If you’re looking for laser tattoo removal in Outremont, you’re probably weighing two things at once: finally clearing ink you’ve outgrown, and finding somewhere close, private, and genuinely good at it. Rico Clinic sits at 4934 Chemin de la Côte-des-Neiges — less than five minutes from most of Outremont by car, or a single transfer away on the metro. Since 2017, founder Vlad has performed more than 546 treatments out of our private, three-room clinic, earning 135+ five-star Google reviews along the way. This guide is the honest version: how removal actually works, what a session really feels like, how many you’ll likely need, what it costs, and exactly how to get here from your corner of Outremont.
Last reviewed 18 June 2026 by Vlad, Founder, Rico Clinic.
Why Outremont residents choose Rico Clinic
Outremont is one of the closest neighbourhoods to our door, and that convenience matters more than people expect — removal isn’t one appointment, it’s a series spaced weeks apart, so the trip you make today you’ll make again six or eight times. From most addresses along Bernard, Saint-Viateur, Van Horne or Côte-Sainte-Catherine, you’re looking at 5 to 10 minutes by car with free street parking on the side streets, a 15-to-25-minute walk down Côte-des-Neiges, or about 22 minutes door-to-door on the metro: Outremont station on the blue line, transfer at Snowdon to the orange line southbound, off at Plamondon, then a six-minute walk.
The people who come to us from Outremont tend to fall into a few camps, and we treat each a little differently. There are the professionals — academics from UdeM and HEC, lawyers, physicians, founders — who want a visible piece on the forearm, wrist or neck gone or faded before a career move or a more public role. There are long-time residents simply closing the book on a tattoo that no longer reflects who they are. And there’s a steady stream of younger clients prepping for a milestone: a wedding, a new job, a first child. If you’re in any of those situations, you’re in good company here.
The thread running through all of it is discretion. Our clinic is built around three separate rooms — consultation and treatment spaces kept apart — so you’re never sharing a waiting room with the next person. For a procedure that can feel personal, that privacy is the point.
How laser tattoo removal actually works
Here’s the plain-English version. A tattoo is ink trapped in the deeper layer of your skin, in particles too big for your body to clear on its own. A removal laser fires extremely short pulses of focused light that the ink absorbs and the surrounding skin largely ignores — a principle called selective photothermolysis, established by Anderson and Parrish at Harvard back in 1983 and still the foundation of the field. That energy shatters the ink into fragments small enough for your lymphatic system to carry away over the following weeks. That’s why you don’t walk out ink-free: the fading happens between sessions, as your body does the clearing.
Colour is the variable most people don’t anticipate. Different inks absorb different wavelengths, so a one-setting-fits-all approach doesn’t work. Black and dark blue respond well at 1064 nm; reds and oranges at 532 nm; greens and lighter blues can be stubborn and sometimes need a different approach entirely. At Rico Clinic we use professional-grade, Health Canada–compliant medical lasers and tune the wavelength and intensity to the specific colours in your tattoo, which we map out with you during a free, in-person assessment before anything is booked. If you want the broader picture across all our treatments, our services overview lays out how laser removal fits alongside scalp micropigmentation and scar work.
What a session actually feels like
Most people describe the sensation as an elastic band snapped against the skin, or a quick, hot pin-prick — uncomfortable, honestly, but short-lived and very manageable. Sessions themselves are fast: 15 to 30 minutes for the majority of tattoos. We offer topical numbing for anyone who wants it, though plenty of clients are comfortable without. Right after, the treated area frosts — turns white for a few minutes as the reaction happens — then settles into something like a mild sunburn: pink, slightly raised, a little tender for a day or two.
Healing and aftercare, step by step
What you do between sessions affects your result as much as the laser does, so we keep aftercare simple. For the first 24 to 72 hours, expect redness and mild swelling; a cool compress and a thin layer of the ointment we send you home with is usually all you need. Keep the area clean and dry, leave any blisters or scabs strictly alone — picking is the one thing that risks scarring — and skip the gym, saunas, hot tubs and long hot showers for 48 hours while the skin calms down. Sun is the big one: cover the area or use a high-SPF sunscreen until it’s fully healed, both to protect the skin and to keep your next session on schedule. Within a week or so you’re back to normal, and the real fading shows up over the following weeks.
