If you live in Longueuil or Brossard and you have been thinking about removing a tattoo, you are not alone, and you do not have to settle for whatever happens to be closest on the South Shore. At Rico Clinic in Côte-des-Neiges, we have specialized in laser tattoo removal since 2017, performing 546+ treatments over roughly eight years in business. Our clients have left us 135+ Google reviews with a 5.0 rating. Treatments are performed by founder Vlad, our Founder & SMP / Laser Tattoo Removal Specialist, who built this clinic after going through his own hair-loss journey and learning exactly how much care and precision skin-level work demands. Last reviewed June 2025.
This page walks you through everything a first-timer wants to know: why South Shore clients make the trip, how the laser actually works, what a session feels like, how to heal cleanly, and what it will realistically cost. If you would rather just talk it through, book a free consultation or call us at (514) 346-8044.
Why Longueuil and Brossard residents choose Rico Clinic
The South Shore is its own world, family-oriented, mostly Francophone, with established neighbourhoods in Old Longueuil and a notable East Asian community in Brossard. What we hear most often from clients crossing the river is that they want a real specialist, not a quick add-on at a spa, and they are happy to drive a little for it. Tattoo removal is permanent work on your skin; it is worth doing once, properly.
Getting here is straightforward. By car you are roughly 20 minutes off-peak, though budget closer to 50 during rush hour over the bridges, so an early-morning or mid-day slot is your friend. If you prefer transit, take the yellow line to Berri-UQAM, transfer to the orange line south, and ride to Plamondon, about 35 minutes door to door; the clinic is a short walk from there. There is street parking on Côte-des-Neiges if you drive. Because removal runs on a single appointment every six to eight weeks, this is not a weekly commute, it is a handful of visits across the year, and many of our Longueuil and Brossard clients pair the trip with downtown errands or a visit near the Université de Montréal.
We see a consistent set of reasons people on the South Shore come in. Some are moving through a life-stage transition, a new marriage, a new baby, a fresh start, and want long-standing ink gone or softened. Others are in career cleanup mode as a role becomes more client-facing or corporate. And a good number simply want to treat the appointment as a destination, a planned errand into the city rather than a rushed local stop. Whatever your reason, you will be working with someone who does this every day, in a private three-room space designed so you never feel on display.
How laser tattoo removal actually works
Tattoo ink sits in particles too large for your body to clear on its own, which is why a tattoo is permanent in the first place. Laser removal works on a principle dermatologists call selective photothermolysis, described by Anderson and Parrish in their landmark 1983 research: a very short, very intense pulse of light is tuned to be absorbed by the ink and not the surrounding skin. That energy shatters the pigment into fragments small enough for your immune system to carry away over the following weeks. That gradual flushing is exactly why results build session by session rather than all at once.
Different ink colours absorb different wavelengths of light. We use 1064 nm for darker inks like black and dark blue, and 532 nm for warmer colours such as red. Black is the easiest and fastest to clear; greens and bright blues are the most stubborn and typically need more sessions. We use modern, FDA-cleared laser technology and match the settings to your specific tattoo and skin, rather than pushing one aggressive setting on everyone.
Most tattoos need 6 to 12 sessions spaced 6 to 8 weeks apart, giving your skin time to heal and your body time to clear the fragmented ink between visits. We will not rush that spacing or crank up the intensity for faster results, because that is precisely what causes burns and scarring. Slower and safe always beats fast and damaged.
What a session actually feels like
Here is the honest play-by-play. When you arrive, we apply a numbing cream and leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes so it can take effect. We then clean the area, get you into protective goggles, and choose the right wavelength and settings for your tattoo’s colour and size. The laser itself passes quickly over the area; most clients describe the sensation as moderate and brief, like the snap of an elastic band against the skin. A cold-air blower makes a real difference, and we take short breaks between passes whenever you need to catch your breath.
