How the Tattoo Removal Estimator Works
The estimator scores your tattoo on the Kirby-Desai scale, a method published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology in 2009 so that clinics could give patients a realistic number before treatment started. It scores six things: your skin type, where the tattoo is, its colors, how much ink it holds, any scarring, and whether it is a cover-up. The total is the estimated number of laser sessions. In the original study of 100 patients, the score tracked the real number of sessions closely, with a correlation of 0.757, and the sessions actually needed ranged from 3 to 20.
Every option in the form carries its points, so you can see exactly where your number comes from, and the table beside the result adds it up factor by factor. Nothing is weighted or adjusted behind the scenes.
The result is an estimate, not a quote. The number of sessions you actually need, how long they take and what they cost will differ from one studio or clinic to the next, with the laser they use, and with how your own skin responds. Use the estimate to know roughly what you are signing up for, then get the real figures at a consultation.
Why Some Tattoos Take Twice as Long
The scale is built on how removal works. The laser shatters the ink into particles small enough for your body to carry away, and the carrying away is done by your blood and lymph system, not the laser. That is why the American Academy of Dermatology explains that sessions have to be spaced out: your skin needs to heal, and your body needs time to flush out the broken-up ink before the next round.
- Location matters because circulation does. A tattoo on the neck scores 1 point and one on the hand or ankle scores 5, since the head and neck have the richest blood and lymph supply.
- Color matters because pigments differ. Black absorbs every laser wavelength and breaks up most easily, while green and yellow are the stubborn ones.
- Skin type matters because the laser has to be gentler on darker skin, which has more melanin competing for the light, so treatments run at lower settings with longer waits.
- Amount of ink separates amateur work, which usually sits shallow and sparse, from dense professional work set deeper in the skin.
Picosecond Lasers Change the Number
The Kirby-Desai scale was written for Q-switched lasers, the standard when it was published, with sessions six to eight weeks apart. Many clinics now use picosecond lasers, and a 2026 study of 545 patients treated with them found the scale overestimates the sessions they need, citing clinical evidence of 30 to 50% fewer. The estimator shows both numbers for that reason. Ask the clinic which laser it uses before you compare quotes, because the answer changes the total more than anything else on the form.
Turning Sessions Into a Cost
Clinics price per session, and prices vary widely with the city, the size of the tattoo and who is holding the laser. Put your own quote into the form and the estimator multiplies it out for both kinds of laser. For scale, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons gives $697 as its members’ average fee for laser skin treatments such as tattoo removal, and notes that this is only part of the total price.
If you are weighing removal against the creams sold online, our look at whether tattoo removal creams work covers what they can and cannot do, and our guide to tattoo removal walks through the other methods and what the process is like.
What This Estimate Cannot Tell You
It is an estimate from a published scale, not a quote or a diagnosis. The person doing the removal matters as much as the laser, which is why the AAD recommends seeing a board-certified dermatologist, and a consultation covers things the form does not, such as your health, your medicines and how you scar. The AAD also notes that women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not be treated, and that the treatment needs a healthy immune system to work.
FAQ
How Many Sessions Does Tattoo Removal Take?
Anywhere from 3 to 20 in the original Kirby-Desai study, with an average of about 10 on a Q-switched laser, and the scale is the published way to narrow that down for one tattoo. Picosecond lasers generally need fewer, which is why the estimator gives a second, lower range for them.
How Long Does Laser Tattoo Removal Take From Start to Finish?
Months to years, because sessions are spaced six to eight weeks apart on the scale’s own assumption. Ten sessions at that spacing is about a year to a year and a half from the first appointment to the last. The estimator does that arithmetic for your number.
Does Laser Tattoo Removal Hurt?
It can be uncomfortable or painful, and a dermatologist can offer a numbing cream or an injection to help. Afterward, some redness, swelling and a little blistering are expected while the skin heals.
Why Does My Skin Type Change the Estimate?
Because melanin absorbs laser light too. On darker skin the laser is run at lower settings with longer waits between sessions to protect the skin, which adds sessions. The AAD notes that light or dark spots can appear after treatment and tend to fade within 6 to 12 months.
Is the Kirby-Desai Scale Accurate?
It is a reasonable guide rather than a promise. It correlated well with real results in its original study, but that was with Q-switched lasers, and newer research finds it runs high for picosecond treatment. Treat the number as a starting point for the conversation at your consultation.
How Should I Look After My Skin Between Sessions?
Follow the clinic’s aftercare instructions and keep the treated area out of the sun. The AAD advises protecting treated skin from the sun for three months, ideally with clothing that covers it, and keeping every appointment, since stopping early is a common reason results fall short.