How many sessions you’ll need — and what it costs
A complete removal typically takes 6 to 12 sessions, spaced 6 to 8 weeks apart to give your body time to clear the fragmented ink and your skin time to recover. Where you land in that range depends on a handful of things: size, how densely the ink was packed, the colours involved, how deep and how old it is (older tattoos fade faster), where it sits on your body (areas with better circulation, closer to the heart, clear quicker), and your skin type. A small, older, single-colour piece on the forearm is a very different timeline from a large, recent, multi-coloured back piece — and we’ll give you a straight estimate for your specific tattoo at the consultation rather than a vague promise.
On cost: single sessions at our Montreal clinic run from about $50 for very small pieces to $800 for large, multi-coloured work, with most tattoos sitting somewhere in between. Because removal is a series, we offer multi-session packages that bring the per-session price down meaningfully — most clients choose one after seeing the tattoo assessed in person.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does laser tattoo removal cost near Outremont?
At Rico Clinic — five minutes from Outremont at 4934 Côte-des-Neiges — single sessions range from $50 for very small pieces to $800 for larger or multi-coloured work. Most tattoos need 6 to 12 sessions, and multi-session packages lower the per-session cost. You’ll get an exact quote at your free consultation, once we’ve seen the tattoo in person.
How do I get to Rico Clinic from Outremont?
By car, it’s 5 to 10 minutes from most Outremont addresses, with free street parking on Côte-des-Neiges and the side streets. By metro, take the blue line to Snowdon, transfer to the orange line southbound and get off at Plamondon — a six-minute walk, about 22 minutes door-to-door. The 165 bus down Côte-des-Neiges also drops you within a block.
How many sessions will it take to remove my tattoo completely?
Most tattoos take 6 to 12 sessions spaced 6 to 8 weeks apart. Smaller, older, single-colour pieces in well-circulated areas clear faster; larger, recent, multi-coloured work takes longer. We’ll give you a specific estimate for your tattoo at the free consultation.
Does laser tattoo removal hurt?
It’s comparable to an elastic band snapping against the skin — uncomfortable but brief, and sessions are short (15 to 30 minutes). Topical numbing is available if you’d prefer it; many clients are fine without.
Will it leave a scar?
Properly performed laser removal rarely scars, because the laser targets ink rather than damaging surrounding tissue. The main risk comes from aftercare — picking at scabs or blisters — which is exactly why we walk you through how to look after the area between sessions.
Can I come in on my lunch break?
Yes. Sessions are typically 15 to 30 minutes with no anesthesia and no real downtime, so you can drive yourself, head back to the office, or run errands afterward. Just avoid strenuous exercise and direct sun for 24 to 48 hours.
What our Outremont clients say
We’ve performed more than 546 treatments since opening in 2017 and hold 135+ Google reviews at a consistent five-star average. The themes that come up again and again: the calm, private atmosphere with no shared waiting room; the time Vlad takes to explain what’s happening and set honest expectations; and steady, visible progress from one session to the next. Our Google Business Profile is the best place to read them in clients’ own words.
Book your free consultation
Every removal starts the same way — with a free, no-obligation consultation. We’ll look at the tattoo, assess the ink colours, give you a realistic session count and a transparent quote, and answer every question you have. If you decide to go ahead, we can usually get your first session booked within one to two weeks. Book your free consultation, or call us directly at (514) 346-8044. While you’re deciding, you can browse more neighbourhood guides and removal advice on the Rico Clinic journal.
📍 4934 Chemin de la Côte-des-Neiges, Montréal, QC · 📞 (514) 346-8044 · 🕘 Monday to Friday, 9 AM – 6 PM