Laser Tattoo Removal Aftercare

LASER TATTOO REMOVAL AFTERCARE

Congratulations on your first session!

It’s crucial to pay close attention to the area, especially in the days immediately following treatment. Keep this sheet in an easy to follow place during your healing.

Immediately After:

Before the procedure, your skin was disinfected. After laser treatment, your skin was treated with an antibiotic silver gel, and a special waterproof and air permeable adhesive dressing was applied. 

Please keep this dressing on for the first 3 days, do not remove it. 

You may apply an indirect, dry  ice pack to the area, 5 minutes on, 15 minutes off to soothe as needed for the first 3 days. You may shower with the dressing on, do not bathe or swim/soak in a hot tub etc. 

If you are swelling/itching, you can use an over-the-counter antihistamine, should you choose (Benadryl) per package instructions. 

After 3 Days:

You may  carefully peel off the adhesive dressing and dispose of, and wash the treated area with gentle soap and clean fingers only. Use lukewarm water. Pat dry. 

One dry, cover the area with a very thin layer of Polysporin antibiotic healing ointment. Don’t apply any other creams or makeup to the treated area while the skin is healing over, unless advised by your clinician. If there is itching or swelling, you may apply 1% hydrocortisone cream 1x per evening, for up to 5 days. 

Repeat the cleansing and ointment process morning and night each day, until the skin layer is healed over and only dry skin remains. At that time you may switch to Vaseline or  Aquaphor healing ointment until it has returned to normal. 

Avoid high pressure water, and dry immediately if it gets wet outside of the 2x per day washing during healing. Avoid baths, hot tubs, and swimming pools, as all of these can increase your chances to pick up an  infection. Shower only. 

Vitamin E or Dadi Oil is  also helpful once  the skin is healed over, as it helps to restore damaged skin cells.

During healing, do not pick, scratch, scrub, or abrade the area, be careful dressing and showering, do not allow the area to get soggy, steamy or rubbed. Be careful around pets and children. 

Blistering and scabbing are natural side effects of the healing process. It’s tempting to pop and pick at your skin. Avoid this at all cost. Opening the wound not only increases the risk of infection but also prolongs the healing process.

And as long as you have scabs or blisters on your skin, avoid shaving/waxing/plucking that area. Using a razor can cause you to open the wound accidentally.  Allow scabs to fall off and blisters to drain on their own.

Keep under clothing during healing, after the skin layer is healed over, wear sunblock (SPF 30+) any time you go outside. Sun is one of the worst things for the skin after laser removal or healing of any skin injury.

Lightening:

Your tattoo looked ‘frosty’ immediately after treatment due to gases escaping the skin. The Tattoo will begin to fade after a few days, and the process will continue for several weeks. 

It is best to wait at LEAST 4 weeks before your next treatment - or for a new tattoo/permanent cosmetics over top -  as your body’s immune system is still attempting to carry away the broken down ink pigments. The deeper skin layers are also still healing.

There is no harm in waiting between sessions, they can be scheduled when fits your schedule and your budget. 

The laser does NOT remove the tattoo - it simply shatters the ink into tiny particles, so that the BODY can remove it using its natural healing processes. This takes time. 

Cautions:

If you develop:

The chance of picking up a secondary infection from regular life is possible with any wound, but rare with laser removal. Follow aftercare, and keep clean. This will minimise risks of adverse reactions and scarring. Picking can cause scarring. 

Sometimes, there may be an immune reaction to the ink by the body, and it may be treated as an allergy. This is most frequent with RED inks. 

We usually treat BLACK inks first, and follow with other colors  in different sessions to avoid potential complications of using different lasers at the same time/same regions.

Tips:

Your post treatment efforts are as important a part of the process as the laser itself.

Keeping the body hydrated is key to maintaining a strong immune system. It helps flush out toxins and restore blood cells, which are key to preventing infections. Eating healthy, staying hydrated will  help your body to get rid of the tattoo ink particles and heal well. The stronger your immune system, the faster your skin heals. A healthy immune system helps your body repair the wound and fight off infection. Just by staying hydrated and keeping your immune system healthy, for example, you can speed up the process by several weeks.

Smoking and drinking both affect the vascularity in the skin and the ability to heal well. When you smoke, your immune system has to work harder to remove the pollutants. Your body won’t be able to work as hard at healing your skin. Non-smokers see better results and usually need fewer treatments.  Too much alcohol intake can cause dehydration, which slows down the healing process. If possible, avoid alcohol entirely.

Do not tan, If you tan, you will have to wait for the tan to fade before your next laser tattoo removal session. 

Expectations:

The total healing time after laser treatment is about 4 to 8 weeks, though you may see some results immediately. What you do during those weeks can increase or decrease the healing process.

By protecting your wound, you’ll avoid opening the scab, which helps it heal without interruption.

The amount of lightening varies from person to person, tattoo to tattoo, and cannot be specifically predicted, nor guaranteed. Once the tattoo inks are broken by laser, your body’s immune system will pick up the small particles, and using the lymphatic system, will carry them away for disposal by the liver. Healing times vary depending on the type of treatment, the strength of your immune system, and how closely you follow your aftercare plan. Different colors, skin types, ages, areas, types of tattoos all respond differently and cannot be specifically predicted.

Depending on your complexion and the condition of your skin, most patients need between 5 and 8 laser treatments to see significant results. Those treatments are usually spaced out about 6 weeks apart.

Some people see results faster. Some might need more treatments. They can be scheduled on your own timeline, without obligation. 

If  you have any questions regarding your healing you can message us anytime with photos and we will respond quickly. 

FACE MASTER PARAMEDICAL

INFO@FACEMASTER.CA

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(506) 713-FACE (3223)