Laser Tattoo Removal Timeline - First Post

I am having a 11 year old tattoo removed, it is black and about 2-3 square inches.  I noticed that there were lots of 'before and after' photos on the internet and lots of videos of laser tattoo removal procedures on YouTube. However, I could not find a comprehensive timeline of a tattoo removal, how long it actually takes, analysis of the fading process over time etc.  So I am documenting the removal process for this one.

This was a tattoo that I had done when I was 19 and a bit of an idiot!  It was a spur of the moment thing, I spent no time thinking about what I wanted and just went for it.  I have nothing against tattoos, in fact there are some amazing ones out there.  However have decided that now is the time to get this one zapped off! I have purchased 6 treatments up front, but anticipate that it may take between 8-10 in total and over a year for the final results.  I have been advised to have a test patch done, leave it for two weeks before the first treatment. The laser being used is a Q Switched ND: YAG.

I had the test patch done before my first treatment. This was right at the very top of the tattoo.  I've been told that because of this it will likely fade a little quicker than the rest of the tattoo, but it will 'all catch up in the end'.

I don't actually have a 'before' photo yet.  The shop took one so I will get a copy next time I am there and add it.  Ok so after the first treatment this is what it looked like.  This photo was taken a day after the first treatment on the 3rd February 2012:

The laser treatment is actually pretty quick, about 1-2mins of zapping, I believe it was set at setting 6 for this treatment.  The treatment does hurt, I could describe it as someone dropping burning oil onto your skin.  However, as soon as the laser stops so does the pain.   There is also a slight smell, it's not burning skin, it smells a bit chemical, but have no idea what it was.
The skin is raised after the treatment like a swelling in the exact shape of the tattoo. It does not hurt too much, like its a little bit bruised. For the first couple of days I put Aloe Vera on it and then after that, I put Copper Peptide cream on it as advised by the shop.  I did this twice a day for about the first week.


After about 5 days it looked like this:

This is what it looked like after a couple of weeks:

This is what it looked like after a month:

I think there is some fading at the top, but the bottom hasn't changed too much.  I went for my second treatment yesterday and the nurse explained that she thought there was more ink on the bottom half.  She also told me that the swelling may be because the ink is actually quite deep, in the layer of fat below the skin.  I was also told that a month is not quite long enough to wait in between treatments, 6-8 weeks is better, so I will wait this long before the 3rd treatment.

Here is a photo from about an hour after the second treatment done on the 3rd March 2012:

It looks painful but it really doesn't hurt at all, not like the actual treatment.

Anyway, I will be having treatment 3 at the end of April and will post more photos in between now and then, fingers crossed I get a bit more fading in the next 6-8 weeks.