Tattoo Cover-Up: Fade the Old One First, Choose the New One Freely
Laser before a cover-up gives the new design more room. How many sessions to aim for, what we don't promise, and what to tell your tattoo artist.
The unlimited tattoo removal package is worth it for a small to extra-large tattoo that needs 8 to 10 sessions, sometimes more. It isn't worth it for a mini tattoo, or for light shading that clears in 1 to 4 sessions.
You're weighing a two-year commitment before paying, and that's reasonable. Here's what the package covers, when it starts to pay off, and what we tell you before you pay.
A tattoo doesn't go in one session: the package is worth it when you know ahead of time that it will take many.
What the package covers, and what it doesn't
"Unlimited" doesn't mean "all your tattoos." There are two options, and the difference is in what they cover.
| Per-tattoo package | Unlimited multi-zone | |
|---|---|---|
| What's covered | One tattoo at a time | All your tattoos, even ones done after you sign up |
| Sessions | As many as it takes | As many as it takes |
| Maximum length | 2 years | 4 years |
| Sizes | Small, medium, large, extra large | All sizes |
| Price | Fixed, by size | $8,997, taxes extra |
Both cover every ink colour: black, grey, red, orange, yellow, green and blue. Sessions are 6 to 8 weeks apart, the time your body needs to clear the broken-up ink.
A tattoo whose removal was started elsewhere is covered by the package too.
From what size the package makes sense
The package costs the price of 8 sessions at the per-session rate, the low end of the range we state everywhere. If your tattoo needs 8 or more, it costs the same as paying per session, or less. If it needs fewer, paying per session costs less, and the tattoo removal page also lists 4-session packages by size.
Your tier depends on the size of the design, not where it sits. A forearm tattooed on one side only is a "medium."
| Size | Reference | Per session | Unlimited package (2 years) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mini | About a coin | Pay per session only | No package for this tier |
| Small | About a credit card | $150 | $1,200 |
| Medium | About a forearm | $300 | $2,400 |
| Large | About a partial back | $550 | $4,400 |
| Extra large | About half a back, or one side of a sleeve | $700 | $5,600 |
Taxes extra. Size is confirmed at the first session. Multi-zone doesn't depend on it, since it covers every size.
Why we say 8 to 10 sessions, sometimes more
The laser breaks up the ink, then your body clears it between visits. Most often, a tattoo takes 8 to 10 sessions, 6 to 8 weeks apart. Yellow, light green and blue often take more.
Published trials with a picosecond laser sometimes report fewer sessions. Those tattoos are selected for the study: in clinic we see more varied, older, denser inks. We don't use those numbers. The detail is in our article on the number of sessions.
Who the package is worth it for, and who it isn't
| Your situation | What makes sense |
|---|---|
| Small to extra-large tattoo, black, grey or coloured, needing 8 sessions or more | The per-tattoo package |
| Several tattoos, or another one coming | Multi-zone, which also covers ones done after you sign up |
| Mini tattoo | Pay per session: this tier has no package |
| Light shading, often clearing in 1 to 4 sessions | Pay per session |
| Unsure about two years of commitment | A consultation first, then pay per session if needed |
Darker skin: tattoo removal is possible, but safety isn't certain, and the clinic prefers to abstain. We look at your skin at the consultation and tell you before anything starts.
What we tell you before you pay
We'd rather everything be clear before payment:
- No complete removal is guaranteed. Very dense, very old or coloured ink can leave a faint shadow.
- Size is confirmed at the first session, and you know that in advance.
- The commitment is two years per tattoo, four with multi-zone.
- If you stop early, the sessions done are billed at the per-session price in your contract, with a cancellation fee set out in the contract, and we refund the rest.
- You pay in full, or spread it out with Klarna or Medicard.
How it works
First, a consultation: we measure your tattoo, look at the inks, and tell you how many sessions to aim for. You decide afterwards, at home, with no pressure. If your tier is clear, you can pay directly on the package page. Prices for each treatment are also on the tattoo removal treatment page.
Questions we get asked
Does the package cover a tattoo started elsewhere?
Yes. A tattoo whose removal was started elsewhere is covered by the package. At the consultation, we look at where it stands and confirm your tier.
What happens if I stop before the end?
The sessions done are billed at the per-session price in your contract, with a cancellation fee set out in the contract. The rest is refunded to you.
Does multi-zone cover a tattoo I get after signing up?
Yes. What counts is the time: for the four years, all your tattoos are covered, even ones done after you sign up.
Can I pay in instalments?
Yes. You pay in full, or spread it out with Klarna or Medicard. Taxes extra.
Are all colours included?
Yes: black, grey, red, orange, yellow, green and blue. Yellow, green and blue often take more sessions.
Sources
- Kirby W., Desai A., Desai T., Kartono F., Patel G., "The Kirby-Desai Scale: A Proposed Scale to Assess Tattoo-removal Treatments," The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2009, vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 32-37. Read the article
- Ho S. G. Y., Goh C. L., "Laser Tattoo Removal: A Clinical Update," Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery, 2015, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 9-15. Read the article
- American Academy of Dermatology, "Tattoo removal: Lasers outshine other methods." Read the page
