That tattoo seemed like a great idea at the time. Now? Not so much. Maybe it’s an ex’s name, a design you’ve outgrown, or just bad artwork you regret. You’re not alone. Millions of people want their tattoos gone, and laser tattoo removal makes it possible.
At Manhattan Laser Spa in Hollywood, FL, we use advanced Q-switched laser technology to safely and effectively remove unwanted tattoos. Black ink, colored ink, small pieces, large sleeves. We can fade your tattoo for a cover-up or remove it completely. No judgment, just results.
The science behind tattoo removal is pretty straightforward. When you got your tattoo, ink particles were injected deep into your skin’s dermis layer. Those particles are too large for your immune system to remove naturally. That’s why tattoos are permanent.
Laser tattoo removal changes that. The laser sends ultra-short pulses of light energy into your skin. This energy shatters the ink particles into tiny fragments small enough for your body’s immune system to recognize and eliminate. Your white blood cells (specifically macrophages) carry these fragments away through your lymphatic system over several weeks.
Here’s the key part. This process takes time. Each laser session breaks up more ink, but your body needs 6-8 weeks between treatments to clear out the fragmented particles. Trying to rush treatments closer together doesn’t speed up removal. It just increases scarring risk without improving results.
Most tattoos need 5-15 sessions for complete removal. That timeline depends on several factors we’ll discuss, but patience is part of the process.
Not all tattoo ink responds the same way to laser treatment. Black and dark blue ink are the easiest to remove because they absorb all laser wavelengths. We can blast them with our 1064nm wavelength and get excellent results.
Red, orange, and yellow ink need a different wavelength (532nm). These colors take longer but still respond well to treatment.
Green and light blue ink are trickier. We need a 755nm wavelength, and even then, these colors require more sessions than black ink.
White, pastel, and flesh-toned ink are the most stubborn. Sometimes these colors don’t respond well to laser treatment at all. If your tattoo has white ink, we need to be realistic during your consultation about what’s possible.
Professional tattoos typically use higher quality ink that’s applied at consistent depths. This actually makes them easier to remove than amateur tattoos, which often use inconsistent ink and varying depths.
People always want to know about pain. Here’s the honest truth: laser tattoo removal hurts. Most describe it as hot grease splattering on your skin or a rubber band snapping repeatedly. It’s more intense than getting the tattoo in the first place.
That said, sessions are quick. A small tattoo takes 5-10 minutes. Larger pieces might take 20-30 minutes. You can handle almost anything for that long.
We offer topical numbing cream that you apply 45 minutes before treatment. This helps significantly. Some people also take ibuprofen beforehand. Ice packs immediately after treatment provide relief too.
Right after treatment, your tattoo looks frosted (a white, chalky appearance). This is the immediate result of laser energy hitting ink particles. It fades within 20 minutes. Then the area gets red, swollen, and tender for a few days.
Blistering is actually normal and shows the treatment worked. Don’t pop blisters. Let them heal naturally. Scabs form over the next week. Don’t pick at them either, no matter how tempting.
The most common question during consultations: “How many treatments until it’s gone?”
The answer depends on multiple factors. We use something called the Kirby-Desai Scale to estimate treatment numbers. This assessment considers:
Ink color. Black takes fewer sessions than bright colors. Multi-color tattoos need the most sessions.
Tattoo age. Older tattoos (10+ years) typically fade faster because they’ve already been breaking down naturally. Fresh tattoos have dense, intact ink that takes longer.
Tattoo depth. Professional tattoos go deeper and need more sessions. Amateur/homemade tattoos are often shallow and remove faster despite lower quality ink.
Skin type. We need to use lower laser settings on darker skin tones to avoid pigmentation changes. This means more sessions but safer outcomes.
Location on body. Areas with better blood circulation (closer to your heart) clear ink faster. Hands, feet, and ankles take the longest because circulation is weaker there.
Your immune system. Younger, healthier people with strong immune systems clear ink faster. Smoking slows the process significantly because it impairs circulation.
For perspective, a small black tattoo might need 5-7 sessions. A large, multi-colored sleeve could take 12-15+ sessions. We’ll give you realistic numbers during your consultation, not best-case scenarios.
