Can You Have Laser Hair Removal on Tattooed Skin?

Whether you’ve started your laser hair removal journey and now want a tattoo, or you already have one and want to get laser hair removal treatment on the same location. This blog is for you!

Unfortunately, it happens frequently for clients to arrive for their laser hair removal appointment, ecstatic about their new tattoo, only to learn that the region cannot be treated. If you Googled this topic before deciding to proceed and found our blog, fantastic! Keep on reading if this is a post-tattoo oops situation.

Tattoos are really fashionable these days. Additionally, there has been a sharp increase in popularity and demand for laser hair removal as a way to permanently remove and reduce hair. Unfortunately, their relative frequency doesn’t actually benefit either of them.

When tattoos and laser hair removal both increase in popularity

Nowadays, you can very much get a tattoo anyplace. The era of upper arm-only tattoos is long gone. Given that tattoos may be found all over the body, there are numerous areas where you might enjoy getting a tattoo as well as having your hair removed. To show off the tattoo, you might wish to have the hair removed.

Can you do both, though?

Get your laser hair removal sessions done before you get the tattoo

If you are contemplating getting a tattoo but are also midway through or considering beginning a course of laser hair removal treatment, get the laser done first.

Make sure you adhere to the treatment plan and keep all of your appointments if you want the best results for hair removal and reduction in that area. Normally, we’d advise scheduling 6 to 8 sessions spaced 6 weeks apart. After this the hair should be permanently reduced, and the skin smooth and ready for your new tattoo.

How long do I have to wait after laser hair removal to get a tattoo?

By destroying the hair follicles, laser hair removal prevents hair regrowth. Waiting a few weeks before getting your tattoo done is a good idea because skin can be sensitive after laser hair removal treatment.

Can I have laser hair removal over my tattoo?

Now, we have some terrible news for those of you who already have a tattoo and want to treat the same region with laser hair removal. On tattooed skin, laser hair removal is not an option.

Your tattoo’s size and position may make it possible to treat the skin in the vicinity of it with laser hair removal, but the tattoo itself would need to be left untreated.

One of our skilled specialists would cover the tattoo and then treat the surrounding region, leaving a gap of around 3 cm, if you want to proceed with laser hair removal around your tattoo.

Make sure you select a qualified, experienced technician because it’s crucial that the laser stay away from the tattoo. To ensure they stay clear of the tattooed area, they will draw a white circle around it with a marker.

What happens if I have laser hair removal over the top of my tattoo?

We would strongly suggest against trying to hire a professional to do it for you if you’re thinking, “Oh, I’m sure it’ll be OK.” No laser hair removal specialist should consent to work on a tattooed area of skin.

According to reports, using laser hair removal on tattooed skin has resulted in serious third-degree burns that required hospitalisation. Anyone agreeing to perform laser hair removal on tattooed skin is most likely from an unlicensed clinic. No trained, experienced technician would be willing to do so.

Why can’t you have laser hair removal over tattoos?

Utilizing waves of light, laser hair removal targets the skin’s melanin or pigment at the hair follicle.

The laser’s light radiation damages the hair follicle, which stops the hair from growing back.

Because the laser cannot distinguish between the dark pigment in the hair follicle and the dark pigment of the tattoo, laser hair removal is not safe for those who have tattoos.

The laser’s light is drawn to dark colours in order to destroy them, which could burn the tattoo and leave skin scars.

Furthermore, the tattoo would prevent the laser from properly targeting the hair follicle, leading in less-than-satisfactory hair removal in the area. Such a waste of time—not to mention risky! The danger is simply not worth it.

Furthermore, you cannot remove tattoos and hair at the same time because the lasers used for hair removal are different from those used for tattoo removal.

Got a tattoo already but wanting laser hair removal?

If you already have a tattoo and would like to know whether it would be safe to treat the surrounding area with laser hair removal, then talk to our trained and experienced laser hair removal technicians here at our Portsmouth clinic; our team can ascertain whether it would be possible to treat the area of skin you have in mind, whilst leaving the tattoo well alone. Give us a call, and we can chat!