Comfort varies by location. Tattoos on the hands, neck, ribs and feet, anywhere with thin skin over bone, tend to feel sharper than ink on the arm, thigh or shoulder. The whole appointment is usually quick, often shorter than the numbing wait, especially for smaller pieces. When we finish, we apply a healing cream and send you home with clear instructions for the days ahead.
Healing and aftercare, step by step
Good aftercare is half the result. In the first few days the area may be tender, slightly raised or pink, and you may see some blistering, which is normal and part of healing. Keep the area clean and apply the healing cream we recommend for about seven days. Do not pick or scratch any scabs or blisters, let them resolve on their own, because disturbing them is the main avoidable cause of marks.
The single most important rule is sun protection. Keep the treated area out of direct sunlight until it has fully healed, and use sunscreen on it afterward; sun exposure on healing skin is the biggest risk for pigment changes. Stay hydrated, avoid soaking the area in pools or hot tubs while it heals, and ease back into intense workouts once any tenderness settles. Then you simply wait for your next session, knowing your body is quietly clearing ink the whole time.
How many sessions you’ll need — and what it costs
The two questions everyone asks. On sessions, plan for 6 to 12 visits, 6 to 8 weeks apart. Where you land depends on your ink colours, the age and density of the tattoo, its size and location, and your own skin. Older and amateur tattoos often clear faster than dense, saturated professional work; black clears faster than green.
On cost, sessions at Rico Clinic run from $50 to $800, driven by the same factors, size, colours and complexity. A small, simple black tattoo sits near the bottom of that range; a large, colourful piece sits higher. At your free consultation we look at your tattoo in person and give you an exact per-session price and a realistic session estimate, with no surprises, and our multi-session packages bring the per-visit cost down. You can read more about the procedure on our services overview, or browse other guides on the Rico Clinic blog.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it worth driving from Longueuil or Brossard for tattoo removal?
Yes. From most of the South Shore you are about 20 minutes off-peak by car or roughly 35 minutes by transit via the yellow line and Berri-UQAM. Because removal runs on a standing appointment every six to eight weeks, it is only a handful of trips across the year, and many clients combine them with downtown errands.
How much does laser tattoo removal cost?
Sessions range from $50 to $800 depending on the size, ink colours and location of your tattoo. Smaller pieces sit at the low end. You get an exact per-session price and a likely session count at your free consultation, and multi-session packages lower the cost per visit.
How many sessions will I need?
Most tattoos take 6 to 12 sessions spaced 6 to 8 weeks apart. Black ink clears fastest, greens and blues take longer, and older or amateur tattoos often clear sooner than dense professional work. Your consultation gives you a realistic range for your specific tattoo.
Does laser tattoo removal hurt?
Most clients describe it as moderate and brief, similar to a snapping elastic band. We apply numbing cream beforehand, use a cold-air blower, and pause between passes whenever you need a moment. Sensitive areas like hands, neck and ribs feel more than the arm or thigh.
Will it leave a scar?
Scarring is uncommon when the laser is used at safe settings and you follow aftercare. We never increase intensity for faster results, because that is what causes burns and scarring. Keeping the area out of the sun and following the healing routine gives the cleanest result.
What our clients say
Our reputation is built on real results and how people feel in the chair. Across 135+ Google reviews and a 5.0 rating, clients consistently mention the same things: professionalism, a calm and genuinely warm experience, and visible fading session after session. Many tell us they appreciated honest expectations up front, being told the realistic number of sessions and the realistic timeline, instead of a hard sell. When you are trusting someone with permanent work on your skin, that track record is the reassurance that matters most.
Book your free consultation
The best first step is a quick, no-pressure consultation. We will look at your tattoo, answer your questions, and give you an exact price and session plan, no obligation. Book your free consultation online or call us at (514) 346-8044. We are at 4934 Chemin de la Côte-des-Neiges in Montréal, open Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM, an easy trip from anywhere in Longueuil or Brossard.
Written by Vlad, Founder & SMP / Laser Tattoo Removal Specialist at Rico Clinic. Last reviewed June 2025.