Not everyone wants complete removal. Many people in Hollywood come to us for tattoo fading before getting a cover-up from their tattoo artist.
Cover-ups work best when the old tattoo is significantly faded. Even the most talented artist can’t cover solid black ink with new colors. But if we fade that black to 50-70% lighter, suddenly a beautiful cover-up becomes possible.
Fading for cover-ups typically takes 2-5 sessions depending on the existing tattoo. This saves you time and money compared to complete removal, which might take 10+ sessions.
Talk to your tattoo artist about their requirements. Some want specific areas faded more than others. Bring that information to your consultation so we can create the right treatment plan.
Most can, but some are more challenging. The factors that make removal difficult:
Ink color. As mentioned, white and pastel colors often don’t respond well. Some green and turquoise shades are stubborn too.
Cover-up tattoos. If you’ve already covered one tattoo with another, you’re dealing with multiple ink layers at different depths. This complicates removal significantly.
Scarred tattoos. If your original tattoo caused scarring, or if you picked scabs during healing, that scar tissue makes removal harder and less predictable.
Very old tattoos. Ironically, really old tattoos (20-30+ years) sometimes resist treatment because the ink has settled so deeply or spread under the skin.
Amateur tattoos with unknown ink. Homemade tattoos using India ink or pen ink sometimes react unpredictably to laser treatment.
We’re honest during consultations. If your tattoo will be difficult to remove completely, we’ll tell you upfront. Setting realistic expectations matters more than making a sale.
Laser tattoo removal works on all skin types, but darker skin requires extra caution. The laser targets pigment (melanin), and darker skin has more natural melanin.
If laser settings are too aggressive on darker skin, you risk hypopigmentation (lightening) or hyperpigmentation (darkening) of the treated area. These changes can be permanent.
That’s why we use Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers with the 1064nm wavelength for darker skin tones. This wavelength is safer because it’s less absorbed by melanin in your skin and more absorbed by tattoo ink.
We also use more conservative energy settings and may need additional sessions. This protects your skin while still achieving results. Slower is better than causing permanent pigmentation problems.
If you have darker skin and you’ve been told tattoo removal isn’t safe for you, that’s outdated information. With proper equipment and experienced technicians, we can safely treat all skin types throughout Hollywood, Hallandale Beach, Pembroke Pines, and Fort Lauderdale.
Your body does most of the actual tattoo removal between treatments. The laser breaks up ink particles, but your immune system eliminates them over the following weeks.
This is why we space sessions 6-8 weeks apart minimum. Some areas with poor circulation (ankles, feet) need 10-12 weeks between treatments. Your body needs time to clear fragmented ink before we break up more.
You’ll see the tattoo continue fading for weeks after each session. Maximum fading happens around week 6-8. That’s when we schedule your next treatment.
During this time, take care of yourself. Stay hydrated. Don’t smoke (seriously, it significantly slows removal). Eat well. Exercise moderately to boost circulation. These things genuinely help your body clear ink faster.
Keep the treated area protected from sun. UV exposure can cause pigmentation issues during the removal process. Wear SPF 50+ and cover the area if you’ll be outside for extended periods.
Prices vary based on tattoo size and complexity. Small tattoos (2×2 inches or smaller) cost less per session than large pieces. Multi-color tattoos cost more than simple black ink because they require multiple wavelengths.
Most places in Hollywood charge per session. Prices typically range from $100-$500+ per treatment depending on size.
Here’s what matters: total cost, not per-session price. A place charging $150 per session for 12 sessions costs $1,800 total. Another place charging $200 per session but only needing 8 sessions costs $1,600 total. Effective treatment with fewer sessions saves money.
We offer package pricing that reduces per-session cost. This makes sense if you’re committing to complete removal. We also work with CareCredit for financing if you need payment plans.
Insurance doesn’t cover tattoo removal since it’s cosmetic. Some exceptions exist if the tattoo is causing psychological distress documented by a mental health professional, but that’s rare.
During your free consultation, we’ll give you honest pricing based on realistic session estimates. No surprises, no upselling.
People make these mistakes all the time, and they slow down removal or cause complications:
Picking scabs or popping blisters. This increases scarring risk significantly. Leave everything alone and let it heal naturally.
