Tattoo Pigment 101: Some colors harder to remove than others

Every tattoo presents a new challenge for Dr. Allan Izikson, a cosmetic dermatologist and laser expert at RethINK New York Tattoo Removal. Because he can usually make only 70% to 90% of a tattoo vanish, Izikson prefers the term "tattoo lightening." He is also testing a new generation of "picosecond" lasers being developed by Cynosure Inc. that aim to defeat the increasingly laser-resistant inks that tattoo artists employ. "Professionals tend to use compounds that are much more sophisticated and much more difficult to remove," Izikson said. Here, generally speaking, is his guide to the degrees of difficulty in laser tattoo removal: