What this course is
Tattoo removal is one of the most requested treatments in aesthetics and one of the easiest to do badly. This CPD course teaches the wavelength science, the consultation discipline and the hands on practice to do it safely with a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser.
You learn why tattoo ink stays where it is, how laser removal works, and which wavelengths shift which ink colours, including the colours that will not shift, so you can tell a client the truth at consultation. A full section covers treating Fitzpatrick V and VI skin safely, and the course finishes with case study reflections on real cases that did not go to plan.
It is for beauty and aesthetic practitioners who want to add tattoo removal to their clinic and who meet the entry requirements below.
What you get for your price
- Online lessons you can study at your own pace and revisit as often as you need before your practical day
- Lesson videos with diagrams and slide decks, plus quiz questions to check your learning
- A hardback manual and workbook, which our course page says is posted to you when you book (see the FAQ)
- A supervised practical training day on four live models at our Southampton academy
- Four model sets of client forms, plus client forms and aftercare sheets to use in your own clinic, and a downloadable client forms pack
- A practice copy of the LPA site visit questionnaire
- A CPD certificate and a CPD reflective record for your portfolio, once the course is complete
- Ongoing support from the Skintastic team after your course
How the course works, step by step
- Enrol. Buy the course online. It is added to your account and you can start the online lessons.
- Study (about 1 hour of guided home study). Work through the online lessons and your workbook, Sections 1 to 9 and Appendix A, and answer the written questions in your own words. Please read Sections 1 to 4 before you attend.
- Arrange your practical day. We arrange your training day with you after you buy.
- Training day (7 hours, generally 09:30 to 17:30). At 26 The Avenue, Southampton. Your workbook is marked, you see a trainer demonstration, then treat four models under supervision.
- Assessment and certificate. Your certificate is issued once your written work and all four supervised treatments are complete.
The total is 8 hours and 8 CPD credits. Lunch and breaks are not counted.
What the course covers
| Lesson | What you learn |
|---|---|
| UK regulations, laser safety and compliance | Legislation, Local Rules, your Laser Protection Adviser, and the LPA site visit questionnaire |
| Skin anatomy and how tattoos stay in place | Why the ink stays put and what that means for removing it |
| How laser removal works: wavelengths and ink colours | What each wavelength will and will not shift, and difficult and dangerous pigments |
| Consultation, suitability and contraindications | Screening properly, Fitzpatrick skin typing, using the Kirby-Desai scale to estimate sessions, and honest expectations |
| Patch testing and allergic reactions | The patch test protocol and recognising wheal and flare and other adverse responses |
| The full treatment: protocol and technique | Step by step from preparation to the final pass, with the correct wavelength order |
| Treating darker skin types safely | Fitzpatrick V and VI, settings, testing, managing risk and knowing when not to treat |
| Eye safety, aftercare and complications | Eye protection, blistering and pigment change, and when to refer |
| What went wrong? | Case study reflections on real cases, and questions students often ask |
| Legislation and regulatory requirements (Appendix A) | The law and regulation that apply to laser treatment, and the records you must keep |
Before and on your practical day
- Complete all of the online theory before your practical day.
- Wear your salon clothes or smart casual, because the training is clinical.
- Your practical date is arranged with you after you enrol.
- Lunch is provided on your practical day.
Entry requirements, insurance and scope of practice
Our course page states the entry requirements as a regulated Level 3 qualification in Anatomy and Physiology (or equivalent) and a Laser and IPL Core of Knowledge certificate. If you are missing either, you can take them with us first. You must be 18 or over, and you bring copies of your certificates and photographic ID on the training day so your certificate is issued in the correct name.
Recognition of Prior Learning is accepted for the theory, never for the practical. Send us any relevant certificates before you book.
Insurance. Most insurers want to see an existing beauty or aesthetics qualification alongside a CPD certificate before they will cover you for this treatment. We cannot promise that any insurer will cover you, so check with yours before you buy. If you are not sure, message us on WhatsApp and we will check it with you.
Before you treat paying clients. You will need a current Core of Knowledge certificate, a certificated Laser Protection Adviser, Local Rules, a written risk assessment, and insurance that names laser tattoo removal and your laser. Also check with your local authority whether a licence or registration is required where you work.
The practical element
The practical is one full training day, generally 09:30 to 17:30, at our academy, 26 The Avenue, Southampton SO17 1XL. You work with a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm and 532 nm), taught on Skintastic’s AL1.
The day covers the controlled area, Local Rules and eyewear, a trainer demonstration, then supervised work on four live models. Skintastic provides the models, who have Fitzpatrick skin types I to IV. For each you do the consultation, forms, patch test, treatment and aftercare. On the training day, models are patch tested and treated on the same day. This is a training arrangement only, never for your own clients.
Tell us before you book if you need reasonable adjustments.
Assessment and your certificate
Assessment has three parts. Your written work is the Check your understanding questions at the end of each section, completed at home and marked by your trainer on the training day. Your practical work is four supervised treatments, each observed against a practical competency checklist covering consultation, skin typing, patch testing, machine settings, technique and aftercare. Your records are the four model sets, completed and signed.
If something is marked ‘not yet’, your trainer records what is needed and you are reassessed on that item.
You receive a CPD certificate once both the written and practical elements are complete. This is a CPD course. It does not carry a qualification level and is not an Ofqual regulated qualification. If you want a regulated qualification, ask us about our Level 5 Diploma in Tattoo Removal.
