Which tattoo ink colours are the easiest to remove?

Hi Sising,

Before the PicoWay arrived, it was green and sky blue. I would say that the hardest colour to remove is now red/brown. Black ink is the easiest and most straightforward colour to remove.

However, I have seen an increasing trend in metallic black ink being used. This makes the removal process much more complicated as the metallic pigment tends to reflect the laser energy away. This results in additional sessions to completely remove the tattoo.

In a tattoo removal process, the part that absorbs the laser energy is called the chromophore. When the laser is fired, and depending on the wavelength of the laser used, the chromophore that absorbs the laser energy the most will both burn up and break up.

Black ink absorbs energy at the 1064nm wavelength very strongly. When the laser is fired, some of the pigment will burn up. Since light behaves like a sound wave, the pressure waves generated by the laser fractures the ink into smaller particles allowing the body to clear the debris.

Laser tattoo removal works when the color in the ink absorbs energy from the laser. Hence, we need to identify which wavelength of light energy is best for each colored pigment.

Black pigments are the easiest to remove, while yellow/green/violet ink are usually more difficult. Pigments containing the compound titanium dioxide (as is found in some cosmetic tattoos) are also more difficult to remove.

However, the success of tattoo removal also depends on the density of ink, depth of ink, amount of ink present, and patient factors such as skin type and location of tattoo. Hope this helps!

Regards,

Dr. Joanna Chan

Black pigments are the easiest to remove, while green and yellow ink are usually more difficult.

The success of tattoo removal on many factors. Some common factors include the density of ink, depth of ink, amount of ink present, and patient factors such as skin type and location of tattoo.

For more details on tattoo removal results, you can check out https://www.human.com.sg/key-facts-tattoo-removal-singapore

Please speak to an experienced tattoo removal doctor for a detailed assessment!

Hope this helps!

Warmest regards,

Dr Justin Boey

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Tattoo Removal in SIngapore