Tattoos are such a personal thing. Some people have tiny discreet tattoos on ankles or shoulders, others love to decorate large areas of their bodies including the face, hands, back and neck. Just about anywhere can be tattooed these days!

As well as tattoos, many people want to have laser hair removal to give them a look that they will love. Unfortunately any area/s with tattoos cannot undergo laser hair removal or IPL.

So it’s a real challenge not just for a client, but for a clinic which wants to give the perfect results. Here’s why.

Lasers and tattoos

Put simply, laser hair removal works through light energy attacking the dark pigment in the skin. A laser cannot differentiate between the dark pigment in a hair follicle and the dark pigment in a tattoo.

At best the tattoo could become distorted and the colours fade. At worst, your skin could suffer burns and permanent scarring.

I haven’t had my tattoos yet

If you haven’t had your tattoos yet and there are areas of your body you want hair-free that you also want tattooed, it’s quite simple – make sure your skin is hair free before you have your tattoo. Then that area will continue to be smooth and hair free after the tattoo.

Parts of the body to think carefully about include your arms, especially if you intend to have a sleeve, your back, your legs, or in your groin area. After all, it’s fairly usual to want a hair free bikini line and laser hair removal is a good option to choose.

How long do I need to wait for my tattoo after laser hair removal?

Your skin will need a chance to heal so we recommend waiting for two to three weeks before having your tattoo done.

Remember that laser hair removal isn’t an instant fix. You will need to book in a series of 6 to 8 sessions with breaks between – and treatment can take between 6 and 9 months. So if you want your tattoo for a particular occasion such as a wedding or birthday, plan well ahead so that you have time to have the sessions, and then for your skin to be ready for the tattoo.