Can You Use IPL on Tattoos? What Happens If IPL Hits One?

You’re about to use your IPL device when you notice the treatment area includes a tattoo. Do not flash IPL directly over tattooed skin. You can usually treat suitable untattooed skin around it, but the tattoo itself needs to be left out of the treatment area.

Even a small or faded tattoo should be left untreated. The practical challenge is working around it without letting the treatment window overlap the ink. If your tattoo sits close to the area you want to treat, leave enough space to avoid flashing it by accident.

No. Do not use an IPL hair-removal device directly over a tattoo.

Tattoo ink is pigment beneath the skin. IPL devices use pulses of broad-spectrum light, and tattoo pigment can absorb that light. Ulike’s UK guidance says to avoid tattooed areas because this can cause heat build-up and discomfort, and because the light energy can affect the tattoo ink.

Hair removal does not change the rule. If hair grows through a tattoo, the area is still tattooed skin. Shaving the hair first will not make it suitable for IPL, and lowering the intensity does not make it suitable either unless the instructions for your exact device say otherwise.

You can still treat suitable untattooed skin around the tattoo according to your device instructions. Just keep the treatment window off the ink.

IPL targets pigment. The pigment in your hair is what the device is designed to target. Tattoo ink also contains pigment, but it sits in the skin rather than in the hair.

That is why tattooed skin needs to be left out of IPL treatment. The device cannot simply ignore the ink because you are aiming for a hair. Ulike’s guidance highlights the potential for heat build-up and discomfort, as well as possible changes to tattoo ink.

This doesn’t mean every tattoo will react in exactly the same way. It means you should not use your own tattoo as a test. A lower setting is not a workaround. If the area is tattooed, leave it out of the treatment.

Yes, you can treat suitable untattooed skin around a tattoo if your device instructions allow it. Leave the tattoo itself completely untreated.

Give yourself a clear margin rather than trying to place the treatment window right against the edge of the ink. It’s better to leave a small strip of hair untreated than to let the flash overlap the tattoo by accident. You can deal with that strip using another hair-removal method if you choose.

Take extra care with tattoos that sit near a joint or curve around a body part. The skin can shift as you move the device, making it harder to judge the boundary. Use good lighting, stretch the area comfortably and check where the treatment window will sit before pressing the button.

If the tattoo covers much of the area you want to treat, there may not be enough clear skin to use IPL comfortably. Treat the sections you can clearly identify and leave the tattooed areas alone.

For model-specific preparation, see Ulike’s how to use your Ulike IPL device guidance.

Leave that section untreated. The fact that hair grows from tattooed skin does not make the tattoo safe to flash.

You can shave the hair if that is suitable for your device and your normal preparation routine. Shaving only removes hair at the surface. It does not remove or neutralise the tattoo pigment beneath the skin.

A practical approach is to shave the full area if needed, then use IPL only on the clear skin around the tattoo. Leave the tattooed section for shaving or another hair-removal method that does not involve flashing IPL over it.

If you use Ulike, its UK guidance says to shave hairs longer than 2 mm with the included razor, shave a day ahead and avoid waxing or plucking so the roots remain intact. Those instructions apply to the hair you are preparing for IPL. They do not override the rule to leave tattooed skin untreated.

No. Don’t decide that a tattoo is safe to treat because it looks pale, faded, small or mostly skin-coloured.

The area contains tattoo pigment. A tattoo that has faded to the eye is not automatically safe for IPL, and a small tattoo can still be easy to overlap if it sits under the treatment window.

Treat the tattoo restriction as applying to the whole tattooed area, regardless of colour or age. If the tattoo is close to the area you want to treat, leave yourself a clear margin before you start. 

Don’t flash the tattoo to see what happens.

Do not use a Ulike IPL device directly over tattooed skin. Ulike’s UK guidance says to avoid tattoos and notes that the surrounding untattooed skin can be treated.

For the rest of your preparation, follow the instructions for your exact Ulike model, including the correct attachment, setting and patch test. Complete any patch test on suitable untattooed skin, not on the tattoo itself.

Ulike’s patch-test guidance advises starting at the lowest setting on a small area, flashing 1–3 times and increasing the intensity gradually on different spots. If there is no adverse reaction within 24 hours, proceed with the full treatment and stop if discomfort arises.

You can also read Ulike’s IPL patch-test guidance before your first session.

Do not use IPL over a new tattoo. A fresh tattoo is healing skin as well as tattooed skin, so keep it out of the treatment area while it heals.

Do not resume IPL over it simply because the surface looks better. The tattoo should remain off-limits to IPL after it has healed too. Continue to leave the tattooed area untreated and follow your device instructions for the surrounding skin.

If the tattoo affects only part of the area, you can treat suitable untattooed skin around it when that skin meets your device’s preparation requirements. You do not need to count down to a universal number of days before treating around it. Keep the tattoo itself out of the treatment area and make sure the surrounding skin is ready for IPL.

Stop treating the tattooed area. Do not add extra flashes because you’re worried the session was incomplete, and don’t repeat treatment over the tattoo.

Leave the area alone and monitor it. Mild redness, warmth or swelling can occur after light-based hair-removal treatment, and a cool compress can help with discomfort.

If blisters or scabs develop, contact the device manufacturer or seek advice from a GP or NHS 111. NHS patient guidance for laser hair reduction also advises contacting the treating department if scabs or blisters develop. Leave the tattooed area untreated until you’ve received appropriate advice.

For general information about possible reactions, see Ulike’s guidance on common IPL side effects. Use it alongside the instructions for your device. If you have a reaction that concerns you, seek appropriate medical advice.

Before you start, check the treatment area:

• Identify every tattoo in or near the area you plan to treat.

• Leave all tattooed skin untreated.

• Give yourself a clear margin around each tattoo rather than trying to flash right up to the edge.

• Prepare the surrounding skin according to your device instructions.

• Use the correct attachment and setting for that area.

• Complete any required patch test on suitable untattooed skin.

• Stop if the skin reacts unusually.

If a tattoo makes the treatment boundary difficult to judge, leave more space around it. Missing a small patch of hair is easier to deal with than accidentally flashing tattooed skin.

For general guidance on using your Ulike device, see Ulike’s  IPL hair removal guide.

Keep IPL on suitable untattooed skin and leave the tattoo itself alone. If you’re unsure where the tattoo ends, leave a little more space rather than trying to treat right up to the edge.

[1] Ulike UK: How to use your Ulike IPL hair removal device

[2] American Academy of Dermatology: Laser hair removal FAQs

[3] Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust: Laser Hair Reduction

[4] University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: Tattoos and cosmetic procedures

This article provides general consumer guidance. Your device’s user manual takes priority where its instructions differ.