Possible Risks, Hazards, and Complications
Pain - the snapping and burning sensation of each laser pulse may produce minimal to moderate amounts of discomfort. An anesthetic cream may be applied if desired.
Bruising - immediately following the laser treatment, the area will appear gray or black-blue. This discoloration will decrease during the next 7-10 days.
Swelling - areas most likely to swell are the eyes, hands and feet; which will subside within 3-5 days with regular ice applications.
Blisters or Scabs - these usually develop within the first two days of treatment and resolve in one or two weeks.
Infection - swelling, crusting, pain and fever could indicate an infection despite the use of good local wound care. Topical or oral antibiotics may then be necessary.
Skin darkening (hyperpigmentation) - "Tanning" of the skin can occur in the treated areas and will fade within 2-6 months. This reaction is more common in patients with olive or dark toned skin and can worsen if the laser treated area is exposed to the sun.
Skin lightening (hypopigmentation) - Light spots can occur in all areas of the skin that have already received several treatments. The pale areas usually darken or re-pigment in 3-6 months but can be permanent in rare cases.
Allergic reaction - Rarely, an allergic reaction to the release of tattoo pigment in the skin after laser treatment can occur. An allergic reaction to a topical antibiotic ointment or sunscreen is also possible.
Scarring - This is extremely rare but may occur on disruption of the skin's surface. Strict adherence to all advised postoperative instructions reduces the possibility of this occurrence.
Tattoo persistence or worsening - Some tattoos may not go away completely, or may worsen despite best efforts made. Tattoos that have fleshed toned (tan, brown or peach) inks are susceptible to darkening after laser irradiation, especially cosmetic tattoos such as eyeliner.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Hairs may turn white in color, this is normal and temporary.
Ink may change in color from blue to gray to salmon pink or black. It is a normal and an expected part of the removal process and cannot be controlled or predicted.
Swelling may appear immediately or a few hours after treatment.
Crusting may happen and will last 3-5 days, just as it originally did when the microblading was applied. During crusting, keep the area comfortable by moisturizing the skin as often as possible to prevent it from getting too dry and itchy.
The tattoo will begin to look foggy; this is the beginning of the fading process that will take place over the next month or so. The total fading process can take up to eight weeks. Green ink fades slower and may take up to 16 weeks to achieve maximum fading.
FAQ
What PMU Can Be Removed With Laser? Laser permanent makeup removal is effective on all permanent makeup treatments, i.e. removing brow tattoo, permanent eyeliner, scalp micropigmentation, or a lip tattoo. It is most commonly used for removing microblading and powder brows, as well as other similar brow tattoo treatments.
Can Any Type of Pigment Be Removed with Laser? Laser has been used for decades to remove tattoo ink, but it also works great on permanent makeup pigments of black and brown color, which are the most common for brow tattoos and permanent eyeliner.
However, it does not give great results removing pigments that contain titanium dioxide. Titanium dioxide is used to lighten the pigments. Lasers are not very effective at removing those pigments – they can turn gray during laser permanent makeup removal.
So, after a few sessions of permanent makeup laser removal, if the reddish shadow is still persistent, or turns gray, the best option is saline removal.
How To Prepare for Laser Removal? Here are the things you should avoid to prepare properly for permanent makeup laser removal:
* Your skin mustn’t be tanned or sunburned.
* You should be hydrated properly.
* Avoid shaving, waxing, and exfoliating the area.
* Don’t take any aspirin or anti-inflammatory drugs, as these can sometimes increase bleeding.
How Does Laser Permanent Makeup Removal Work? The laser beam breaks the pigment particles by emitting short pulses of light energy. Pigment particles are shattered and absorbed by the body. This is done in several sessions, and with each treatment, the particles are further broken, making the cosmetic tattoo less visible.
How Many Sessions of Laser Permanent Makeup Removal Do I Need? The number of sessions depends on different factors, such as how saturated the tattoo is, how old it is (i.e. is it already faded or not), and the characteristics of your skin and system.
So, whether you want to remove an old, unwanted brow tattoo, permanent eyeliner or lip liner, you can expect to have from 2 to 10 sessions. Permanent makeup is much easier and faster to remove than a traditional tattoo because the pigments are inserted shallow in the skin, but some unskilled PMU artists place the pigment too deep, which makes them harder to remove.
Some people will see great results after only 2 sessions, while someone can’t get rid of the tattoo completely even after many sessions especially if it contains red color.
How Long Do I Have to Wait Between the Laser Permanent Makeup Removal Sessions?After each laser session, your skin will take some time to heal. So, you will need to wait 4-8 weeks between each session. So, if your permanent makeup is too saturated, the whole removal procedure can last up to two years!