Fading a Tattoo for a Cover-Up: How Light Is Enough?

Why do you have to wear protective glasses during laser tattoo removal?Billy DeCola, founder of Studio Kiku, explains why everyone in the treatment room wears laser safety glasses until the technician says it is safe to take them off, why each lens is made for a particular laser and wavelength and labeled with its optical density (OD), why the glasses have to fit with no gaps at the side, why your own sunglasses will not protect your eyes no matter how dark the lenses are, and why small children and pets stay out of the laser room.This video is not medical advice.0:00 Protective Eyewear0:11 Why Do I Have to Wear Those Glasses?0:45 Are All Laser Glasses the Same?1:11 The Glasses Have to Fit1:23 Sunglasses Won't Protect You1:49 Why No Small Children or Pets?2:25 Thanks for WatchingMore from the FADED Podcast and Studio Kiku: https://studiokiku.com/faded#lasertattooremoval #tattooremoval #lasersafety

Should you fade a tattoo for a cover-up, or remove it completely?Billy DeCola, founder of Studio Kiku and a tattoo artist since 2009, explains why a dark tattoo shows through a lighter cover-up over time, why to decide your end goal before the first session, how light a tattoo needs to be before it is covered (it depends on the new design and your artist), why lightening early beats touch-ups, whether a cover-up can be lasered later, and how long to wait before the new tattoo.This video is not medical advice.0:00 Removal or Cover-Up?0:53 Why Cover-Ups Show Through1:22 Decide the End Goal First1:54 How Light Does It Need to be?3:57 The Window of Opportunity4:32 Can a Cover-Up be Lasered Off Later?5:01 Wait Before the New Tattoo5:53 Thanks for WatchingMore from the FADED Podcast and Studio Kiku: https://studiokiku.com/faded#tattoocoverup #lasertattooremoval #tattooremoval

Will microblading fade, and what really happens when you try to remove it with a laser?Billy DeCola, founder of Studio Kiku, explains why semi-permanent makeup is a tattoo, why brows can show red or yellow once the laser lifts the dark pigment, how many sessions brow removal can take, how long to wait after new brows, and why saline removal should be the last resort.This video is not medical advice.0:00 Microblading Regret0:48 Will Microblading Fade?1:24 Why Did My Brows Turn Red?2:03 What About Yellow Brows?3:26 Can Laser Turn Lip Blush Black?4:08 How Many Sessions for Brows?4:58 Will I Lose My Brow Hair?5:35 When We Tell You to Stop6:17 When the Laser Stops Working6:51 The Risks of Saline Removal7:20 New Brows You Already Regret8:46 To the Artists9:37 Thanks for WatchingMore from the FADED Podcast and Studio Kiku: https://studiokiku.com/faded#microbladingremoval #eyebrowtattooremoval #lasertattooremoval

Is a picosecond laser really better than a nanosecond laser? What are you really getting with a cheap laser off the internet?Billy DeCola, founder of Studio Kiku, explains what picosecond, nanosecond and Q-switched really mean, how much shorter a picosecond pulse actually is, and what to ask before a first laser tattoo removal session.This video is not medical advice.0:00 Picosecond vs Nanosecond Lasers0:39 What Does Q-Switched Mean?1:13 Picosecond vs Nanosecond2:07 Can a Picosecond Laser be Q-Switched?2:50 Why Shorter Pulses Matter3:24 Is Picosecond Better?4:16 Pico in 1 or 2 Sessions?4:43 1 Laser for Every Color?5:25 Cheap Lasers on Amazon6:00 Cheap vs Professional Lasers6:40 What to Ask Before Your First Session7:11 Thanks for WatchingMore from the FADED Podcast and Studio Kiku: https://studiokiku.com/faded#lasertattooremoval #picolaser #tattooremoval

What does laser tattoo removal really look like before and after, and can a tattoo be removed completely?Billy DeCola, founder of Studio Kiku, walks through real before and after photos from the studio: what a tattoo looks like after one session, in the middle of the process and towards the end.This video is not medical advice.0:00 Before and After Photos0:34 After One or Two Sessions2:32 The Middle3:42 Completely Gone4:32 A Faint Shadow6:10 Color7:01 Your Skin9:08 See Real ResultsMore from the FADED Podcast and Studio Kiku: https://studiokiku.com/faded#lasertattooremoval #tattooremoval #beforeandafter

