If you live in Côte-Saint-Luc and you have been quietly thinking about removing a tattoo, you are closer to a good clinic than you might expect. Rico Clinic sits just a few minutes east on Chemin de la Côte-des-Neiges, and we have been doing this work since 2017 — more than 546 treatments, a 5.0 rating, and 135+ Google reviews built one careful session at a time. This guide walks you through exactly how laser tattoo removal works, what a visit feels like, how long it takes and what it costs, so you can decide with clear eyes rather than guesswork.
Written by Vlad, Founder & SMP / Laser Tattoo Removal Specialist. Last reviewed June 2026.
Why Côte-Saint-Luc residents choose Rico Clinic
Côte-Saint-Luc is a quiet, settled kind of place — established families, a strong Anglophone and Jewish community, Sephardic and Russian-speaking neighbours, and a growing professional class who tend to do their homework before they commit to anything. That instinct serves you well here. Tattoo removal is a medical-grade process, and where you have it done matters far more than most people realize.
The practical part is easy. We are only about 3 to 5 km east of you, at 4934 Chemin de la Côte-des-Neiges. By car it is roughly 8 minutes off-peak and about 15 in traffic, with street parking right on Côte-des-Neiges. If you prefer transit, the 161 bus heads east toward Côte-des-Neiges in around 20 minutes and leaves you near Plamondon metro, a short walk from our door. For most CSL residents this is closer and far less of a production than heading downtown — you can come from near Cavendish Mall or the CSL library and be back home before the afternoon is gone.
The reasons people from this neighbourhood come to us tend to fall into a few honest categories. Some are clearing ink for religious or cultural reasons, and want a discreet, respectful clinic rather than a busy storefront. Others are longtime residents who simply do not love a tattoo they got decades ago and want a clean look as they get older. And plenty are professionals — lawyers, healthcare workers, people in client-facing roles — who want visible ink gone before a career step. Whatever brings you in, you will be treated privately. Our space is built around three rooms — a consultation room and two treatment rooms — specifically so you are never on display.
That privacy sits on top of real experience. Vlad, our founder, came to this work personally: he lived through hair loss himself and learned the craft from the inside out, and that same patient, detail-first temperament is how we approach every tattoo. You are not a number being rushed through a queue.
How laser tattoo removal actually works
The science is more elegant than most people expect. Your tattoo is made of ink particles sitting too deep for your body to clear on its own. A removal laser sends extremely short, high-energy pulses of light into the skin. The ink absorbs that energy and shatters into fragments small enough for your immune system to carry away over the following weeks. The principle that makes this possible — using a specific wavelength and pulse duration to break a target without harming the surrounding skin — is called selective photothermolysis, described by dermatologists Anderson and Parrish in their landmark 1983 research. It is still the foundation of every reputable removal device today.
Different ink colours absorb different wavelengths, which is why a good clinic does not rely on a single setting. We use 1064nm light for dark inks like black and dark blue — the workhorse of removal — and 532nm for warmer reds and oranges. Greens and bright blues are simply more stubborn and take more patience, which is something we will tell you up front rather than after you have paid. We deliberately match the technology to your tattoo and your skin tone, and we never crank the energy higher just to chase a faster result, because that is how skin gets damaged. If you have a deeper skin tone, that careful, conservative approach matters even more — you can read our detailed take on laser tattoo removal on darker skin for the full picture.
What a session actually feels like
People build this up in their heads, so let us demystify it. When you arrive, we clean the area and apply a numbing cream, then leave it about 10 to 15 minutes to take full effect. You will put on protective goggles, and we will select the right wavelength and settings for your tattoo’s colour and size. Then the laser passes over the ink.
Most clients describe the sensation as a hot elastic band snapping against the skin — uncomfortable, yes, but brief, and very manageable with the numbing cream and a cold-air blower that takes the edge off. Spots over bone, like wrists, ankles or the collarbone, feel sharper than fleshy areas like the thigh or upper arm. We take short breaks whenever you need them. The genuinely surprising part is the speed: a small tattoo can be done in a couple of minutes, and even larger pieces rarely take long. You will see the area frost slightly and lighten right after — that is normal and expected.
Healing and aftercare, step by step
What you do at home decides how clean your result is, so this part is worth reading twice. Right after the session we apply a healing ointment and send you home with clear instructions. For the first few days the area may be red, a little swollen, and possibly blistered — all normal signs that your body is responding.
