# Tattoo Fading for Cover-Ups London | Cloak & Dagger > Partial PicoWay laser fading in Shoreditch so your artist can cover old ink properly. Fewer sessions than full removal, fixed pricing, free consultation. URL: https://removal.cloakanddaggerlondon.co.uk/tattoo-fading-cover-ups/ ![Laser technician fading a dense black forearm tattoo with a PicoWay handpiece in the Shoreditch studio](/images/hero/technician-performing-picoway-laser-fading-on-a-de.webp) Most popular for cover-ups # Laser Tattoo Fading in London for the Cover-Up You Actually Want Last updated: 27 July 2026 Targeted laser fading that lightens an existing tattoo just enough for an artist to work over it cleanly. - Fewer sessions than full removal - Working tattoo studio since 2013 - 5.0 rating on Google - Free patch test Get Your Free Estimate [/contact/ →](/contact/) WhatsApp Us [https://wa.me/442039838397?text=Hi%2C%20I%27d%20like%20a%20free%20estimate%20for%20laser%20tattoo%20removal. →](https://wa.me/442039838397?text=Hi%2C%20I%27d%20like%20a%20free%20estimate%20for%20laser%20tattoo%20removal.) Fading is priced by bundle (3 or 6 sessions) after we have seen the tattoo and your cover-up plan. 0% APR finance available. - 5.0 (22 Google reviews) - Fixed price until all removable ink is cleared - WhatsApp replies in minutes - PicoWay-certified technicians Sound familiar? ## Why Cover-Ups Go Wrong Without Laser Fading Almost every fading client arrives with one of these four problems. All four come down to the same thing: there is still too much old ink in the skin for the new design to sit properly. ### The old design keeps showing through Tattooing straight over dense black rarely hides it. The old outline ghosts through the new piece within a year or two, and by then it is much harder to fix. ### Your artist says no to the design you want Fine line, colour and lighter palettes need a clean base. Without fading, the only cover-up an artist will agree to is something darker and heavier than you asked for. ### Full removal costs more time than you have Clearing every last trace takes five to ten sessions. If you only want the piece covered, most of that is clearance you are paying for and never see. ### Nobody will say how faded is faded enough A generic percentage means nothing without a design to measure it against. That is how people end up mid-course with no idea whether they can book their artist. We solve all of it the same way. Look at the old tattoo and the new design together, work out how much pigment actually has to go, and quote a bundle sized to that target. Get a free assessment [/contact/ →](/contact/) ## What Is Tattoo Fading for a Cover-Up? Tattoo fading is partial removal with a specific end point: getting your old ink light enough that a new design can sit over it without the original showing through. It needs far fewer sessions than complete clearance, because cover-up preparation is about clearing enough contrast for the artist rather than chasing the last trace of pigment. That difference matters more than people expect. Complete removal is a race to zero, and the final 10% of pigment is always the slowest part. Fading stops at the point your artist can work, which on most pieces arrives somewhere between the third and sixth session. You are buying clearance, not perfection. Because Cloak & Dagger is a working tattoo studio as well as a laser suite, we judge that end point the way an artist does, working backwards from your intended design’s darkness, density and palette. A solid black cover-up over an old mid-weight tattoo may need very little laser work. Fine line or colour work over dense tribal shading needs a lot. Same laser, same technician, completely different plan. ![Close-up of a partially faded shoulder tattoo with lightened block shading, ready for cover-up work](/images/content/close-up-of-a-partially-faded-shoulder-tattoo-show.webp) ### How the Laser Lightens Ink The PicoWay system fires picosecond pulses, trillionths of a second, that create a photoacoustic shockwave rather than heat. That shockwave shatters the pigment into fragments small enough for your lymphatic system to carry away over the following weeks. Because the energy is mechanical rather than thermal, damage to the surrounding skin stays low, which is what keeps the area workable for an artist afterwards. Dual wavelengths matter here. The 1064nm wavelength does the heavy lifting on black and dark pigment and passes safely through melanin-rich skin. The 532nm wavelength handles the warmer colours: red, orange and the browns that appear in a lot of older work. Clinics running a single-wavelength Q-switched laser often stall on the parts of a piece that ours can treat. Ink density is the real variable, not colour. Pigment saturation decides everything: a solid block of black holds far more ink per square centimetre than a whole sleeve of line work, so