How much does laser tattoo removal hurt?
Probably the hardest to answer and most frequently asked question is about the pain of laser tattoo removal. There is no point lying – it fucking hurts. The feeling has been likened to a rubber band snapping on sunburnt skin, which is probably the most accurate comparison, although here are a few other examples of what the feeling has been associated with: hot oil popping off the pan onto your skin; a cigarette repeatedly being stubbed on your arm; fireworks going off under your dermis; squeezing a pimple on your lip line, etc.
The wonderful news is that this level of pain is only experienced during your first session. As the laser breaks the ink up into tiny little particles your body can effectively get rid of, the laser sessions become far less painful. Of course there are many different ways you can minimize the pain in preparation for your appointment and Lazer Erazer will talk you through a personalised care plan afterwards for maximum effectiveness and smooth healing.
During your session, a machine called Koolio will blow chilled air onto the area to balance out any burning sensations you may feel. After the very last zap, Koolio and a cheeky squirt of some natural, antiseptic homemade elixir will soothe your boo-boo before being wrapped in a colourful bandage. A little care package of happy healing remedies will be given to you, which includes exciting things like a lollipop, some stickers and aftercare instructions tailored to fit your lifestyle.
If you’re feeling particularly concerned about the pain, the option of using numbing cream is open to you. The Emla numbing cream is a good option as it is one of the cheapest and easiest to access – you can find it in most chemists. The trick with this numbing cream is to lay it on thick 2 hours before your laser session. The chemist will tell you a shorter duration but 2 hours before is the key. Emla will take the pain from a 10/10 to more of a 5/10 so it’s worth looking in to, though if you’re a tough cookie you’ll be fine and dandy ☺
