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Original poster

Have you had tattoo 'removal' and how were the results?

41 replies

porridgeisbae · 04/08/2023 13:40

Have you had a tattoo 'removed' and if so, were the results ok, and how much did it cost you all told?

I have a smallish tattoo approx 3 or 4cm squared, on my chest.

I've seen a lot of people who were still left with a pale shape of the tattoo where it was.

Did you have that or did it successfully disappear completely?

If you're left with a 'ghost' do you still feel it was worth doing?

OP posts:
Original poster
porridgeisbae · 04/08/2023 15:29

Anyone?Smile

OP posts:
VoldemortsSockCollection · 04/08/2023 15:32

I had one taken off about 20 years ago. I think the technique has improved a little, at least I hope so, cos mine looks like I've been branded!
It was extremely painful and took ages to heal. It was also outrageously expensive. I believe its much less so now.

It's also very Sun sensitive, burns even quicker than my ordinarily pale skin.

overthinkersanonnymus · 04/08/2023 15:35

I have. The trick is to leave it for a good few months in between sessions to get the best results. Mine has completely gone and I waited about 5/6 months each time.

It bloody hurts But it will take less than a minute to hover a small tattoo. It's like when you're frying and egg and the oil spits at you.

Littleme2023 · 04/08/2023 15:37

I’ve had one removed. Hurts like f**k - similar to having bacon spitting out the pan big very intensely in one spot. I left 5-6 months between treatments, only needed two sessions and it’s completely gone. It was italic script writing and not very well done in the first place so not a solid block which I think contributed to me only needing a few sessions.

Original poster
porridgeisbae · 04/08/2023 15:38

@VoldemortsSockCollection Did you have to have many repeated sessions on the same bit? Just wondering how many sessions I might have to have on a relatively small but not tiny one if I did do it.

OP posts:
Original poster
porridgeisbae · 04/08/2023 15:41

I have. The trick is to leave it for a good few months in between sessions to get the best results. Mine has completely gone and I waited about 5/6 months each time.

@overthinkersanonnymus How many sessions did you have to have?

@Littleme2023 That's good.

Thanks both.

OP posts:
babygirl88 · 04/08/2023 15:46

Really expensive and really painful. I swear the whole appointment 🙃

Recently found a numbing gel TKTX and i didnt feel a thing. I wait 6 weeks between appointments and its a really long process but worth it if you hate a tattoo you have. I have 3 very small ones and they have faded loads but i still have treatments left.

My lady said green and red are virtually impossible to remove so worth thinking about if you have those colours.

babygirl88 · 04/08/2023 15:48

With regards to how many treatments. I have one which was much newer/ recently tatooed and ive had 12 sessions and you can still see it. My older one faded much quicker after 4. My lady recommends between 8-12 sessions but depends on the tattoo quality and depth and area you're having removal.

VoldemortsSockCollection · 04/08/2023 15:50

It was about 2"x3" , just a black line design. I had ten sessions, waiting about 8 weeks between. I guess that didn't help. But it's now white lines of scars in the place of the black lines.

Original poster
porridgeisbae · 04/08/2023 15:54

Oh dear. Sad

Maybe if I went in a studio that does it and had a chat and showed them it, they might be able to give me an idea of the results.

As it's on my chest, I wouldn't want something that didn't look all that good there/ looked worse than the tattoo.

OP posts:
Original poster
porridgeisbae · 04/08/2023 15:55

@VoldemortsSockCollection do you think it was worth it?

OP posts:
VoldemortsSockCollection · 04/08/2023 19:05

Good question OP. I'm in my 50s now, and kinda wish I hasn't had the tattoo in the first place. The removal was an act of revenge(long story).
Tbh, I've not thought about it for a long time, so I guess it was worth it, it's not too noticeable, but a black lined design would be. I regret the ridiculous amount if money it cost though! £600!
Emotionally, yes, it was worth it. Financially, not so sure!

