How do you remove a white tattoo?

Titanium white is used as a component of foundations or as a “UV filter” in sunscreens. This substance absorbs all wavelengths very poorly!

From a practical point of view, white tattoos will need touch-ups more often than ordinary ones.

Over time, the white design may darken and take on a yellowish tint. Such tattoos don’t “take” well on everyone.

If the design no longer looks good, there is no guarantee that a touch-up will solve the problem. So people start thinking about laser removal.

Problems with laser removal of “bleached” tattoos

Patients have come to me asking to remove white tattoos. Or rather, the orange-grey mess the design had turned into over time.

Unfortunately, an ordinary Nd:YAG laser is powerless here.

Firstly, titanium dioxide absorbs all wavelengths poorly. Secondly, under laser radiation the pigment can change its valence and turn a dirty green.

To lighten the tattoo a little, you will need many removal sessions at the 1064 nm wavelength. After that, we treat only with a PicoSure device.

You can also try removing the design with a remover. But how justified is using it? It’s better not to take the risk if the traces of the tattoo are barely noticeable or have been covered with a flesh-coloured pigment.