Frequently asked questions
Tattoo Removal
What is involved in a consultation?
This is the first step. A consultation is needed before any laser treatment. It involves taking a health history, evaluating the tattoo, explaining the procedure, reviewing risks verses benefits, options, answering your questions, and establishing the price per treatment. Clients under 18 must be accompanied by a legal guardian.
Is there a fee for the consultation?
Consultation is free by phone and text however for an office visit consultation there is a fee of $50, which may be credited toward the first treatment for qualified candidates if treatment is done within 30 days from the consultation. If you choose not to have laser treatment the $50 will cover the cost of the consultation time and is nonrefundable. .
How much will it cost to remove my tattoo?
Pricing ranges from $100 and up, per laser treatment, depending on the tattoo. It increases depending on size, color, location, and other factors of your tattoo. A consultation will be needed to assess your tattoo and determine cost, and customize the best laser removal plan to meet your goals. We help clients save time AND money with our “Pay-as-you-go approach” to laser removal.
Do you take insurance?
No, Insurance will not pay for elective cosmetic procedures.
Do you offer any discounts?
Yes, we offer
What payments do you take?
Payment by Credit Cards, Paypal, and Cash are accepted. No checks and cash is preferrred.
How are tattoos removed?
Q-switched ND yage lasers are used at G.R. Tattoo Removal Laser Clinic and are effective and safe. Earlier methods involved the use of dermabrasion, salibrasion, surgery and C02 lasers, but these methods left behind scarring or lighter skin in place of the tattoo. Also commonly seen on the internet are tattoo removal creams—which rarely work.
Is the process painful?
Any discomfort is reduced by using the skin cooling system as a natural way to numb. We also recommend icing 15 minutes before treatment and and an ibuprofen one hour before. Our patients find the pain is equivalent to getting a tattoo but much quicker. Many patients compare it to a rubber-band snapping.
Will I have a scar?
The chance of scarring is less then 5%, if you follow the after care instructions. The risk of scarring can increase for pregnancy, dark skin tone, poor circulation, immune system deficiencies, taking Accutaine, some health conditions, taking certain medications, or having a history of keloids or elevated scarring.
How many treatments will it take to remove my tattoo?
Each person is unique as their tattoo, but most professional tattoos take 5 to 10 treatments. Home made tattoos take 1 to 4 treatments. Laser sessions for 3 in 1 treatments are spaced out 2 to 3 months apart or 6 to 8 weeks apart for single treatment sessions.. The number of treatments depends on the amount of ink used, type of ink, depth of ink placed in skin, location, age, colors, and each person’s individual health considerations.
Do all colors of ink disappear equally as well?
No, but black ink removes the best. Red, orange, pink, and warmer colors respond well. Purple and yellow is variable but usually removes well. Normally White, flesh tones, and permanent make-up can turn darker with laser, and must be tested before treatment. Greens and blues are usually the toughest to remove however we have use an Alexandrite 755 laser which is specific just for treating green and blue inks.
Will the tattoo completely disappear?
In many cases, yes. However, it is very important to know that over 100 types of tattoo inks are used today and none of them are regulated by the FDA. Without standardized inks it makes it difficult to predict the degree of removal of any tattoo.
What type of after care is necessary?
A healing ointment and a bandage will be applied to the area. The treated site should be kept clean and dry that day, and out of the sun. A shower can be taken the next day, and the site should not be scrubbed. The bandage should be changed daily for up to 7 days.
About Laser Peels
What else do we treat?
Our Erbium laser is currently one of the most advanced and sophisticated erbium YAG lasers available for skin resurfacing. Our laser generally produces more precise resurfacing, shorter healing times and fewer side effects.
During treatment, the activated laser is passed over the skin, precisely removing the damaged outermost layers of skin while sparing the surrounding tissue and promoting the formation of new collagen and elastin. One treatment is typically all that is needed.
Our laser involves a shorter recovery time for patients with less postoperative swelling and redness compared to other laser resurfacing treatments. Patients may experience some redness and swelling, which can last for only a couple days or so. The treated skin will need to be kept moist with ointment during the postoperative period. Most patients can resume normal activities within 5 to 7 days and makeup can be worn after 7 days. Sun protection must be worn for two to three months after treatment. The skin will appear pink during the first few days after treatment, and this will fade to reveal a smoother, more youthful look and feel.
Age Spot and Sun Spot Removal
We can lighten and remove age spots on the face, neck, chest, back, arms, hands, legs, or all over. Why reveal your age?
Age spots are harmless, flat, brown discolorations of the skin that usually occur on the back of the hands, neck and face as people age.
Sun spots are harmless as well and are caused by the skin being exposed to the sun over many years and are a sign of sun damage. Sun spots do not need to be treated from a health standpoint unless they are changing in shape and color.
We offer a variety of treatments to help remove and reduce age and sun spots. State-of-the-art laser procedures, medical products and other treatments can reduce the appearance of these spots faster, easier and less painfully than conventional treatments used in the past and with little to no downtime.
If age spots, sun spots or skin discolorations are a concern of yours, contact Anthony at Awesome Peel today to schedule a consultation to determine what type of treatment is best for you and say goodbye to those spots!
Pricing options and treatments
How much is it for tattoo removal?
Tattoo Removal is based on the size and number of tattoos needing removed. Only a photo of the tattoo(s) will be needed.
We do offer discounts for multiple tattoos.
For removal we offer the traditional method as well as the R20 method. The traditional method is one treatment every 6 weeks. The R20 method is 3 treatments done in one visit and then no need to return for up to 3 months. R20 is more convenient, more cost effective, and has less discomfort but is not suitable for all skin types.
If you would like a price quote please text a picture of the tattoo to
616-403-1970. We will call you back immediately with a couple questions and then provide you a price quote.
How much is it for sun spot removal?
We offer Erbium Laser Peels; one treatment of face and hands is
$199. Typically we recommend 3 treatments, separated 4 weeks apart for best results.
Is it necessary to get removal for a cover up ?
If you are interested in replacing or covering up an existing tattoo with another tattoo, it’s good to know that the cover-up will be much more successful when the existing tattoo is first faded out through the tattoo removal process. Fading the old tattoo will give the tattoo artist a better ‘canvas’ to work on and much more flexibility with the new design, as the old design won’t be showing through. Check out more examples on the link above.