it takes more passes. Line work breakdown is usually the first thing you notice, with thin outlines going patchy while the filled areas are still solid. Threshold energy, the point at which pigment actually fragments rather than just warms, is set from your patch test, not from a chart. ## What Fading Costs and How the Bundles Work Fading is priced as a bundle because it has a defined end point. Complete removal runs on our fixed unlimited-session price precisely because nobody can say in advance how long “all of it” takes. Fading is more predictable, so a 3- or 6-session bundle sized at consultation is the honest way to sell it. Which bundle you need comes down to three things: how much pigment is in the old piece, how dark and dense the new design is, and how much of the old outline sits outside the new one. Shading clearance is the slow part, because solid fill takes more sessions than outlines do. Overhang is the thing people forget. If the new design does not fully cover the old shape, the exposed edges need more clearance than the middle. 11-month 0% APR finance is available on both bundles, and if you decide mid-course that you would rather have clear skin than new artwork, the sessions you have already had roll into a complete-removal package. Nothing is wasted. ## Working With Your Tattoo Artist on the Fading Plan The single biggest thing that improves a cover-up outcome is bringing the artist into the plan before the laser starts, not after. The design decides how much old ink has to go, so designing around a fade that has already happened is doing it backwards. Timing is the other half of it. Your skin healing cycle runs six to eight weeks after each session, and the ink carries on clearing for the whole of that window. We schedule the last fading session so your artist is looking at a fully settled result rather than a half-cleared one. Bring reference images, your artist’s notes, or the artist themselves. We will tell you honestly if the design is dark and dense enough to go straight over the old piece as a blast-over tattoo, without any laser at all. That conversation costs you nothing and occasionally saves you the whole course. If you would rather read up before booking, our tattoo fading guides [/guide/ →](/guide/) cover session counts, how faded is faded enough, and how to sequence removal with new work. And if you are still deciding between a cover-up and clear skin, the honest comparison is worth ten minutes of your time. Transparent pricing ## How Much Does Tattoo Fading Cost? Fading runs on session bundles rather than the fixed unlimited-session price, because it has a defined end point: light enough for your artist to work. Both bundles include your free consultation, patch test and Zimmer cryo cooling on every visit. ### 3-Session Bundle Lighter or older work, or a dark cover-up design Quoted at consultation - Three PicoWay fading sessions - Free consultation, patch test and session estimate - Integrated cryo-cooling on every session - Aftercare guidance between sessions - 6-8 week intervals Get your fixed price [/contact/ →](/contact/) Most chosen ### 6-Session Bundle Dense black, tribal or saturated colour work Quoted at consultation - Six PicoWay fading sessions - Everything in the 3-session bundle - Fading target set against your actual cover-up design - Coordination with your own artist or one of ours - 11-month 0% APR finance available Get your fixed price [/contact/ →](/contact/) ### Switch to Complete Removal Changed your mind mid-course? Nothing is wasted One fixed price - Unlimited sessions until all removable ink is cleared - Your fading sessions count as the early stage - Price agreed up front and never revised - Same PicoWay platform and technicians Get your fixed price [/contact/ →](/contact/) Fading is priced by bundle (3 or 6 sessions) after we have seen the tattoo and your cover-up plan. 0% APR finance available. Book a free consultation [/contact/ →](/contact/) and we will quote you properly. The difference ## Why Choose Us for Tattoo Fading? ### We are a tattoo studio too Cloak & Dagger has been tattooing in Shoreditch since 2013. We judge the fading target the way an artist does, working backwards from what your new design needs rather than guessing at a generic percentage. ### Fading target, not a session count The number of sessions is an output, not the plan. We agree what the skin needs to look like for your specific design, then treat until it looks like that. ### PicoWay handles dense black Solid black and tribal work is the most common cover-up problem. Picosecond pulses fragment saturated pigment more finely than older nanosecond lasers, so heavy shading lifts in fewer visits. ### Straight talk about blast-overs Some designs genuinely do not need laser. If yours is dark and dense enough to cover the old piece cleanly, we will tell you that at the consultation rather than sell you sessions. ### We work with your artist Already have someone lined up? We coordinate on the target and the timing directly with them, so nobody is guessing about whether your skin is ready. ### Comfort taken seriously Integrated cryo-cooling runs during every session and we go at your pace. Most people find the sensation sharp but very short, and each area is done in seconds to a couple of minutes. Step by step ## How Our Tattoo Fading Works 1. 