Frosting

You may have seen removal videos online on Instagram or TikTok and in the videos the tattoo looks like it's disappearing before your very eyes. We wish that’s what was happening! Unfortunately it is not. What you are seeing is what we call in the laser world “Frosting”.

The scientific term is called cavitation, the frosting you see is just a temporary reaction and only lasts a couple minutes. Frosting occurs during removal because when the laser hits the ink particles in your skin, carbon dioxide bubbles are released and they rise to the surface on the skin through your pores. During your first  treatment you will frost the brightest- this is because the first session is when you have the most ink in the skin. Going forward into your next sessions you will have some frosting, but it won’t be as prominent, it will have a more “foggy” appearance. Sometimes you might not even frost at all, and that is okay! This does not mean the laser isn’t woking, but there are other reactions that your technician may be looking for during the treatment, such as a visible and an acoustic reaction. After the typical frosting effects go away, you will have some redness, swelling, bruising, or broken capillaries in the treated area, which is completely normal, and your tattoo will begin to break down in the subsequent weeks.

Visit the “Aftercare” section on our website to read more about what to expect following your tattoo removal treatment!