Keep applying the healing cream for about seven days, and keep the area clean and covered as directed. The single most important rule: do not pick or scratch at scabs or blisters, no matter how tempting. That is the one thing most likely to cause a mark. Stay hydrated, which genuinely helps your body flush the broken-down ink, and keep the treated skin out of direct sun until it is fully healed — sun exposure on fresh treatment is the fastest route to pigment problems. You can shower normally; just be gentle and pat dry. Within a couple of weeks the skin settles, and then you wait for your next session while your immune system does its quiet work underneath.
How many sessions you’ll need — and what it costs
Here is the honest version. Almost no tattoo comes off in one visit. Most need 6 to 12 sessions, spaced 6 to 8 weeks apart, which usually works out to somewhere between 9 and 18 months from start to finish. That spacing is not us being slow — your immune system needs those weeks to clear the shattered ink between visits, and rushing it gives worse results, not faster ones. Factors that affect your timeline include the tattoo’s age (older fades easier), its colours (black is easiest, green the hardest), its size, and how deep the ink was originally placed.
On cost, sessions range from $50 to $800 each depending on size, colour and complexity. A small, simple tattoo sits near the bottom; a large multi-colour piece sits near the top. Because most tattoos need several sessions, the number that actually matters is your total — and that is exactly what we map out for you at your free consultation, in writing, with no surprises. Multi-session packages bring the per-session cost down. Want to see the full range of what we do beyond removal? Have a look at our treatments overview, or browse more articles on our blog.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does laser tattoo removal cost for a Côte-Saint-Luc client?
Each session runs from $50 to $800 depending on the size of the tattoo, its colours, its age and where it sits on your body. A small, simple piece sits near the bottom of that range; a large multi-colour back or sleeve sits at the top. Most tattoos need 6 to 12 sessions, so your real question is the total — and we give you a clear, written quote at your free consultation. Multi-session packages lower the per-session price.
How long does it take to fade a tattoo completely?
Plan on 6 to 12 sessions spaced 6 to 8 weeks apart, which usually means roughly 9 to 18 months from start to finish. The gap between visits matters as much as the laser itself: your immune system needs that time to clear the shattered ink. Black ink fades fastest; greens and bright blues take the most patience. We track your progress photo by photo so you can see it working.
Does laser tattoo removal hurt?
Most people describe it as a snap of a hot elastic band against the skin — uncomfortable but brief. We apply numbing cream first, use a cold-air blower during the session and take short breaks. Sensitive spots over bone feel sharper than fleshy areas. A typical session lasts only a few minutes, so even the busier moments pass quickly.
Will laser tattoo removal leave a scar?
Done properly, scarring is uncommon. The laser targets the ink, not your skin, and we never push the energy higher just to speed things up. The biggest scar risk comes from picking at scabs or blisters during healing, so we coach you carefully on aftercare. If you already have a scar from the original tattoo, we will tell you honestly at consultation.
How do I get to Rico Clinic from Côte-Saint-Luc?
We are about 3 to 5 km east of Côte-Saint-Luc at 4934 Chemin de la Côte-des-Neiges — roughly 8 minutes by car off-peak, 15 in traffic, with street parking out front. By transit, the 161 bus runs east toward Côte-des-Neiges in about 20 minutes, dropping you near Plamondon metro, a short walk from our door.
What our clients say
We did not build a 5.0 rating across 135+ Google reviews by accident. Clients from across Montreal tell the same story again and again: a calm, professional experience, warm staff who explain everything, and visible results that actually arrive. People mention how comfortable they felt asking questions, how clean and private the space is, and how honest we were about timelines — no overpromising. After 546+ treatments since 2017, that reputation is the thing we protect most carefully, one client at a time.
Book your free consultation
The best first step is simply to come in and talk. At your free consultation we look at your tattoo, answer every question, and give you a clear plan and an honest written quote — no pressure to commit. Book your free consultation online whenever it suits you, or call us at (514) 346-8044. We are open Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM, at 4934 Chemin de la Côte-des-Neiges — just a few minutes from Côte-Saint-Luc.
Reviewed by Vlad, Founder & SMP / Laser Tattoo Removal Specialist, Rico Clinic. Last reviewed June 2026.