01 ### Bring the design We look at the old tattoo and the new design together. Its darkness, density and palette decide how much old ink actually has to go. 2. 02 ### Patch test and plan A small test area tells us how your ink and skin respond. From that we size the bundle, usually three or six sessions, and set the fading target. 3. 03 ### Fading sessions Short PicoWay sessions spaced six to eight weeks apart, with cryo-cooling running throughout. Your skin does the clearing work between visits. 4. 04 ### Hand over to the artist Once we hit the target we time the final session so your skin is fully recovered when your artist is ready to start the new piece. Most cover-up fading runs three to six sessions across four to nine months, then six to eight weeks of healing before new work goes on. Our work ## Tattoo Fading in the Studio Click any image to see it full size. Seeing is believing ## See the Difference ![Heavy saturated black lettering on a forearm before laser fading](/images/cards/heavy-saturated-black-lettering-tattoo-on-forearm-.webp) Before ![The same forearm lettering substantially lightened after a six-session fading bundle](/images/cards/the-same-forearm-lettering-substantially-lightened.webp) After Six fading sessions on a heavily saturated forearm piece, enough clearance for the client's artist to place fine line work. ## Fading With Us vs a General Laser Clinic | Feature | Typical laser clinic | Cloak & Dagger | | --- | --- | --- | | Fading target | Generic percentage estimate | Set against your actual cover-up design | | Laser platform | Q-switched nanosecond Nd:YAG | PicoWay picosecond, dual 532nm/1064nm | | Coordination with your artist | Left to the client | Direct, on target and timing | | Pricing model | Per session, open-ended | Fixed 3- or 6-session bundles | | Skin cooling | Optional or extra cost | Integrated cryo-cooling, every session | | Consultation and patch test | Often chargeable | Free, with no obligation | ## Thinking about tattoo fading? A free consultation and patch test costs you nothing and tells you exactly what is achievable. 020 3983 8397 [tel:+442039838397 →](tel:+442039838397) Book Free Consultation [/contact/ →](/contact/) Free tool ## Estimate Your Tattoo Fading Before You Book A rough session range in under a minute, with no details required to see the result. ### Tattoo Removal Session Estimator Estimate how many PicoWay sessions your tattoo is likely to need, based on size, ink colour, age and placement. Open the tool [Tattoo Removal Session Estimator →](/tools/tattoo-removal-session-estimator/) Estimates only — your real session count and fixed price are confirmed at your free consultation and patch test. Real reviews ## What Clients Say About Our Tattoo Fading 5.0 out of 5 from 22 Google reviews > I had a massive black tribal tattoo on my shoulder and honestly never believed I could fully get rid of it. At first, I only hoped to lighten it enough for a cover-up. I spent ages searching for the right laser clinic, and I'm so glad I found Cloak & Dagger Laser. Now my skin is completely clear — people genuinely can't tell I ever had a tattoo. J Jan Vondrášek Google review > Would honestly recommend getting your unwanted ink lasered for cover ups and removal as done professionally well, faded my 1st tattoo! Both Kate and Kelly done amazingly well explaining the whole process with lasering as well as healing process and everything! Would highly recommend! T Tashan Greenidge Google review > The team are friendly and professional, great atmosphere as soon as you walk in. Kelly made me feel relaxed and explained the process very well. Throughout, she took her time and only proceeded when I was comfortable to and made sure I knew what to expect from each session. B Beth Jones Google review Before you book ## Tattoo Fading Questions ### How many sessions does fading for a cover-up take? Typically three to six, which is roughly half what complete clearance needs. The count depends on how dense the old ink is and how dark your new design will be. A heavy tribal piece being covered with fine line work needs the most clearance; a mid-weight old tattoo going under solid new work needs the least. ### How is fading different from full removal? Fading has a defined end point: light enough that your artist can work over it without the old design showing through. Full removal keeps going until every removable trace of pigment