Last reviewed June 2025. If you live in the West Island and you have been quietly thinking about getting rid of a tattoo, you are not alone, and you do not have to settle for a stranger with a borrowed machine. Rico Clinic has run laser tattoo removal out of one address in Côte-des-Neiges since 2017 — close to eight years, more than 546 treatments performed, and a 5.0 rating across 135+ Google reviews. Your sessions are done by Vlad, our founder and SMP / laser tattoo removal specialist, in a private, three-room clinic built so you can come and go without an audience. This page walks you through exactly what removal looks like for a West Island resident: the drive in, how the laser actually works, what a session feels like, how you heal, and what it costs.
Why West Island residents choose Rico Clinic
The West Island — Pointe-Claire, Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Kirkland, Beaconsfield, Pierrefonds-Roxboro and the communities along the lakeshore — is its own world: larger homes, leafy streets, and a daily rhythm built around the car and the commute downtown. There is no metro out here. That single fact shapes how people in your area approach removal. You are not going to pop in on a whim five times. You want a clinic that is worth the trip, that respects your time, and that you only have to find once.
That is exactly how we have set things up. From most of the West Island you are looking at roughly 25 minutes by car off-peak, closer to 50 in rush hour, straight in along Highway 40 or the 20 toward Côte-des-Neiges. There is street parking right on Côte-des-Neiges in front of the building, so you are not circling a downtown block hunting for a spot. If you would rather skip the traffic, the REM commuter train runs east toward downtown; from there it is a short hop north on the orange line to Plamondon, about 35 to 45 minutes door to door. Most of our West Island clients drive, treat the visit as a deliberate appointment, and pair it with errands — a stop at Fairview Pointe-Claire on the way out, a downtown lunch on the way back.
The reasons West Islanders come to us are remarkably consistent. A lot of you are professionals whose careers have moved on past the tattoo — a piece on the forearm or neck that felt right at twenty-two and now feels like a liability in a boardroom or a client meeting. Many are parents: families form, life changes, and ink that never mattered before suddenly does when you are thinking about how you show up at the school pickup or the soccer field. And because the trip is a real commitment, our West Island clients tend to plan: they want the full picture up front, a clear number of sessions, and a schedule they can build their year around. We give you all of that at the free consultation, before you commit to anything.
Discretion matters too. Our clinic has three rooms — a consultation space and two treatment rooms — designed so your visit stays your business. You are not sitting in a busy open salon. For people coming from a community where everybody seems to know everybody, that privacy is part of why the drive is worth it.
How laser tattoo removal actually works
Here is the part that surprises most first-timers: the laser does not “erase” your tattoo, and it does not burn it off. It works with your own immune system. The technology delivers extremely short, high-energy pulses of light that pass harmlessly through the top layer of skin and are absorbed by the tattoo pigment underneath. That burst of energy shatters the large ink particles your tattoo artist deposited into much smaller fragments. Your body then does what it always does with foreign debris — your lymphatic system gradually carries those fragments away over the following weeks. The tattoo fades a little more after every session because there is a little less ink left for your body to clear.
This principle — using a precisely tuned wavelength and an ultra-short pulse to target pigment without damaging surrounding skin — is called selective photothermolysis. It was first described by dermatology researchers Anderson and Parrish in 1983, and it is still the foundation of every reputable laser removal device used today. Different ink colours absorb different wavelengths, which is why we work with more than one. A 1064 nm wavelength is the workhorse for dark inks — black, dark blue — while 532 nm handles warmer colours like red. Greens and bright blues are the stubborn ones and can need more patience. We never name-drop a magic machine; what matters is matching the right wavelength to your specific ink and skin, and adjusting conservatively.
What a session actually feels like
Let me walk you through it so nothing is a surprise. When you arrive, we start by applying a numbing cream to the area and leaving it on for about 10 to 15 minutes to take effect. Once it has, we clean the skin so nothing obstructs the laser, hand you protective goggles for your eyes, and set the laser’s frequency and speed based on your tattoo’s colour and size.
Then the actual lasering begins. Most people describe it as moderately uncomfortable rather than painful — the classic comparison is a hot elastic band snapping against the skin, or tiny flecks of bacon grease. It is quick. A small tattoo can be done in a few minutes. How much you feel depends a lot on location: sensitive spots like the head, neck, ribs and the tops of the feet sting more than the meat of an arm or thigh. We take short breaks between passes whenever you need to breathe, and for many clients a cooling air blower over the area makes a real difference. You stay in control the whole time. We will never crank the intensity up just to go faster — pushing the laser too hard is how you get burns and scarring, and that is not what we do.
Healing and aftercare, step by step
Aftercare is straightforward, and getting it right is most of what determines your result. Right after the session we apply a healing cream and send you home with a clear plan. Here is the rhythm:
The first few hours. The area will feel like a sunburn — warm, a little raised, maybe some redness or pinpoint blistering. That is completely normal and a sign the laser did its job. A cold compress over a clean cloth helps.
