Large tattoo removal is a clinical and meticulous process no matter the size of the ink; however, when removing larger areas of ink different tactics must be used to safely achieve ink clearance. With three decades of medical care experience, Unthink Inc.’s founder and trained tattoo removal technician, Jim , is no stranger to treating his clients with patience and care. Combine his expertise with our advanced PicoWay technology , and you have a sure way to remove your large tattoo.

With smaller tattoos, the process is fairly straightforward: a session is held every six to eight weeks, with an average of six total sessions. The PicoWay laser easily glides over the skin, comfortably pulsating laser energy into the dermis. These ultra-fast pulses shatter the ink into very tiny particles, which are then able to be removed naturally through the body’s lymphatic system. We categorize small or medium  tattoos at a size of either two inches by two inches or four inches by four inches. Anything bigger than this is considered to be a large tattoo and therefore will require a slightly different approach.

In order to maximize time and energy, the entire tattoo is not treated in one sitting. Jim will break up the design into small or medium-sized sections, and treat portions respectfully, every 30 days. This cycle will rotate, leaving a gap of at least two months before an area is treated again. For example—if a large sleeve tattoo is being treated, Jim would first treat the front of the lower arm, then 30 days later treat the back of the lower arm. One month later the front of the of the upper arm would follow, then the back of the upper arm after another 30 days. Treatments would continue in this order until each section has been treated at least six times.

This schedule ensures treatments are safe and the lymphatic system is not overloaded when removing the ink through its natural processes. If the entire tattoo was to be treated all at once, sessions would be less effective (as the lymphatic system could not keep up), lengthy, and any discomfort intensified. The downtime between sessions would also be lengthened as the skin would need longer to heal. This would lengthen the entire process considerably. Taking the tattoo section by section ultimately allows for better healing, safer treatments, and faster ink clearance.  

As mentioned above, the best way to properly treat a larger tattoo is by dividing it into section as to not overwhelm the lymphatic system. Jim will do this with simple medical tape and a detailed treatment schedule that allows for your tattoo removal timeline to be efficient and comfortable.

Trying to remove this large red ink tattoo with a traditional laser would have been a painful, nearly impossible task. Enter Syneron Candela’s advanced PicoWay laser , safely able to remove an array of ink colours more efficiently. The picosecond pulsation rate (one trillionth of a second) and the three separate wavelengths makes the removal of even the largest tattoos possible and with minimal risk.

For this tattoo, Jim used a unique technique to ensure safe removal. Red ink is closer in proximity to the epidermis than darker colours such as blue or black. As you can see in the last shot of the photo series above, the dots (or laser pulses) are spaced apart. Normally the area would be completely covered by this white “frosting” reaction; however, Jim has spaced the pulses to allow the PicoWay to better dissipate the laser energy. This will greatly improve the aftercare process and help keep this client on the most efficient journey to ink-free skin.

No matter the size, shape or ink colour your unwanted tattoo happens to be, Unthink Inc. can help to fade, alter or completely remove it. Our combination of professional expertise and advanced technology can safely, effectively and quickly remove ink for good. Book a free consultation   to start your large tattoo removal journey today.