is gone. Fading is quicker and runs on session bundles; complete removal runs on our fixed unlimited-session price. ### How long after the last fading session can I be tattooed? Allow six to eight weeks after your final session. The skin needs to be fully recovered before an artist works on it, and the ink carries on clearing for weeks after the last treatment, so waiting also means your artist is looking at the true final result. ### Can you work with my own tattoo artist? Yes, and we would rather you brought them into the conversation early. We coordinate on how much old ink needs to go and time the final session so your skin is ready when they are. If you do not have an artist yet, we can point you at one in the studio. ### What does my skin look like halfway through fading? Patchy and grey-toned rather than uniformly lighter. Black usually breaks up first and unevenly, which looks odd but is completely normal, and it is exactly what an artist needs to see to plan the cover-up properly. ### Can I switch to complete removal partway through? Yes. Fading sessions are not wasted if you change your mind; they are the early stage of the same process. Plenty of clients start out planning a cover-up, see how well the ink is clearing, and decide they would rather have clear skin. ### Does fading hurt less than a full removal course? Each session feels the same. Most people describe it as being flicked hard with an elastic band, over in seconds to a couple of minutes per area. There are simply fewer of them. Zimmer cryo cooling runs throughout every session, which takes a lot of the sting out of it. ### Is fading cheaper than complete removal? Yes. Fading is priced as a 3- or 6-session bundle rather than the fixed unlimited-session price that complete removal uses. Both are quoted at your free consultation, and 11-month 0% APR finance is available either way. ### Still have a question? Send us a message and one of our technicians will answer it properly. No sales pitch. Get Your Free Estimate [/contact/ →](/contact/) Message Us on WhatsApp [https://wa.me/442039838397?text=Hi%2C%20I%27d%20like%20a%20free%20estimate%20for%20laser%20tattoo%20removal. →](https://wa.me/442039838397?text=Hi%2C%20I%27d%20like%20a%20free%20estimate%20for%20laser%20tattoo%20removal.) Go deeper ## Tattoo Fading Guides ### Fading Old Black and Tribal Tattoos for New Work Solid black and tribal work is dense, but it responds well to laser. What it realistically takes in sessions, how migrated old ink behaves, and what your skin looks like mid-fade. Read guide [Fading Old Black and Tribal Tattoos for New Work →](/guide/fading-old-black-and-tribal-tattoos-for-new-work/) ### Full Removal or Fade for a Cover-Up? Sessions, calendar time, cost and final outcome compared side by side — plus why starting with fading never rules out full removal later. Read guide [Full Removal or Fade for a Cover-Up? →](/guide/full-removal-or-fade-for-a-cover-up/) ### How Faded Does a Tattoo Need to Be Before a Cover-Up? It depends entirely on your new design's darkness and palette. When fading is essential, when you can skip it altogether, and what a blast-over actually looks like a year later. Read guide [How Faded Does a Tattoo Need to Be Before a Cover-Up? →](/guide/how-faded-does-a-tattoo-need-to-be-before-a-cover-up/) ### How Many Sessions to Fade a Tattoo for a Cover-Up? Fading needs far fewer sessions than full clearance. What drives the count, how long the whole thing takes on a calendar, and when your artist can actually start. Read guide [How Many Sessions to Fade a Tattoo for a Cover-Up? →](/guide/how-many-sessions-to-fade-a-tattoo-for-a-cover-up/) ### Working With Your Tattoo Artist on a Fading Plan Why the artist should be consulted before fading starts, how removal and new work get sequenced, and exactly what to bring to your consultation. Read guide [Working With Your Tattoo Artist on a Fading Plan →](/guide/working-with-your-tattoo-artist-on-a-fading-plan/) ## Related Treatments ![Technician performing precision laser brow pigment removal with protective eye shields in place](/images/hero/technician-performing-precision-laser-brow-pigment.webp) ### Eyebrow & Cosmetic Tattoo Removal Precision laser removal and lightening of permanent makeup: microbladed brows, eyeliner and lip blush. Read more [Eyebrow & Cosmetic Tattoo Removal →](/eyebrow-cosmetic-tattoo-removal/) ![](/images/hero/warm-lit-shoreditch-tattoo-studio-interior-with-la.webp) Free consultation and patch test, no obligation ## Ready to Start Tattoo Fading? Free consultation and patch test in Shoreditch. We assess the tattoo, tell you honestly what is achievable, and quote you a price you can plan around. Get Your Free Estimate [/contact/ →](/contact/) 020 3983 8397 [tel:+442039838397 →](tel:+442039838397) - One fixed price, unlimited sessions - PicoWay picosecond technology - 11-month 0% APR finance