Days 1 to 7. Keep the area clean and apply the healing cream as we direct — this is why we recommend picking one up so you can keep treating it for about a week. Do not pick or scratch any scabs or blisters; let them resolve on their own so the skin heals flat. Keep showers gentle and pat the area dry.
The first weeks. Stay well hydrated — your lymphatic system is doing the heavy lifting of clearing the shattered ink, and water helps. The single most important rule: keep the treated area out of the sun until it has fully healed, and use sunscreen on it afterward. Sun on freshly treated skin is the main cause of pigment problems. For our West Island clients with active, outdoorsy summers along the lakeshore, that means planning sessions so the healing window does not collide with a beach weekend.
Then you wait. We space sessions six to eight weeks apart, and that gap is not us being slow — it is the time your body needs to flush the broken-down ink and let the skin fully recover before the next pass. Rushing it does not speed up your result; it just raises the risk.
How many sessions you’ll need — and what it costs
The honest answer every reputable clinic will give you: it depends. Most tattoos take somewhere between 6 and 12 sessions to clear completely, spaced 6 to 8 weeks apart. The variables are the size of the piece, the colours involved (black clears fastest; greens and blues take longest), how old it is, how deep the ink was laid, where it sits on your body, and your own skin and immune response. If your goal is fading for a cover-up rather than total removal, you will need fewer sessions.
On cost, sessions at our Montreal clinic range from $50 to $800, driven mostly by the size and complexity of the tattoo. A small, simple piece sits at the low end; a large, multi-colour back piece is a different undertaking. Because removal is a series rather than a one-off, we offer multi-session packages that bring the per-session cost down — which matters when you are budgeting for a course of treatment. The cleanest way to get a real number for your tattoo is the free consultation: we look at it in person, factor in colour and skin type, and give you a personalized quote and session estimate with no surprises. You can read more across our services overview or browse other articles on our blog.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it worth driving in from the West Island for laser tattoo removal?
For most of our West Island clients, yes. You are roughly 25 minutes away off-peak via Highway 40 or the 20, with street parking right out front on Côte-des-Neiges. Because removal is a planned series rather than a frequent drop-in, the smart move is to treat each visit as a deliberate appointment — many people pair it with errands or a downtown stop. You only need to find a clinic you trust once, and an experienced specialist who matches the wavelength to your skin and ink is worth the short trip.
How many sessions and how often will I need to come in?
Plan on 6 to 12 sessions for full removal, spaced 6 to 8 weeks apart, so realistically a course runs a year or more. That spacing is deliberate — your body needs the time between sessions to clear the broken-down ink and let the skin heal. If you are coming from the West Island, the infrequent schedule actually works in your favour: a handful of well-planned trips rather than constant back-and-forth.
How much does it cost?
Sessions range from $50 to $800 depending mostly on the size and complexity of your tattoo. A small piece is at the low end; large, colourful work costs more per session and needs more sessions. We offer multi-session packages that lower the per-session price, and every plan starts with a free consultation and a personalized quote — no surprises.
Does it hurt, and will it leave a scar?
Most people find it moderately uncomfortable rather than painful — like a hot elastic band snapping against the skin. We use numbing cream beforehand and a cooling air blower during, and take breaks whenever you need one. As for scarring: when the laser is used correctly at safe energy levels and you follow aftercare (no picking, no sun), removal should not scar. The risk goes up only when a clinic pushes the intensity too hard to go faster — which we never do.
Can I remove a tattoo on my neck, wrist or another visible spot before a career move?
Yes, and it is one of the most common reasons West Island professionals come to us. Visible ink on the neck, wrist or forearm can be removed or faded the same way as anywhere else — those areas are a little more sensitive, so we take it gently. If your goal is being client- or boardroom-ready by a certain date, tell us at the consultation and we will map a realistic timeline backward from there.
How do I prep for my first session?
Keep it simple: arrive with the area clean and free of lotion or makeup, avoid heavy sun or tanning on the spot in the days before, stay hydrated, and wear comfortable clothing that gives easy access to the tattoo. If you have recently been ill or are on any medication, mention it at your consultation so we can plan around it.
What our clients say
Our reputation is built one result at a time. Rico Clinic holds a 5.0 rating across more than 135 Google reviews, with clients from across Montreal — including plenty who make the drive from the West Island and the suburbs. The themes that come up again and again: a calm, professional and genuinely private experience, warm and patient staff, and visible, real results session after session. Whether it is your first appointment or your final one, the goal is the same — to make the whole process smooth, supportive and effective.
Book your free consultation
The first step is always a free, no-pressure consultation. We look at your tattoo in person, talk through your colours, skin type and goals, and give you a personalized session estimate and quote. From there, you decide. Book your free consultation online, or call us at (514) 346-8044. We are at 4934 Chemin de la Côte-des-Neiges, Montréal, open Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM, with parking right out front for everyone driving in from the West Island.
Reviewed by Vlad, Founder & SMP / Laser Tattoo Removal Specialist at Rico Clinic. Last reviewed June 2025.