Professional tattoos are applied with a tattoo machine into the deeper layer of the dermis and are applied to be permanent in nature. They generally require repeated treatments to remove.

Cosmetic tattoos are often referred to as permanent makeup and are increasingly popular. Permanent eyeliners, eyebrows, and lip liners are commonly applied using the process of micro-pigmentation to save time and enhance facial features.

Advances in laser and light-based technology have revolutionized tattoo removal, using various wavelengths to target different colored pigments with relative ease and fewer complications than before.