It is now possible to try and remove a tattoo if you decide you no longer want one of the images inked onto your body, laser tattoo removal is usually the most effective method. However even after numerous laser treatments a trace of the original tattoo design may still be visible.

Laser tattoo removal works by targeting a laser over the design which brakes up the pigment of the ink used to add a tattoo. As the pigment is broken down the body can remove the smaller, broken up particles of pigment naturally and the design fades.

It is usually necessary to have multiple treatments to remove even a small tattoo as the body needs time between each session to take out the particles of pigment. Some colours are easier for lasers to break up than others. Blue, red and black pigments can be treated well with this method but some colours, including yellow, are much harder to remove. This can mean that the overall result of laser tattoo removal may depend on the colours used in the original design.

The treatment itself can be painful, in some cases a local anaesthetic can be used to help with the discomfort. However as this method does not damage the skin it rarely results in scarring which is why it is the most popular tattoo removal option if you can stretch to the cost of multiple laser sessions.