The truth about tattoo removal - listen up Hayden Panettiere and Fearne Cotton

Recent images of actress Hayden Panettiere have revealed that even celebs have to go through the long and arduous process to get rid of dodgy tattoos from their past.

The Bring it On star is having a misspelled Italian script tattoo lasered to remove or fix the incorrect text. But it's a slow process.

She's not the only star to be having second thoughts about an inking either. After Fearne Cotton admitted she regrets 'one or two' of hers, we spoke to an expert about how practical tattoo removal really is.

"It's quite involved," says Kerry Belba, Laser consultant at Laser Skin Solutions, Bournemouth.

"There are three choices for tattoo removal. One is the chemical route, which we don’t recommend as it can cause bad scarring. The other two are both laser-based. The first is a passive laser, which is not really very powerful but can fade tattoos if you just want alterations.

"The second is the Active Q-switched Nd: YAG laser, which more powerful and used when doing complete clearance, as recommended by dermatologists.

[Make like Fearne and dye your hair pink]
[Cheryl Cole's bum tattoo]

Why remove your tattoo?

Trueskin’s PicoSure expert, Dr Ben Saunders says: "Probably one of the most common reasons for tattoo removal is a change in personal circumstances, for example the breakdown of a relationship.

"We see a lot of people who have had a partner's name tattooed on them but live to regret this once the relationship has ended. 

"Fashions and trends also change. For example, Chinese symbols used to be incredibly on-trend and popular a few years ago, however this isn’t the case anymore.

"People often choose their tattoos based on interests that as little as five years later, they may no longer feel as strongly about. This can lead them to become embarrassed of their tattoos."

But in other cases, Kerry says, people's tattoo artists just don't capture what they want, so they have it faded to allow alteration.

If this is the case, acting fast can save you years of treatment.

"If you get to a specialist within a month, you can usually have the entire tattoo removed in one go," she explains.

Once the month goes past, the ink gets encased in the collagen and then it takes around two years to remove because treatments have to be spaced at least eight weeks apart and you can need as many as 12."

How does tattoo removal work?

"The laser works by shattering the ink into tiny particles that the person's own immune system then gets rid," Kerry explains.

"Your white blood cells do the job, by clearing away the shattered ink particles, much in the same way that your body clears a bruise. Results can vary too. Younger, healthy people with good white blood cells can get better, quicker results, but if you’re a older or a heavy smoker or drinker or have a weak immune system it can take much longer."

Tattoo removal facts

The easiest colour to remove is in fact the darkest - black.

"You do need to be careful with colours," warns Kerry. "Certain colours can’t be removed – turquoise, light blues and yellows are incredibly difficult to remove.

"Kerry Katona for example, had a Winnie the Pooh tattoo removed and as the bear was a black outline, that was fine, the red of his shirt was fine but the yellow is very difficult so she was left with a yellow staining on the skin – much different to the tattoo she'd had but it'll never return to exactly her natural skin colour."

[Avoid: The six biggest tattoo regrets]
[Cara D gets another tattoo]

Go to a removal specialist - and check they have high quality machines and training.

"It's worth going to someone who specialises in laser tattoo removal. They will have better quality machinery and should be independently trained in the use of lasers for treating the skin," says Kerry.

"Always ask about training and do your research before you decide who to go with."

Getting un-inked will probably be far more expensive than your original tatt.

"It depends on size of the tattoo," says Kerry. "Our prices start at £50 per treatment, for a tattoo of up to 5cm.

"If we were doing a lower arm, like a full sleeve, it would be £250 a treatment and you’d need eight treatments minimum over two years."

And finally - it will hurt!

"Modern, talented tattoo artists can have a delicate touch and so you do find that removal can actually hurt more than getting tatto'd in the first place. But if you have the pain threshold to deal with the original, you'll be fine," Kerry says.

For the chance to win the removal of your tattoo, find True Skin on Twitter and enter its photo comp. Does it make you think twice before you hit the tattoo parlour? Tell us your tattoo removal experiences on Twitter.