How can I find the best doctors for tattoo removal in Singapore?

Doctor's Answers 3

I think its hard to decide who is the best. What is put in the internet is hard to verify especially if one is not in the medical trade. There are many factors involving tattoo removal like the type of colour, the depth, your risk of scarring, your skin texture and the presrcibed downtime you need.

I personally feel that claims on machine power and trend is not necessary one of the determining factors for tattoo removal. Many hot new lasers with claims come and they go. And yet the older doctors dont buy them.

It's not necessarily because they cant afford them. We have seen claims come and then go and white elephants sit in the clinic. The logic is the higher the power, the more the trauma so whatever power you use needs to match with your risk of scarring and the amount of trauma you can take.

I feel that scarring and skin texture is one of the prime factor to decide how much power to use for tattoo removal. I always feel that an adequate time for recovery of 3-4 months is more ideal than coming back too quickly. This allows your skin to heal and recover completely.

Hope that helps. Thanks.


Related: The Ultimate Guide to Tattoo Removal in Singapore


Information is easily available online. It is also in the palm of your hands. I would do a search on your favorite search engine either on your smart phone or computer and read a few reviews before making a decision on the ideal person to help remove your tattoos.

You also need to consider the laser technology used as well as the person operating the laser. This is going to be a long process and you will need to be comfortable with the person who is doing the treatment.

The current gold standard laser remains the Medlite C6. This laser was chosen more than a decade ago when the doctors assessed the current laser technologies in use at that time and determined that this laser gave the most consistent results.

The newer pico-second lasers were, of course, not under consideration at the time since they only came onto the market in recent years. I use the PicoWay for a majority of my tattoo removal treatments.

This laser has the advantage in being able to remove most tattoos in fewer sessions compared to the Medlite C6 laser (which some of my patients request I use due to cost considerations).

You are right, not all doctors who offer laser have an interest in tattoo removals. Tattoo removal is quite a niche service.

These are my 2 cents on how to find the best doctors for tattoo removal:

a. Choose a doctor with experience in removing difficult tattoos

An experienced doctor who has managed difficult tattoos (eg. colourful tattoos on limbs) will be able to recommend the best treatment for you.

If you have colored tattoos, you will need special laser wavelengths to effectively remove those tattoos.

If you are of a darker skin type, your doctor will also choose a gentler laser machine to reduce the risk of complications.

b. Choose a clinic that specialises in tattoo removals

Similar to other high-tech machines, lasers require regular maintenance and replacement of parts. The last thing you want is to go to a clinic that rarely utilises or maintains their lasers.

Picking a clinic that sees a high number of tattoo removal cases is a safe bet to ensure their Lasers are well-maintained and functioning optimally.

How will you know how many tattoo removal cases the clinic sees? Here's a tip: Duration between sessions is a good indicator.

The ideal recovery time using a Picosecond Laser for Tattoo removal is between 6 - 8 weeks.

It's a big red flag if the clinic asks you to come back for weekly treatment! More often than not, this would mean the clinic is using an inferior laser.

Look for a clinic that offers Picosecond/ Pico Laser for tattoo removals as this is the new gold standard for tattoo removal.

For more information, read this Guide to Tattoo Removals in Singapore.

Hope that this helps!

Warmest regards,

Dr Justin Boey

Similar Questions

How much does laser tattoo removal cost in Singapore, and what affects the costs of tattoo removal?

Picosecond lasers for tattoo removal costs $700 – $1200 per session. 3 - 8 sessions are usually required, depending on individual characteristics and your tattoo type. The estimated total bill will be about $2000 for simple tattoos. Challenging tattoos may cost up to $4000 to remove. As you can see, effective tattoo removal in Singapore is definitely not cheap, which makes it all the more important to get it right the first time! The costs for tattoo removal will differ according to how many sessions you need.

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Answered By

Human

How much scarring can I expect after tattoo removal?

Hi Ges Shu, Tattoo removal typically doesn't cause scarring. However, there is still a chance that your skin will scar because it's fighting against the trauma of tattooing and laser removal. There are also instances where patients scratch the wound while it’s healing and dig out the good skin cells, which leads to scarring. There are also some treatment methods are slightly less prone to scarring. For example, I often recomend the PicoWay treatment to my patients because it lowers the chance of scarring much more than the Medlite C6 that I also use.

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Answered By

Dr Kevin Chua

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