How many laser tattoo removal sessions does it take to remove a tattoo completely, and why does it take so long?Billy DeCola, founder of Studio Kiku, walks through laser tattoo removal session by session: how many sessions to expect, how far apart they are, and what makes one tattoo fade faster than another.A tattoo could come off in one session with the laser turned all the way up, but it would leave a scar in the exact same shape as the tattoo. For a dark, saturated tattoo, the honest answer is somewhere between 9 and 12 sessions for complete removal, spaced at least two months apart. That is a year and a half to two years, and sometimes longer. Some tattoos need fewer than nine sessions and some need more.The laser is fast, but the body is slow. The laser finds the pigment in the skin and shatters it into tiny particles, and the lymphatic system picks those particles up slowly. Studio Kiku waits a minimum of two months between sessions to give the body that time, so coming in more often does not make a tattoo fade quicker.A new tattoo needs at least 12 weeks before removal starts. After an assessment, the first three or four sessions are two months apart. Somewhere between sessions three and six the pigment really starts to break up, and tattoos normally do not fade evenly: light shading goes first, and deep, saturated lines take longer. Once the pigment is breaking down, Studio Kiku recommends waiting at least three to four months between sessions. Lightening a tattoo for a cover-up normally takes fewer sessions, and the new design and the artist decide how many.What makes removal faster or slower: how saturated the tattoo is, how deep the pigment sits, where it is on the body, scar tissue, the pigment itself and the age of the tattoo. A small tattoo does not always mean fewer sessions.Probably the most important factor is health. Once the pigment is broken up, it is up to the body to remove it, and a healthy, active person will most likely see better results. Staying hydrated, eating healthy, exercising and getting good sleep all help.For a quote, send a photo at https://studiokiku.com/faded for honest feedback. Anyone not near a Studio Kiku location can take these questions to their consultation: how far apart the sessions are spaced, and whether they start gently and work up as the pigment fades.This video is not medical advice.0:00 Can a Tattoo Come Off in One Session?0:25 How Many Sessions Does It Take?0:54 The Laser Is Fast, Your Body Is Slow1:34 Session by Session2:50 What Makes It Faster or Slower5:30 Your Health6:15 Get a Real Number for Your TattooMore from the FADED Podcast and Studio Kiku: https://studiokiku.com/faded#lasertattooremoval #tattooremoval #tattooremovaljourney

Does numbing cream help with laser tattoo removal, and can the wrong one affect your results?Billy DeCola, founder of Studio Kiku, answers the three questions clients ask all the time about numbing cream: which one to use, how to apply it, and whether it affects how well the laser works.Studio Kiku recommends Zensa, a 5% topical lidocaine cream sold over the counter. It numbs the area locally and takes the edge off, though it will not take the pain away completely. Billy recommends avoiding imported creams from countries with no regulations around them, and strong pharmacy compounds such as BLT (benzocaine, lidocaine, tetracaine).Timing matters. Put the cream on generously about 30 minutes before the appointment: 15 minutes is not enough, and an hour and a half is too long. On a large tattoo, be careful with how much cream goes on the skin.A plain topical numbing cream has no impact on the laser, which still reaches the pigment and shatters it. Creams with a vasoconstrictor such as epinephrine are different. They reduce blood flow and can interfere with the inflammatory response after a session.This video is not medical advice. Check with your doctor before using any numbing cream.0:00 Does Laser Tattoo Removal Hurt?0:56 Three Questions About Numbing Cream1:10 Which Numbing Cream to Use1:42 Numbing Creams to Avoid2:52 How to Apply Numbing Cream3:35 Eyebrows and How Much to Use4:00 Large Tattoos and a Disclaimer4:29 Does Numbing Cream Affect Your Results?6:21 Final ThoughtsMore from the FADED Podcast and Studio Kiku: https://studiokiku.com/faded#lasertattooremoval #numbingcream #tattooremoval

You ever wonder why some tattoos take so long to fade during laser tattoo removal? A lot of people want to know how to speed up the process. During this episode of the Faded Podcast, we'll dive into exactly what makes some tattoos fade slower than others. We'll also talk about some things that you can do in between sessions that will help speed up the process and get that tattoo faded quicker.studiokiku.com/faded#lasertattooremoval #picowaylaser #tattooremoval

How many laser tattoo removal sessions will you need, and can a tattoo ever be removed completely?Billy DeCola, owner of Studio Kiku, explains why there is no single answer. Treatment time depends on factors such as pigment saturation, depth and color, scar tissue, skin tone, how the tattoo was applied, and your overall health.A deep, dark tattoo may require approximately 9 to 12 sessions, but proper spacing is essential. Giving your body enough time to clear the broken-down pigment can mean fewer treatments, less trauma to the skin, and better results.You will also learn why no reputable practitioner should guarantee 100% removal, and how hydration, exercise, nutrition, sleep, and a healthy lymphatic system can support the process.studiokiku.com/faded#lasertattooremoval #picowaylaser #tattooremoval

In this episode of the Faded Podcast, we're diving deep into saline tattoo removal - who it's for, how it works, and most importantly, when it actually makes sense to use it. Whether you're dealing with stubborn yellow pigment in your brows, white pigment in lip blush, or you've been told laser isn't an option for you, this episode covers it all. We talk about why saline should be your last resort (not your first step), what to expect during healing, and how long it really takes to see results. If you're on the fence about saline vs. laser, watch this before you book anything. Drop your questions or experience in the comments - we'd love to hear from you!CHAPTER MARKERS:Introduction & Overview - 0:16How Saline Removal Works - 0:50When to Choose Saline Over Laser - 3:28What to Expect from Treatment - 7:17Realistic Timelines for Results - 9:13Saline as a Last Resort - 10:30LINKS:Studio Kiku Website: https://studiokiku.com/Studio Kiku Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/studio.kikuStudio Kiku Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/studio.kiku/Billy DeCola Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billydecolaBilly DeCola Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/billydecola/#lasertattooremoval #picowaylaser #tattooremoval