Laser treatments
Laser tattoo removal
Gentle removal of unwanted tattoos with modern pico and Q-switch laser technology – also for multi-coloured tattoos. Individually planned, physician-supervised.
Treatable areas
- Lettering & names
- Multi-coloured tattoos
- Visible body areas
- Permanent make-up
A tattoo that no longer suits you can be removed by laser under medical supervision at our practice in Mönchengladbach. At its heart is the PicoStar by Asclepion, a latest-generation picosecond laser, complemented by the Evo Q-Plus Q-switch laser (Quanta System) and the Rubystar ruby laser (Asclepion). Depending on the colour spectrum, we select the appropriate system – in this way, multi-coloured tattoos can also be specifically addressed.
The laser pulses shatter the colour pigments into the smallest particles, which the body's own lymphatic system then carries away. Several sessions are therefore needed – frequently six to twelve, at intervals of about six to eight weeks, depending on colours, ink depth, age of the tattoo and skin type. A complete removal cannot be promised in every case; on request, we carry out a test treatment on a small area beforehand.
All information is provided for general guidance and does not replace personal medical advice. Treatment results can vary from one individual to another.
Indications
Who it is suitable for
Whether a treatment makes medical sense in your case is something we determine together in a personal consultation. Typical concerns include:
- Unwanted tattoos that are to be removed completely or largely
- Multi-coloured tattoos that can be treated through the combination of pico and Q-switch Nd:YAG laser
- Lightening of an existing tattoo in preparation for a cover-up
- Amateur tattoos and unprofessionally applied tattoos
- Lettering, names and smaller motifs that no longer fit your situation in life
- Tattoos that are to be removed for professional reasons (e.g. visible parts of the body)
- Permanent make-up on suitable areas after an individual medical assessment
Step by step
How the treatment works
This is how the treatment usually proceeds with us – from the first consultation through to aftercare.
Consultation and information
We examine your tattoo with regard to colours, size, ink depth and age, assess your skin type and explain the procedure, risks and limits of the treatment. You receive an individual treatment plan including a cost overview.
Test treatment (optional)
On request, or in the case of an unclear pigment reaction, we first treat a small test area to estimate how the colour pigments and your skin respond.
Preparation of the treatment
The area is cleansed and disinfected, you receive protective goggles, and the skin is cooled. If needed, a locally anaesthetic cream can be applied beforehand.
Laser treatment
Depending on the colour spectrum, the pico laser, the Q-switch Nd:YAG laser or a combination of both systems is used; the ultra-short light pulses shatter the colour pigments. The skin is continuously cooled throughout.
Immediate aftercare at the practice
Immediately after the session, the area is cooled again and treated with a wound ointment and, where appropriate, a dressing; you receive written care instructions for home.
Colour spectrum
Which tattoo colour responds to which laser?
The following overview shows, as a guide, which wavelength tends to suit which colour based on experience. It serves as general orientation and does not replace an individual medical assessment – the actual response additionally depends on the type of pigment, ink depth, age and skin type.
| Tattoo colour | Ruby laser 694 nm | Q-switched Nd:YAG 532 nm | Q-switched Nd:YAG 1064 nm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | very good | – | very good |
| Brown | conditional | very good | very good |
| Blue | very good | – | very good |
| Green | very good | – | – |
| Blue-green | very good | – | – |
| Red | – | very good | – |
| Orange | – | good | – |
| Yellow | – | conditional | – |
Transparency
Prices
- Kleinpro Sitzung
- 150 €
- Mittelpro Sitzung
- 250 €
- Großpro Sitzung
- 400 €
- Augenbrauen (Permanent Make-up)pro Sitzung
- 150 €
All prices are guide values for initial orientation. Medical services are billed according to the German scale of fees for physicians (GOÄ); the final amount depends on the individual effort involved and is discussed transparently with you before treatment. For treatments without a listed price, we are happy to give you a guide value during your consultation.
Patient information
Safety & patient information
Responsible treatment includes open information about possible risks and side effects – even when they occur only rarely.
Redness, swelling and a sore feeling
Immediately after the treatment, redness, slight swelling and a sore, burning feeling in the treated area are normal. These reactions generally subside within a few hours to days and can be eased well by cooling.
