Irezumi tattoos: why are they especially difficult to remove?

This is Wi Youngjin from Hongdae Beautystone Clinic.

💡 Please check this before reading


Q. Isn't the reason Irezumi tattoo removal is difficult simply because it's so large?

A. Size is a secondary issue. The real reason is how deeply and densely the pigment has been embedded.


Q. If we fire the laser harder, won't it disappear faster?

A. The denser the pigment, the more we need a step-by-step approach to remove it without scarring.

📌 Key point of this article

Why is Irezumi tattoo removal more difficult?

Because there are many touch-ups and it is usually a skilled artist's tattoo, a lot of pigment goes in, making it hard to break down.

Irezumi: why does it take longer with the same laser?

To be honest,

when consulting on Irezumi tattoo removal,

many people say,

"It's just a big tattoo, so it'll probably take a while."

That's what a lot of people think.

But there's something important here.

The real reason Irezumi is difficult

isn't its size, but the 'density and layering of the pigment.'

Irezumi is basically a traditional Japanese tattoo style,

and the tattoo artists who work in this genre

are usually highly experienced and very skilled.

The problem is, the more skilled they are,

the more precisely, densely,

and heavily they pack in the pigment.

On top of that, Irezumi involves

a lot of touch-ups.

To improve the finish of the work,

they repeatedly fill in the same areas many times.

Each time a touch-up is done,

the amount of pigment accumulating in the dermis

increases exponentially.

With a regular tattoo, the pigment

is distributed about 1 to 2 mm below the skin,

but an Irezumi tattoo that has undergone repeated touch-ups

has uneven depth

and a much thicker overall density.

The way a laser breaks down pigment

is by firing intense light energy for an extremely short moment

to shatter the pigment particles into smaller pieces,

but the more pigment has built up,

the more particles must be broken down at once,

so naturally the number of treatment sessions increases.

What makes this tricky is,

the answer is not simply "stronger and more often."

In fact, when the pigment density is high,

performing treatment at excessively high power

can cause too much heat damage,

increasing the risk of pigmentation changes or scarring.

So for Irezumi removal,

the better strategy is not to try to break everything at once,

but to remove it layer by layer in a distributed way,

which is much safer and produces better results.

👨‍⚕️ Director Wi Youngjin's key takeaway:


An Irezumi tattoo is a paradox: being a work by a skilled artist is exactly what makes it harder to remove.


Because there are many touch-ups and the pigment is packed in densely,


the amount the laser has to deal with in one session is on a completely different level from other tattoos.


It's important to set the expected number of sessions and intervals with enough room from the start.

Irezumi removal: how should it be approached?

This is a point many people misunderstand:

"Won't it disappear faster if you go to a place with a better machine?"

I get this question very often.

Machine performance is certainly important.

It's true that pico lasers

break pigment particles into smaller pieces better than nano lasers.

But tattoos like Irezumi,

which have high pigment density,

are influenced more by 'strategy' than by the machine itself.

It varies from case to case, but

this is generally how I approach it.

First, I identify the color composition.

Irezumi often includes, besides black,

red, yellow, green, and blue,

so the wavelengths that respond to each pigment

need to be matched separately.

Black tones respond well to 1064 nm,

red tones to 532 nm,

and blue/green tones require 694 nm or 755 nm.

In other words, different laser wavelengths

have to be used alternately depending on the color.

Second, I always check whether touch-ups were done.

Even with the same Irezumi tattoo,

the expected number of sessions can change greatly

depending on how many touch-ups it has had.

For people who come in saying they had 10 sessions elsewhere with no effect,

after we changed the approach,

some noticed meaningful changes after just 2 or 3 sessions.

In many cases, wavelength selection and the spacing between treatments

made that difference.

One thing I must emphasize is that

Irezumi removal should generally be viewed on a basis of at least 10 sessions.

Depending on the size, colors, and degree of touch-up,

cases requiring more than 20 sessions are not uncommon.

Still, if you start with a realistic plan

and keep going steadily,

you can expect the tattoo to fade significantly or be removed.

Frequently asked questions

Q1. Can scarring occur during Irezumi removal?

A. It can't be completely ruled out.

Especially in areas that have been touched up a lot,

the pigment is embedded deeply and densely,

so if you approach it with overly aggressive settings,

the risk of heat damage increases.

That's why for the first one or two sessions,

I check the skin's response with conservative settings first,

and then gradually adjust from there.

Even if it takes a little longer,

finishing without skin damage

ultimately leads to a much better result.

Q2. How long should the interval between sessions be?

A. Usually a 6- to 8-week interval is recommended.

The pigment particles broken down by the laser

are absorbed and removed by immune cells (macrophages),

and that clearance process needs enough time.

If treatments are done too close together,

pigment may still appear on the surface,

or the skin may not have enough time to recover.

Q3. Are colorful Irezumi tattoos harder than black-and-white ones?

A. Yes, that's right.

Color Irezumi requires a different laser wavelength for each color,

so it has to be approached sequentially while switching wavelengths.

Red and orange tones sometimes respond even better than black-and-white tattoos,

but blue and green are especially difficult to remove.

Identifying the color composition first is the first step in making a plan.

You can also consult us via KakaoTalk before visiting.


That was Wi Youngjin.

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