Can I Have only Part of a Tattoo Removed?

When it comes to tattoo removal, one of the most commonly asked questions is whether it is possible to remove one colour, or one part of a tattoo while the rest of it remains intact. For instance, if you have a multicoloured tattoo with yellow, orange, and black colours, would it be possible to remove one colour without the desired parts becoming blurry?

The simple answer is yes. You can get one colour, one area, or the entire tattoo removed or covered up, owing to the accuracy of laser tattoo removal treatment.

More on Laser Tattoo Treatment

This process involves the selective absorption of extremely high peak power laser light pulses by the tattoo ink in the skin, which causes the targeted ink particles to disintegrate or break down mechanically while minimising potential damage to the surrounding tissues. After fragmentation of the particles, they are removed from the skin by the lymphatic system or the body’s immune.

Factors Affecting the Removal of Part of a Tattoo

Although it is possible to remove part of a tattoo, the quality of the outcome is influenced by a number of factors including:

• The laser operator’s skill and experience is a major factor in the success of any tattoo removal procedure, which is why it is important to only work with a board certified dermatologist with expertise in laser tattoo removal.
• Colour being removed – Certain inks and pigments are harder to remove compared to others, with black ink having the best response to laser tattoo removal. Other colours can also be removed, including red, brown, green, and blue, though lighter colours are much harder to remove compared to darker ones, with white being the hardest.
• Intensity of ink – When you have a tightly inked tattoo, it can become a little difficult to cleanly remove some parts of the tattoo without removing some of the parts you like, as well. In some instances, the dermatologist can target the areas that are unappealing since the spot size used is quite small.
• Complexity of the tattoo – Homemade tattoos are generally easy to remove because the depth of ink penetration is usually quite low.

When it is difficult to remove part of the tattoo, your dermatologist can fade or lighten up some areas with a few treatments so it becomes possible for a replacement to be applied over top.

It is best to seek a full in-person consultation with a certified dermatologist so that the practitioner can give you an accurate idea of the ease or complexity of removing the part or colour you want to get rid of.