CPD accreditation and how to verify it
This course is accredited by The CPD Group and carries 8 CPD credits (activity #1004447). Skintastic Aesthetic Lasers Ltd is a CPD Group approved provider, number 777800. The accreditation runs to 29 September 2029. Anyone can check it for themselves:
Check this course on The CPD Register (activity #1004447)
Price, payment options and enrolling
The course costs £599.
Pay by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or PayPal. Klarna and Clearpay may also be offered at checkout, subject to status.
After you buy, the course is added to your account on the academy, and you can start the online lessons. We then arrange your practical training day with you at our Southampton academy.
Cancellations, refunds, access time and rescheduling
This is a summary. The full wording is in our terms and conditions, which apply to your order.
- Price and VAT. Skintastic Aesthetic Lasers Ltd is not VAT registered, so no VAT is added to the course price. Payment is taken in full when you order.
- Online access. Your access to the online lessons lasts 12 months from the date of purchase.
- Cancelling. At checkout you tick a box to start your online access straight away, and by ticking it you give up the 14 day right to cancel the online materials. Refunds, where they apply, go back to the original payment method within 14 days of us receiving your written cancellation (an email is enough).
- Practical day. If you book a practical day you may cancel within 14 days of buying and before the day takes place, and you are refunded in full less a fair amount for any services already provided at your request. You may move your practical day once, free of charge, if you tell us in writing at least 14 days before it. If you tell us later than that, or do not attend, the day is treated as used. A further date may be offered at our discretion for a rebooking fee of 25% of the price you paid for the course.
- After the cancellation period. Once the 14 days have ended, courses are non refundable, including if you change your mind, cannot attend, fail an assessment, or find that your insurer will not accept the course. Your statutory rights are not affected.
- Your certificate. It is issued once you have completed every required part of the course and passed the assessments.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Laser Tattoo Removal course cost?
The course costs £599. You can pay by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or PayPal. Klarna and Clearpay may also be offered at checkout, subject to status.
How long is the course?
It is 8 hours: 1 hour of home study and 7 hours of guided learning on one training day at our Southampton academy, generally 09:30 to 17:30. Lunch and breaks are not counted.
Can I study at my own pace?
Yes. The online lessons let you work at your own pace and go over anything as many times as you need before your practical day. Please read Sections 1 to 4 of the manual before you attend.
What qualifications do I need before I book?
Our course page asks for a regulated Level 3 qualification in Anatomy and Physiology (or equivalent) and a Laser and IPL Core of Knowledge certificate. If you are missing either, you can take them with us first. You must be 18 or over. If you hold other qualifications or experience, send them to us and we will tell you what we can accept.
Is the course accredited, and how do I check?
Yes. It is accredited by The CPD Group for 8 CPD credits (activity 1004447), and Skintastic Aesthetic Lasers Ltd is an approved provider, number 777800. You can verify it yourself on The CPD Register using the link on this page. It is a CPD course, not an Ofqual regulated qualification.
Will I get a certificate, and when?
You receive a CPD certificate once your written work and the supervised treatments on all four models are complete. Ask us if you need to know how and when it reaches you.
Will my insurer cover me?
We cannot promise that. Most insurers want to see an existing beauty or aesthetics qualification alongside a CPD certificate before they cover tattoo removal. Check with your insurer before you buy, or message us on WhatsApp and we will go through it with you.
Do I need my own laser, and can I use any machine?
You do not need one to take the course, because the practical is taught on Skintastic’s Q-switched Nd:YAG laser at the academy. Whatever machine you use afterwards, follow its manufacturer’s instructions and your Local Rules.
Where is the practical day, and how do I book it?
It is at 26 The Avenue, Southampton SO17 1XL. After you buy, we arrange your training day with you. Message us on WhatsApp, call 02381 946394 or email info@skintasticaesthetics.com to ask about the next dates.
Who provides the models, and does the course cover darker skin?
Skintastic provides four models with Fitzpatrick skin types I to IV. The course also has a full section on treating Fitzpatrick V and VI safely.
What support do I get, and what if I am marked not yet competent?
You have ongoing support from the Skintastic team after your course. If something is marked ‘not yet’, you are reassessed on those items once the gap is addressed. Written answers can be reassessed remotely, but practical items must be redone in person. Ask us about any reassessment charge.
Is the printed manual included, and can I get a refund?
Our course page says a hardback manual and workbook is posted to you when you book, so please confirm your delivery details with us when you enrol. For refunds, please see our terms and conditions or ask us before you buy.
Is VAT added to the price?
No. Skintastic Aesthetic Lasers Ltd is not VAT registered, so no VAT is added to the course price shown.
How long do I have access to the online lessons?
Your access to the online lessons lasts 12 months from the date of purchase.
Can I cancel and get a refund?
You have 14 days to cancel, but the right to cancel the online materials is lost once your access starts and you have ticked the box at checkout to agree to that. Once the 14 days have ended, courses are non refundable. Refunds that apply are paid to the original payment method within 14 days of us receiving your written cancellation. Full details are in our terms and conditions.
What if I need to move my practical day?
You may move your practical day once, free of charge, if you tell us in writing at least 14 days before it. After that, or if you do not attend, the day is treated as used, and a further date may be offered at our discretion for a rebooking fee of 25% of the price you paid.
Contact
Skintastic Aesthetic Lasers Ltd, 26 The Avenue, Southampton SO17 1XL.
Telephone: 02381 946394.
Email: info@skintasticaesthetics.com.
You can also message us on WhatsApp from our main website, skintasticaesthetics.com.
