Tattoo ink sits as particles in the dermis, engulfed by cells that cannot break them down. Removal means fragmenting particles small enough for the body to clear.
Book an assessment →Tattoo ink sits as particles in the dermis that the body cannot clear on its own. Laser removal shatters those particles into fragments small enough to be carried away, a little more each session. Each ink colour absorbs a different wavelength, so the number of sessions depends on colours, density and depth, and some inks fade only partly. See tattoo removal in Singapore.
Laser energy is absorbed by ink particles and shatters them photoacoustically. Absorption is wavelength-dependent, which is why one wavelength cannot address every colour.
Black and dark blue absorb 1064 nm well; red responds to 532 nm; green and light blue need other wavelengths entirely. A clinic with one wavelength can only clear some of a multicoloured tattoo.
Ink colours present, depth and density, age of the tattoo, amateur or professional, prior removal attempts, and Fitzpatrick type.
Wavelength is matched to ink colour across a course of sessions, with devices covering 1064, 532, 585 and 650 nm.
Some pigments — particularly certain whites, greens and cosmetic inks — respond poorly or can darken. That is said before starting, not after.
The assessment notes every colour in the tattoo, how dense the ink looks, whether it was done professionally, whether earlier removal has been tried, and the skin type. A small test area is often treated first, especially with colours that can change rather than fade, such as white or skin-tone inks.
Wavelength is matched to colour, and energy is set to break the ink without overheating the skin. In darker skin types the risk of temporary lightening or darkening is higher, so settings are more cautious and intervals longer. The full procedure is described on the tattoo removal in Singapore page.
Immediately after a session the area turns white and slightly raised for a short time, then may blister or crust over the next few days. Sessions are usually spaced six to eight weeks or more apart, because fading continues between visits as the body clears ink.
Professional black tattoos often need many sessions; amateur tattoos may need fewer. Progress is reviewed against photographs, and if a colour stops responding, that is discussed rather than treated indefinitely.
“Lasers do not erase ink; they break it small enough for the body to carry away. The body's pace, not the laser's, sets the timeline.”
Tattoo ink sits as particles in the dermis, engulfed by cells that cannot break them down. Removal means fragmenting particles small enough for the body to clear.
Black and dark blue absorb 1064 nm well; red responds to 532 nm; green and light blue need other wavelengths entirely. A clinic with one wavelength can only clear some of a multicoloured tattoo.
Ink colours present, depth and density, age of the tattoo, amateur or professional, prior removal attempts, and Fitzpatrick type.
Some pigments — particularly certain whites, greens and cosmetic inks — respond poorly or can darken. That is said before starting, not after.
Many tattoos can be faded until they are hard to see, but complete removal is not certain. Dense professional work, some colours and some cosmetic inks may leave a faint shadow or change colour. This is assessed before the first session.
Because most of the fading happens between sessions, as immune cells carry away the shattered ink. Treating again too soon adds risk to the skin without speeding that clearance.
These sources describe mechanisms and general evidence. They are not a promise of any individual result; suitability is decided at an in-person assessment.
Every assessment at IN Eternity Clinic is carried out personally by Medical Director Dr Sin Yong at 9 Scotts Road, #12-01 Pacific Plaza. If the honest answer is that treatment should wait, you will be told that.
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