How much laser tattoo removal costs comes down to three things: the size of the tattoo, the colours in it, and how many sessions your skin and your ink actually need. At IPL Lab, packages start at $90 per session for a small tattoo in a six-session package and run to $250 per session for a large piece, with every plan quoted at a free consultation before you commit to anything. If you want the full treatment picture rather than the pricing, our laser tattoo removal Montreal page covers the procedure end to end. This article is about the money: what drives the number up or down, what a package includes, what insurance won’t cover, and the specific situations where removal ends up costing more than people expect.

“An honest quote starts with an honest look at your ink — not a price list.”The IPL Lab tattoo removal philosophy

What this article covers

What actually determines the price of tattoo removal?

Two tattoos the same size can end up costing very different amounts, which is why no clinic can quote you accurately from a phone call. These are the variables that move the number:

Is it priced per session or per package?

Per package. Removal only works cumulatively, so pricing a single visit would set you up to stop after one session and conclude the treatment doesn’t work. Buying a course brings the per-session price down substantially and commits you to the number of visits that actually produces a result.

The pattern worth noticing: the six-session package costs less per session than the three across every tier — roughly 40% less on a small tattoo. Since most tattoos need more than three sessions anyway, the six-pack is usually both the cheaper and the more realistic choice.

What do small, medium and large tattoos cost?

Here is the current package pricing. Promotional rates change, so confirm at your free consultation or check the live price on each product page in our tattoo removal packages:

Sizing is assessed in person, because “small” means different things to different people — a lettering piece on a wrist and a palm-sized design are not the same job. If your tattoo sits near a tier boundary we will tell you which package is honestly the better buy rather than defaulting upward. Packages can be bought directly in our online store, and members get further savings through our membership program.

Why does the total depend on how many sessions you need?

Because the package covers a set number of visits, and the number your tattoo needs is the one variable nobody can promise in advance. Most tattoos take 6 to 12 sessions spaced 6 to 8 weeks apart — and that gap is not scheduling convenience, it is the immune clearance doing the actual work between appointments. A small black tattoo might genuinely finish inside six sessions. A saturated multicolour piece over a cover-up can run past twelve, meaning a second package.

We would rather you budget for that range from the start than be surprised at session seven. If session count is the part you are trying to pin down, we go through it properly in how many tattoo removal sessions you really need — including how ink colour and placement change the arithmetic. And one expectation to set plainly: complete clearance is not guaranteed for any tattoo. Most fade dramatically; some leave a faint shadow.

Does IPL remove tattoos — and which laser actually does?

This question comes up often enough, partly because of our name, that it deserves a direct answer: no, IPL is not a tattoo removal technology. Intense pulsed light is a broad-spectrum light source suited to hair reduction and pigmentation work. It cannot deliver the extremely short, targeted pulse needed to shatter tattoo ink, and using it on a tattoo risks burning the skin without clearing the pigment. Any clinic offering IPL for a tattoo is using the wrong tool.

What works is a Q-switched or picosecond laser. Picosecond pulses are roughly a thousand times shorter than nanosecond ones, so the effect is photomechanical — the ink is shattered rather than heated — which produces finer fragments your body can clear, gives better odds on resistant greens and light blues, and puts less heat into the skin, lowering the risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation on deeper skin tones. Q-switched lasers remain genuinely effective, and wavelength matters as much as pulse duration. You can read more about the technology on our pico laser page. The American Academy of Dermatology’s overview of laser tattoo removal is a good neutral second source.

What does the price include — and what isn’t in it?

Worth knowing before you compare quotes between clinics, because “per session” can mean quite different things:

Is tattoo removal covered by insurance or RAMQ?

No. Laser tattoo removal is considered a cosmetic procedure, so it is not covered by RAMQ and generally not reimbursed by private insurance plans either — including cases where the tattoo causes real distress. Treat the full course as an out-of-pocket cost when you budget. There is no medical billing route worth chasing here, and a clinic suggesting otherwise is not being straight with you. If cost is the limiting factor, the honest options are the six-session package rather than the three, or fading for a cover-up instead of full clearance.

When does removal cost more than people expect?

These are the situations where the bill runs past the initial estimate, and all of them are better known in advance:

What makes tattoo removal at IPL Lab different?

Mostly that we quote you honestly and tell you when the answer is no. You get a real assessment before a price, a patch test where pigment behaviour is uncertain, technicians who adjust settings to your skin tone rather than running a default protocol, and progress documented across the course so you can see what you are paying for. We will also tell you plainly if your expectations exceed what laser can deliver on your particular ink — that conversation costs you nothing and saves some people a package they would have regretted. You will find us at our medispa in Montréal’s Plateau and our medispa in Laval, both with parking nearby.

Medical disclaimer: this article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Prices shown were current at the last review date and are subject to change — confirm at your consultation. Individual results vary, and complete tattoo clearance cannot be guaranteed. Consult a qualified professional to determine whether laser tattoo removal is appropriate for you.