointment can be used to the treated area. Once post-treatment skin changes have subsided and the skin texture has returned to normal you will be ready for a follow up treatment.
Stay away from carbonated drinks, alcohol or smoking while healing. An excessive amount of any of these will slow down your body, delaying the healing and fading process. Avoid scratching or itching the treated area until it is 100% healed. Don't scratch or pop the blisters!
Do apply a very thin layer of Aquaphor on the treated area, and cover with a non-stick pad until the treated area is healed (usually between 3 days to 2 weeks). Don't apply a thick layer of Aquaphor on the treated area, or you run the risk of creating an infection, suffocating the skin and scarring.
The laser shatters the tattoo ink particles, and as the body's immune system works to flush out these fragmented pigments, it can result in nausea, dizziness, or other flu-like symptoms. Managing pain through prescribed painkillers or over-the-counter medications can help alleviate some of these symptoms.
Some of the most painful places to have a tattoo removed are the rib cage, head, fingers, and feet as these are close to the bone. The least painful places to have a tattoo removal procedure are on the upper arms and thighs.
Ice Packs. Ice is a natural numbing agent. Applying an ice pack to your tattoo for 5-10 minutes will help block sensation. This tattoo removal pain management method is short-term and only effective for the start of a procedure.
Moisturize the area with over-the-counter hydrocortisone 1% mixed with either Vaseline® or Aquaphor®, up to three times daily or as needed to help reduce irritation or itching. Avoid topical irritants— these potentially include harsh soaps, medicated washes, scrubs, oils, numbing agents or antibacterial creams.
Drinking plenty of water not only supports your body's natural processes but also gives your immune system a boost, helping it flush out ink particles more efficiently during laser tattoo removal.
Smoking slows down the healing process and impacts the immune system. This increases the number of removal sessions you have to undergo. Smoking also leads to poor blood circulation, which impacts oxygen and nutrients delivery to the treated area. As a result, the tattoo fades slowly.
The ink that breaks down is processed through the liver, so it is important to discuss liver problems with your doctor before proceeding. Keep in mind that a healthy liver will have minimal to no issues, but a liver that is already struggling could end up with adverse effects.
After laser treatment, the broken-down ink particles are tiny enough to be absorbed by your army of white blood cells. Once absorbed, the tiny particles are sent to your lymph nodes and eventually eliminated through perspiration, urine or fecal matter.