Physician's gloved hand guiding a laser handpiece over a fading tattoo on a client's forearm during laser tattoo removal at Beau Visage Aesthetics in Walnut Creek

Tattoo Removal Aftercare Instructions

These are my pre-care and laser tattoo removal aftercare instructions. I recommend reading them before your first session so you know how to prepare, what your skin will do afterward, and when to call the office. Laser tattoo removal works over a series of treatments, and how you care for the skin between them affects both your comfort and your result. We will go over anything that is unclear at your visit.

23+ YEARS EXPERIENCE | BOARD CERTIFIED MD | FORMER ASST. PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE | 5.0★ ACROSS 136 REVIEWS

Before Your Treatment

Please review each item before your appointment. If you take a prescription medicine, do not stop it on your own. Tell me what you take at your consultation, and we will decide together whether anything needs to be adjusted with your prescribing doctor.

DO NOT

Arrive with a tan, sunburn, or self-tanner on the area.

Tanned skin absorbs laser energy that should be reaching the ink, which raises the risk of blistering and pigment changes. Keep the area out of the sun and free of self-tanner for at least four weeks before each session.

Wax or use hair-removal creams on the area

in the two weeks before treatment. Shaving is fine. If the area has hair, please shave it the day before your visit.

Take aspirin or NSAIDs such as ibuprofen for minor aches in the days before your session

unless a doctor has prescribed them, because they can increase bruising. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is the better choice.

Apply makeup, lotion, sunscreen, or numbing cream to the area on the day of treatment.

If I prescribe a numbing cream, I will tell you exactly how much to apply, where, and how long before your visit. Please do not use an over-the-counter numbing product on your own.

DO

Tell me about every medicine and supplement you take,

including blood thinners, isotretinoin (Accutane) now or in the past year, and anything that makes your skin sensitive to light. None of these automatically rules out treatment, but each one changes how I plan it.

Tell me if you have ever formed a raised or keloid scar,

or if you have a skin condition, rash, or infection anywhere near the tattoo. I may recommend a small test spot first.

Tell me if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

I do not perform laser tattoo removal during pregnancy or while breastfeeding, because there are no safety data for either.

Wear loose, soft clothing

that will not rub the treated area on the way home.

Ask your questions before we begin.

If I am not confident the laser is suited to your tattoo, I will tell you.

After Your Treatment — The First Three Days

Right after treatment the tattoo often turns white for a short time. This “frosting” is expected and usually settles within the hour. Redness, swelling, tenderness, and a sunburn-like feeling are normal for a few days. Some tattoos develop small blisters, pinpoint bleeding, or a crust over the following days. All of this is part of the process.

How should I use a cold pack?

Apply a cold pack wrapped in a clean cloth, never ice directly on the skin, for 10 to 15 minutes at a time, a few times a day, for the first 48 hours. If a treated arm or leg is swollen, keeping it raised helps.

Should I keep it covered?

Keep the dressing I apply in place for the first 24 hours. After that, keep the area covered with a nonstick dressing whenever there are open blisters or crusts, changing it once a day, and leave it uncovered once the surface has closed.

What should I put on it?

Keep the area clean and lightly moist. Apply a thin layer of plain petroleum jelly (Vaseline) or Aquaphor once or twice a day.

What can I take for discomfort?

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) as directed on the package is usually enough.

Can I shower?

Yes, from the next day. Let water run over the area, do not scrub it, and pat it dry. Avoid baths, hot tubs, and swimming until the skin has fully closed, and skip perfumed soaps and exfoliants for the first 48 hours.

Can I exercise?

Avoid strenuous exercise, saunas, hot showers, and anything that makes the area sweat or rub for the first 48 hours. After that, return to normal activity once there are no open blisters or crusts.

While the Skin Heals — Days 3 to 14

Do not pick, scratch, or peel

blisters, crusts, or scabs. Let them come off on their own. Disturbing them is the most common cause of scarring and infection after tattoo removal. If a blister opens on its own, leave the loose skin in place, apply your ointment, and cover it.

Itching is common

in the first two weeks. Keeping the area moist eases it. Do not scratch.

Protect the area from the sun.

This matters more than anything else you do between sessions. Keep the area covered with clothing or a bandage whenever you are outdoors for the first two weeks. After that, apply a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher sunscreen every day until your course is finished, and for six months after your last session. Sun on healing skin is the main cause of lasting light or dark spots.

Makeup, shaving, and skincare over the area

can resume once the surface has fully closed and there are no crusts. Introduce products one at a time.

Swimming pools, hot tubs, saunas, and the ocean

wait until the skin has completely healed.

Call Us Immediately If You Notice

Call the office the same day at (415) 644-8301 if you notice:

Redness, swelling, warmth, or pain that is getting worse after the second day rather than better
Pus, cloudy drainage, or a bad smell from the area
Blistering spreading beyond the treated tattoo
A new rash or marked swelling around the tattoo
Any change in the skin or the tattoo that worries you

Go to urgent care or the emergency room, or call 911, if you have:

Fever, chills, or red streaks spreading from the area
Severe pain not eased by acetaminophen
Difficulty breathing or swallowing, swelling of the face or throat, faintness, or hives spreading over the body — a rare allergic reaction to the ink particles released by the laser

Between Sessions

The laser breaks the ink into particles your body clears gradually over the following weeks, which is why sessions are spaced apart. I schedule sessions at least 4-8 weeks apart, and often longer when the skin needs more time or the tattoo is responding slowly. Treating sooner does not speed the result.

Smoking has been associated with a poorer response to tattoo removal, so if you smoke, this is a good time to cut down.

There is no cream, supplement, massage, or “detox” that speeds ink clearance, and I do not recommend spending money on any of them. Good sun protection and leaving the skin alone are what help.

Tattoo Removal Care FAQs

What is normal after laser tattoo removal?

Whitening that fades within the hour, then redness, swelling, tenderness, and sometimes small blisters or a crust over the next several days. The tattoo itself fades gradually over the weeks after each session, not right away.

When should I call the office?

Whenever something is getting worse instead of better after the second day, if you see pus or spreading redness, or if anything about the healing worries you. The full list is above.

How long between sessions?

At least eight weeks, often longer. Your skin needs to heal fully, and your body needs time to clear the ink before the next session can do its work.

Where can I learn more about tattoo removal?

See my Laser Tattoo Removal page for how the treatment works, how many sessions to expect, and pricing.

Questions About Your Tattoo Removal Care?

If anything here is unclear, or your skin is not doing what you expected, call the office. I would rather hear from you early than have you wait.

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Reviewed and approved by Kourosh Moazemi, MD, FACP, board certified in Internal Medicine. Last reviewed September 9, 2026.