Small Black tattoo on the shoulder: 75% Fading in 5 Sessions ($1,000)
A small black tattoo on the shoulder, faded 75% over 5 sessions, at Fading Fast. Total cost: $1,000.
Before (session 0) and after (5 sessions) at Fading Fast.
The tattoo
Small black tattoo on the shoulder, on Type I skin, approximately 5–10 yrs old at the start of treatment.
The laser
Candela Picoway is a picosecond laser. For black ink, it operates at 1064nm with a pulse duration of 240 to 450 ps. A specialist with more than 10,000 treatments describes PicoWay as outstanding on black ink. The Quanta Q-Plus C has been discontinued, with parts and service availability declining.
The timeline
5 sessions at intervals of 1 year. Total treatment time: 5 years. The last 5 to 10 percent of clearance is the hardest: the remaining ink tends to be deepest, and the combination of unknown ink composition, depth, scar tissue, and immune response slows progress.
The cost
$1,000 across 5 sessions works out to $200 per session. Reputable removal providers charge roughly $350 to $700 per treatment. That rate suggests package pricing or a clinic at the lower end of the local market.