Ilikewinter · 04/08/2023 19:16

I had a little red heart removed with a black outline. It was removed a very very long time ago but that pain will never leave me 🤣. Flick yourself with an elastic band over and over again. I remember being told red was really hard to remove. If I look really close I can still see bits, but no-one has EVER noticed it. I cant remember how many sessions it took but defo remember a few.

BatsHaveButtcheeks · 04/08/2023 19:35

Yes, had 3 small tattoos removed, about 8 years ago, cost around £120.
They've all gone completely, wouldn't know I'd even had them.
Procedure wise, was like being twanged repeatedly by a blistering hot elastic band - but it was perfectly tolerable.

DH on the other hand, his blister and were very painful, but believe that was more to do with the size and location.

Singinghollybob · 04/08/2023 19:41

I've got a black solid lined tattoo and in the process of getting it removed. Have had 4 sessions so far and it's nowhere near being removed yet which I'm a bit gutted about as it's £80 a session. Had it done 20 years ago and apparently it must be a good quality one as it's not shifting easily.
Agree with pps about the painful, I hate it.

Woodstocks · 04/08/2023 19:48

I agree with everything previous posters have said. It hurts a lot and is expensive and you do really have to leave it no tja. Erwerb treatments to give the body the time to absorb as much of the broken down ink as possible.

black is the easiest to remove as it is the darkest and gives the laser the most to “latch on to” whereas red is impossible to take out as the laser is red itself and doesn’t recognise its own colour so it doesn’t work.

Yes there is still a shade where the skin is now whiter than before as pigments have been destroyed but it is hardly visible at all and if you didn’t know it’s there you would never spot it.

For me it was very well worth it! Wish I hadn’t got the original tattoo in the first place but getting rid was definitely the right thing for me.

ladyofshertonabbas · 04/08/2023 19:50

Yes, 6 years ago, zero trace of it.

megletthesecond · 04/08/2023 19:53

Not yet. I keep meaning to go to London for Picosure. Had made the first appointment a decade ago but childcare and life got in the way.

Krickley · 04/08/2023 19:54

My friends gad two removed. Both difficult colours to remove. Looks great! She is very pleasedx

timeafterdime · 04/08/2023 20:01

Had a stylised sun removed from my upper arm about 15 years ago.

It was a pretty lengthy process and quite expensive.

It was black ink and the removal person said that's one of the easiest colours to remove and that it degrades in the sun.

I actually didn't have all of the sessions I needed as got pregnant and couldn't have it done then with small baby / maternity pay could never justify the cost.

The rest of the ink just faded over time so now it looks like this.

No one ever noticed or comments on it anymore (people used to think it was a BCG scar) as it's so faded.

Have you had tattoo 'removal' and how were the results?
Original poster
porridgeisbae · 04/08/2023 21:28

Awesome, some promising results here- probably worth me having a go eventually when I'm not spending the money on other beautifying stuff to try and pull a decent guy at 46. Will put it on the list. Grin

OP posts:
FoxtrotOscarFoxtrotOscar · 04/08/2023 21:37

I am having a black tattoo removed from my inner wrist and after 5 or 6 sessions it has faded dramatically but not as quickly as I'd hoped!
The laser is sheer agony though.
My watch strap covers most of it but really wish I'd never had the damn thing done in the first place.
Good luck with the pulling.😉

Allthefoodandwine · 04/08/2023 21:54

I had one removed, best thing I have ever done.
Had about 8 sessions, cannot see where it was at all.

timeafterdime · 04/08/2023 21:54

Just remembered mine got infected after one session. You are left with a scab after a session that has to be covered, my tattoo was a very spiky shape with lots of slithery edges which made that more likely for the scab to lift.

I was devastated at the time; it puffed out and looked awful and I thought that part would scar. I couldn't even tell you where that bit was now.

sleepyscientist · 04/08/2023 22:18

Do you want it removed to skin or enough for a coverup? DH had one faded (two session) before he had a cover up done. He said it was worse pain than his worst tattoo

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