Cancer patients who are undergoing radiotherapy treatment will often be tattooed so that the treatment can be targeted to a certain area. Typically 1-5 dots are tattooed onto the area. The mark are used to help align the radiotherapy laser. These pinpoint dots are tattooed in the same way as a traditional tattoo And are therefore permanent. Of course it is a matter of choice to either keep or the movies. At LaserYou we will remove the radiation tattoos for free.

The PicoSure laser can indeed be used to remove radiation tattoos after all the Radiation Tattoos are not applied any differently to traditional tattoos. We must ensure it has been 24 months since the patient received their last radiotherapy or chemotherapy. We will also need a letter from their oncologist to confirm these dates and to ensure the doctor is happy they can go ahead with the removal process.

The PicoSure laser works to break down the ink and then it is up to your body to eliminate the ink. This is why it is important for your lymphatic and circulation system to be functioning optimally. Although there haven’t been any comprehensive studies, it is generally accepted that a healthy lifestyle will help with the tattoo removal process (both in terms of healing and fading).

A healthy lifestyle to benefit tattoo removal would include:

• Regular, moderate exercise (not in the first few days of recovery but post treatment)

A varied and balanced diet

• Plenty of water 

• Minimal alcohol 

• Quitting or at the very least reducing smoking

• Getting adequate sleep

• Reducing stress 

At LaserYou not recommend specific exercises or foods and supplements as there haven’t  been any studies to support this. However anything from yoga to  healthy diet can help .

It is also thought that massage could be useful in stimulating circulation, particularly if the tattoo is fading slowly or at the end of an extremity. You must wait for the tattoo to be fully healed and you could consider a full body massage rather than just around the tattoo. In the same theory, dry body brushing may also help. The above are just suggestions so please take medical advice if you are uncertain.

Please do consult your doctor if you feel your immune system is not functioning efficiently.

There are exceptions. At LaserYou there are certain tattoos which we will not treat due to the higher risk of contraindications.

Semipermanent Make Up on Eyebrows / Lips.

Unfortunately there is a higher risk of oxidisation (colour change) when a laser is used on semi-permanent make up. In essence this could make the area appear worse aesthetically. . Cosmetic tattoos have amounts of iron oxides, titanium dioxide or zinc oxide to provide the colour. This is what oxidises when hit with the laser. It can then take many more treatments to reduce the ink and may never be removed satisfactorily. The worst case is peach colour (often lip liner) that can turn black when exposed to laser or IPL.
This does not apply to facial tattoos that are applied with traditional tattoo ink. We do not recommend the treatment of cosmetic inks for these reasons and in the case of eyebrows, the laser could interrupt the hair growth. We are aware that some clinics will offer the service but unfortunately it is simply too risky. This is also on advice from the manufacturer (Cynosure) themselves.

Under Eye Tattoos
A rather controversial new technique is to use tattooing on dark circles under the eyes. This camoflauge technique that has been piorneered by Brazillian tattooist Rodolpho Torres
Again this is an area which we will not treat you to the area being highly sensitive.

At LaserYou, your first step is the free consultation where we carry out a patch test on the tattoo. This to allow us to assess how your skin reacts to the PicoSure Laser. We always insist on a patch test – at east 24 hours before the first treatment. Your well being is always our primary concern!

At LaserYou after your treatment we dress the tattoo with medical dressings in order to ensure that the treated area has the best chance to heal properly. You must follow the after-care instructions given by our laser technicians in order to allow for safe and effective healing. 

It is not safe to swim or use a sauna after your treatment. This is primarily because of the risk of infection from heat, chlorine and seawater all of which can stimulate bacteria on your newly lasered tattoo. In order to swim or use a sauna/spa you must wait at least two weeks after your laser tattoo removal treatment. This will give you the best chance at having fully healed skin. If your tattoo still appears unhealed, then it is best to refrain completely from swimming/spa/sauna. If in doubt please consult one our laser technicians or contact us for further advice . 

Come and see us at LaserYou. However you need to allow at least eight weeks from the time of your new tattoo before considering any laser treatment. While the tattoo may appear to have healed, the underlying tissue may still need time to fully heal. For that reason, your consultation must be a minimum of eight weeks after you have had the tattoo. At the consultation ( which is free) we will perform a patch test with the PicoSure laser machine and after 24–48 hours you can have your first treatment.

Yes, the PicoSure at LaserYou can treat all colours including white. However it’s likely that white ink will oxidise or darken (usually to a grey colour) when a laser is applied to it. Sometimes it’s unavoidable to overlap onto white ink due to the design but as long as you are fully accepting of the risk, it can be treated. Sometimes the grey colour will lighten with further treatments.

There is no doubt that laser tattoo removal can be uncomfortable or painful. The pain or discomfort experienced varies from person to person. We find that most clients tolerate the pain – after all, the laser treats an area very quickly. (In addition, at LaserYou we use a Cryogenic cooling machine to blast ice cold air onto your skin before, during and after treatment and that helps ease alleviate discomfort. The Cryo directs freezings cold air (-30°C)deep into the skin where the ink is located, mitigating any discomfort or pain associated with the laser. Unlike other cooling methods, the Cryo 6 can cool the epidermis before, during, and after treatment, making it the the only cooling method that can be used during a laser procedure, for fast, prolonged numbing of the treatment area.

By simply blowing this cold air on the skin for a few minutes, the skin will be thoroughly cooled for treatment – reducing pain and risk of thermal injuries.

Numbing creams (eg Lidocaine, Emla cream ) are just that – they aim to numb the skin to make you feel less. 

At LaserYou we do not recommend the use of numbing creams as they swell the skin which is thought to slow down laser penetration and therefore treatment results. If the skin is numbed it also prevents the client from giving accurate feedback and can affect the visible endpoint. However if you insist on using numbing cream, please contact us so that we may give you further instructions on how to use the cream.

No. For the well-being of your skin you should not have any laser treatment on your skin if it has tanned. This applies to holiday tan, suntan, fake tan and also sun beds. The reason is because the tan is brown and the laser wavelengths are absorbed by brown pigments.

If you have a layer of brown whether it’s fake tan, make up or recent sun tan, it will absorb the energy. This will potentially cause a burn as the epidermis heats up.

It’s also for this reason that we need to be more cautious when someone’s skin type is naturally darker. Your welfare is the top priority at LaserYou. Our technicians are not simply qualified laser practitioners, they are also medical professionals with a huge amount of experience from their time at the NHS.

Always err on the side of caution. If you have tanned, you must wait at least 6 to 8 weeks before you have laser treatment. If in doubt you need to simply ensure that you are tan-free. Some people will retain a tan longer than others. Also some fake tans were off quicker than others, so the time it takes for your tan to disappear may vary from another client.

It is very important to have a patch test with the laser machine prior to commencing your treatment. A patch test (this is where we actually use the machine on the tattoo) is normally done on a very small area of the tattoo. The purpose of the patch test is to ensure that the tattoo heals adequately and with no adverse effects. It is not uncommon to experience blistering or scabbing after a laser treatment. Such reactions are considered normal. However on very rare occasions someone may experience a more profound reaction. For that reason it is very important to wait at least 24 hours between the time of the patch test to the time of the first treatment. While we understand that some clients are travelling a distance in order to have their treatment, we will always insist on a patch test first, with a wait thereafter of a minimum of 24 hour before any treatment can be carried out. It is important not to rush the laser process- your skin is important! At LaserYou, our primary consideration is the clients welfare. That is why we have medical professionals carrying out tattoo removal treatments using the most advanced technology – PicoSure. Find out more or book your free consultation by contacting us : 01628 663075