Smoking during treatment. Smoking constricts blood vessels and reduces circulation. This dramatically slows ink clearance. If you’re serious about removal, you need to quit or at least cut back significantly.
Scheduling sessions too close together. Your friend’s cousin removed their tattoo in 3 months with weekly treatments? They’re either lying or they damaged their skin. Proper spacing is non-negotiable.
Sun exposure between treatments. Getting sunburned or tanned between sessions causes pigmentation problems and might force us to skip your next treatment.
Skipping aftercare instructions. We give you detailed aftercare for a reason. Following instructions prevents infections and optimizes results.
Not staying hydrated. Your lymphatic system needs water to flush out ink particles. Dehydration literally slows the process.
You might hear about other tattoo removal options. Here’s the reality:
Surgical excision. Cutting the tattoo out works for very small tattoos, but it leaves a scar (often worse than the tattoo). Not practical for anything larger than a quarter.
Dermabrasion. Sanding away layers of skin to reach the ink. Extremely painful, high scarring risk, inconsistent results. Mostly abandoned now.
Salabrasion. Scrubbing salt into the skin. Same problems as dermabrasion. Don’t do this.
Chemical removal creams. Complete scam. These products don’t penetrate deep enough to reach tattoo ink. At best they do nothing. At worst they cause chemical burns.
Cover-up tattoos. Not removal, but a valid option if you want different artwork. Just know you’re limited by the existing tattoo’s size and colors.
Laser removal is the only method that actually removes ink from your skin without excessive scarring. It’s the gold standard for good reason.
South Florida has plenty of places offering tattoo removal. Dermatology offices, medical spas, even some tattoo shops have laser equipment now.
We stand out because we focus exclusively on medical-grade aesthetic treatments. We’re not a dermatology office treating skin diseases as our main business. We’re not a tattoo shop with a laser as a side hustle. Laser treatments are what we do all day, every day.
Our Q-switched laser system is FDA-approved, properly maintained, and calibrated regularly. Our laser technicians have specific training in tattoo removal, not just general laser certification. They understand ink chemistry, wavelength selection, and safe energy settings for different skin types.
We’re located in Hollywood, easily accessible from Hallandale Beach, Pembroke Pines, Aventura, Dania Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Cooper City, and throughout Broward County. Close to Hollywood Beach Broadwalk, Downtown Hollywood, and Young Circle.
Most importantly, we’re realistic. If laser removal isn’t right for your specific tattoo, we’ll tell you. We’d rather be honest than take your money for treatments that won’t work well.
Almost anyone with an unwanted tattoo can do laser removal, but best results happen when:
You’re patient and understand this takes time. If you need the tattoo gone in two months for a specific event, that’s probably not realistic.
You’re willing to follow aftercare instructions carefully. This isn’t complicated, but it matters.
You’re not pregnant or nursing. We don’t have safety data for laser treatment during pregnancy, so we wait.
You don’t have active skin infections or conditions in the tattoo area. We need healthy skin to treat safely.
You’re not taking medications that cause photosensitivity. Some antibiotics and other drugs make your skin more sensitive to laser treatment.
Your tattoo isn’t located on very thin skin over bone (like ankles or fingers). These areas can be treated but results are slower and less predictable.
You have realistic expectations about complete removal vs. significant fading.
Getting a tattoo removed is often emotionally charged. It might represent:
A relationship that ended badly. Ex-partner’s name or matching tattoos.
A phase of life you’ve moved past. Teen rebellion, military service, gang affiliation.
Career requirements. Many professions (law enforcement, military, nursing, corporate jobs) have strict tattoo policies.
Personal growth. You’re simply not the same person who got that tattoo 10 years ago.
Artistic regret. The tattoo just didn’t turn out well and you hate looking at it.
We get it. You don’t need to explain or justify why you want removal. Your reasons are your own. We’re here to make it happen safely and effectively, not to judge.
Many patients tell us they feel lighter and more confident after completing removal. It’s like closing a chapter you were ready to move past anyway.
Let’s talk real numbers. A small, simple black tattoo might take 8-12 months start to finish (6 sessions at 6-8 week intervals).