Blisters, crusts and pinpoint bleeding
Frequently a whitish discolouration of the skin forms in the short term, followed by small blisters, crusts or isolated pinpoint bleeding. These usually heal without consequences within one to two weeks, provided crusts are not scratched off and blisters are not opened.
Temporary hyperpigmentation
In particular with darker skin types or after UV exposure, the skin in the treated area can temporarily darken (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation). This discolouration usually recedes over weeks to months; consistent sun protection has a preventive effect.
Hypopigmentation (lightening of the skin)
The skin in the treatment area can become lighter than the surrounding skin, because the pigment-forming cells are temporarily or – more rarely – permanently impaired. In most cases this lightening is reversible; a persistence over a longer period is, however, possible.
Texture changes of the skin
In individual cases the surface condition of the skin can change, for example through a slightly uneven or finer texture. Carefully chosen laser parameters and consistent aftercare reduce this risk.
Paradoxical darkening and ghosting
Certain pigments – above all white, skin-coloured, red as well as permanent make-up – can be chemically altered by the laser energy and darken paradoxically. Ghosting refers to remaining, hard-to-remove residual shadows of the original tattoo. A preceding test treatment can make the risk better assessable.
Reaction to released colour pigments
Through the shattering of the pigments, components of the tattoo ink are released within the body. In rare cases – in particular with red and certain colourful pigments – local or, very rarely, generalised allergic reactions can occur. An intolerance to the tattoo that already exists before the treatment requires particular caution.
Scarring
Rarely, permanent scars can occur, above all when crusts are manipulated, an infection arises or an individual tendency towards excessive scarring (keloids) exists. Professional performance and careful aftercare keep this risk low.
Infection of the treated area
As with any treatment that can briefly stress the skin barrier, an infection is possible if the area is not kept clean or wound care is neglected. Signs such as increasing redness, overheating, pus or fever should be clarified medically.
Incomplete removal and residual shadows
Despite several sessions, a complete removal cannot be achieved in every case. Depending on the pigment, pale residual shadows or individual colour components may remain. A complete removal can therefore not be promised.
When we do not treat
In certain situations we do not carry out a treatment, or only at a later time – for your safety.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding – during this period the treatment is not carried out as a precaution.
- Acute inflammation, infections, open wounds or skin conditions in or on the treatment area (e.g. active herpes infection, psoriasis, active neurodermatitis in the area).
- Fresh, intense tanning of the skin or a recent visit to a tanning bed, as well as the use of self-tanners, as this increases the risk of pigment shifts.
- Known tendency towards excessive scarring (keloids) or pronounced wound-healing disorders.
- Taking of light-sensitising medications or of active substances from the group of high-dose vitamin A acid derivatives (retinoids) – here, depending on the active substance, a sufficient interval is required.
- Tattoos that are still fresh and not yet fully healed – the skin must be completely healed, generally several weeks to months after the application.
- Known allergic reactions to the existing tattoo or to tattoo inks, as the release of pigments can intensify the reaction.
- Certain general illnesses, a restricted lymphatic or immune function or a therapy that impairs wound healing – here an individual medical weighing-up is necessary.
- Unrealistic expectations of a guaranteed complete, scar-free result – a joint, honest management of expectations is a precondition for the treatment.
This information does not replace a personal medical consultation. Before every treatment we inform you individually about the procedure, risks and alternatives.
In depth
Medical details & background
How it works & the evidence
Tattoo inks sit in the dermis. The pigment particles are too large for the body's own scavenger cells (macrophages) to break down completely – they therefore remain permanently visible. This is precisely where the laser comes in: it reduces the pigments to such an extent that the body can dispose of them itself via the lymphatic system, and the tattoo becomes paler from session to session.
The principle of action is based on selective photothermolysis or – with very short pulses – on a photoacoustic effect: extremely short, high-energy light pulses are specifically absorbed by the colour pigments, which burst into the smallest particles through the resulting pressure waves, while the surrounding tissue is largely spared. Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers work in the nanosecond range, pico lasers in the picosecond range; the even shorter pulses can break up above all colourful pigments more finely. Since each colour absorbs light best in a particular spectral range, we combine both systems depending on the colour spectrum.
