Tattoo Fading for Cover-Ups

You don't have to lose a tattoo to move on from it. Fading is a shorter, cheaper course of laser that lightens old ink just enough for your artist to work over it cleanly.

Why fade instead of remove

A cover-up over dark, untouched ink limits your artist badly. They're forced into heavy black and dark colours, big designs and dense shading, because anything lighter won't hide what's underneath. Fade the old piece first and the design opens right up. Your artist gets colour options, negative space and a piece that'll still look good in ten years.

How many sessions fading takes

Usually one to two sessions, against three to four for full removal. We're not clearing the ink, only lightening it, so you need far less laser. Sessions are spaced six to eight weeks apart, and we work with whatever timeline your artist has set for the new piece.

What it costs

Fading is priced by the size of the piece, the same as removal:

From $90 for a 2cm x 2cm piece up to $175 for 10cm x 10cm. The full price list is on our tattoo removal cost page.

Because a fade usually needs only one to two sessions rather than three to four, most cover-up prep costs well under half a full removal course.

Afterpay and Zip are available. We confirm the price in writing at your free consult. Prices current as at August 2026.

For tattoo artists in Mildura and the Sunraysia

If you're an artist and a client walks in with something you can't cover well, send them to us. We'll fade the piece to the level you need, talk to you directly about how light you want it, and send them back to you. We don't do tattooing, so we're not competing with you, and we'll never try to talk your client out of the work you have planned.

Sophie is an AHPRA registered nurse with 30 years in healthcare, using the PicoSure laser at Irymple, five minutes from Mildura. Call 0438 508 443 to talk it through.

Bring a photo to your free consult

Bring a photo of the tattoo and, if you have it, the design your artist has drawn up. We'll tell you honestly how many sessions the fade will take and what it will cost, and there's no pressure to book on the day.