Medium-sized tattoos with some color typically take 12-18 months (8-10 sessions).
Large, multi-colored tattoos often take 18-24+ months (12-15+ sessions).
Cover-up sleeves or tattoos with multiple layers can take even longer.
This seems like a long time. It is. But compare it to living with a tattoo you hate for the rest of your life. Suddenly 18 months doesn’t seem that bad.
You can speed things up slightly by optimizing your health. Stay hydrated, exercise regularly, don’t smoke, eat well. These genuinely help your body clear ink faster between sessions.
Most people say removal hurts more than getting the tattoo, but sessions are much shorter. Getting a tattoo might take hours of continuous pain. Laser removal sessions are typically 5-20 minutes depending on size. The pain is more intense but brief. It feels like hot grease splattering or a rubber band snapping repeatedly. We offer topical numbing cream that helps significantly. Most people tolerate it fine, especially knowing each session brings them closer to being tattoo-free.
We can remove most colored tattoos, but it takes longer than black ink removal. Our Q-switched laser has multiple wavelengths specifically for different colors. Red, orange, and yellow respond well to treatment. Blue and green take more sessions but still fade significantly. The trickiest colors are white, pastel shades, and some bright turquoise/lime greens. These might not remove completely. During your consultation, we’ll assess your specific colors and give honest expectations about what’s realistic for your tattoo.
When done correctly with proper equipment and aftercare, scarring is minimal. You might see slight texture changes where the tattoo was, but not obvious scarring. The biggest scarring risk comes from picking scabs or popping blisters during healing. If you leave everything alone and follow aftercare instructions, your skin should look normal after complete removal. If your tattoo already has scarring from the original application, that scarring will remain. Laser removal can’t fix existing scars, but it won’t make them worse either.
Your body can only clear a certain amount of fragmented ink at a time. Each laser session breaks up ink particles, but your immune system needs 6-8 weeks to eliminate those fragments through your lymphatic system. Scheduling treatments closer together doesn’t speed up removal because your body hasn’t finished clearing the previous session’s ink yet. Trying to rush the process just increases scarring risk without improving results. Hair growth also cycles, and ink removal follows similar biological timelines. Patience is required, but each session makes visible progress.
This rarely happens but it’s possible with certain inks. Some tattoo pigments (especially cosmetic tattoo makeup and flesh-toned inks) contain iron oxide that can oxidize and darken when hit with laser energy. This is called paradoxical darkening. It’s more common with permanent makeup (eyebrows, eyeliner) than body tattoos. If this happens, the darkened area usually responds to continued treatment with different settings. Ink spreading isn’t really a thing with modern laser removal. The laser shatters particles in place and your body removes them. They don’t migrate to surrounding skin.
We recommend waiting at least 6-8 weeks after getting a tattoo before starting removal treatments. Your skin needs time to fully heal from the tattoo application. Starting removal too soon increases complications like scarring, pigmentation changes, and infection. If you immediately regret a new tattoo, waiting those 6-8 weeks won’t significantly impact your removal timeline since you need multiple sessions anyway. Use that time to research providers and make sure laser removal is really what you want.
Yes, laser tattoo removal works safely on all skin tones when done with the right equipment and settings. We use Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers with 1064nm wavelength, which is specifically safe for darker skin. This wavelength targets tattoo ink while minimizing absorption by melanin in your skin. We use more conservative energy settings on darker skin tones and may need a few extra sessions, but this protects against pigmentation changes. If you have dark skin and were told removal isn’t safe for you, that’s outdated information from before modern laser technology existed.
If you’re tired of that unwanted tattoo and ready to do something about it, laser removal is your best option.
Your next step is a free consultation at Manhattan Laser Spa in Hollywood. We’ll examine your tattoo, discuss your goals (complete removal or fading for cover-up), assess your skin type, and create a realistic treatment plan.
You’ll leave knowing exactly how many sessions to expect, what the total investment will be, and what timeline you’re looking at. No pressure, no surprises.
Call us or book your consultation online. Hundreds of people throughout Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, Fort Lauderdale, and Broward County have trusted us with their tattoo removal. Let’s help you move forward too.
That tattoo doesn’t have to be permanent anymore.