How well a tattoo responds can be estimated using the so-called Kirby-Desai factors: the colours contained, layering and pigment density, location on the body (areas close to the trunk are cleared better via the lymphatic system than hands or feet), skin type, existing scars, and whether it is an amateur or professional tattoo. These factors help with a realistic assessment, but are not a reliable points score and allow no guarantee about the number of sessions or the final result.
According to current knowledge, laser treatment is regarded as the gentlest established procedure for the removal of tattoos: controlled studies and systematic reviews show that tattoos can in many cases be markedly lightened or largely removed with Q-switched and with picosecond lasers – with overall good tolerability when applied appropriately, and without pronounced scars regularly remaining. Whether picosecond lasers manage with fewer sessions is not uniformly proven; a general superiority of a single system cannot be derived from the evidence – rather, the systems complement one another depending on the colour spectrum.
An honest classification includes the limits of this evidence: many studies comprise small case numbers, different devices and inconsistent assessment criteria, and the pigment composition of commercially available tattoo inks is not standardised. Reliable predictions for the individual tattoo are therefore only possible to a limited extent: the individual reaction varies, a complete removal does not succeed in every case, and residual shadows (so-called ghosting) or pigment shifts can occur.
Preparing for your treatment
A few simple measures before your appointment help you contribute to the best possible result with as few complications as possible.
- For about four to six weeks before the treatment, avoid intensive sun exposure, tanning beds and self-tanners – the skin in the treatment area should be untanned and intact.
- Anticoagulant medications (e.g. blood thinners) or preparations with a blood-thinning effect may only be paused after consultation with the prescribing physician – never stop prescribed medications on your own initiative.
- Inform us in advance about pre-existing conditions, allergies, known reactions to the tattoo, a tendency towards cold sores, as well as about all medications you take regularly.
- Cleanse the treatment area on the day of treatment and do not apply any creams, lotions, make-up or perfume there; hairy areas can, if needed, be carefully shaved beforehand.
- For sensitive areas, a locally anaesthetic cream can, by arrangement, be applied in good time before the appointment; plan accordingly for the time this takes.
- Pay attention to good general well-being: intact, healthy skin without sunburn and a sufficient fluid intake support healing and pigment removal.
Aftercare
The right care after treatment supports healing and the result. You will receive individual recommendations from us – as a rule:
- Cool the treated area gently in the first hours after the session in order to ease swelling and the sore feeling.
- Keep the area clean and dry and treat it with the recommended wound care; where appropriate, the area is initially protected with a dressing.
- Do not scratch off crusts and do not open any blisters – this prevents scars and infections and supports smooth healing.
- Protect the area consistently from UV radiation: throughout the entire treatment series, use a sun protection product with a high sun protection factor (SPF 50+) and avoid direct sun and tanning beds.
- For about one to two weeks, refrain from sauna, steam bath, swimming pool, intensive sport and activities that cause heavy sweating, in order not to irritate the skin additionally.
- Drink enough and thereby support the removal of the shattered pigments via the lymphatic system.
- Observe the area: in the event of signs of an infection (increasing redness, overheating, pus, fever) or unusual reactions, please contact us promptly.
- Keep to the agreed interval until the follow-up assessment – only then can the result be assessed and the next session be sensibly planned.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Answers to questions we are asked particularly often about “Laser tattoo removal”.
Sources & guidelines
- AWMF guideline register (Association of the Scientific Medical Societies) – guidelines on laser medicine and aesthetic dermatology.
- German Dermatological Society (DDG) – professional statements and patient information on laser therapy and on the removal of tattoos.
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) and Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) – information on tattoo agents, pigments and on the application of lasers to the skin.
- Prescribing information and manufacturer specifications of the laser systems used, as well as the relevant hygiene and medical device requirements.
Personal consultation
Arrange a personal consultation
In a confidential conversation on our practice floor at the Albertus Zentrum in Mönchengladbach, we take time for your questions and assess whether the treatment may be suitable for you.
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