Anyone had a tattoo removed ??

[Evizza]

I have a tattoo which I really hate, and to make things worse it is on my hand

Has anybody had a tattoo removed ? How did you get it removed ? And what were the results like ?

I just don't want to go through all that pain and expense if it is still going to be obvious after !!

Thanks x

Not had it but have friends who are tattooists who offer laser. It can take up to 10 goes to get rid of entirely and the skin might look a bit uneven afterwards.

It is all dependent on the size/type of ink/colours/etc so varies a lot from person to person. I would budget for at least 6 visits on average. I would visit a lot of local tattooists and see what prices they are offering. (Obviously a reputable place!)

My friend is in the process of having it done.

Almost all of her whole body including arms, legs and back ( which I guess is pretty much the whole of her body!!) is covered with tats but there is one on her arm she doesn't like.

She is having it lasered off.It isn't cheap and it is taking a long time to do.
My mate isn't a softie but she says it -fucking- flippin well hurts!

I had mine removed, but not at a tatooist. I went to a Laserase clinic and a doctor did it. It took about 6 visits, the skin scabs after each visit so you will have to cover up. It cost about £70 a visit (all this for a £40 tattoo). Hurts like hell. Skin is a little paler now, better in summer with a tan. Best thing I ever did though. I can post an 'after' photo if you want.

I'm considering getting the one on my tummy removed, boy was that stupid :o I've done a bit of investigation and I think dark blues and blacks laser off best?

www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/the-end-of-tattoo-blues-removing-body-art-no-longer-needs-to-be-a-pain-in-the-neck-or-anywhere-else-908398.html

Like Blossoming I went to Lasercare, the one in Leeds as that's where we were living at the time.
Amazing treatment by the nurses, very clean etc...but god it kills. It's like very hot fat being splashed on your skin-ouch! Worth it through, the results are great-completely gone.
I went back to Lasercare to have a mole I wasn't keen on lasered too...just as pleased. Get it done OP!

I had a small one on my finger removed. They just cut it out and sewed the skin back together. It did feel a bit tight for a few days but was worth doing.

I'm in the middle of getting one lightened for a cover-up. Having it lasered hurts like FUCK! I've never experienced anything like it. And it blisters like a sea-slug after each treatment then all peels off. Horrible, horrible, I'm tearful and shaking before every session, but I want that tattoo gone.

Blue is apparently the hardest colour to get out, and my tattoo is almost entirely blue. .

I'm having it done at a tattoo parlour - they're cheaper and know more about removing tattoos rather then varicose veins. It's costing me £40 a session for a 3"x3" tattoo.

kyacat I have one on my tummy too, it's blue-y / purple. Regretted it within 24 hours . I have a few other small ones and I still love them (13 years on).

I need to save up to get it zapped. Don't mind if it just ends up very faint and the skin is paler, almost gone would be good enough for me. It would be the first thing I would do if I had some cash.

Give me a minute, I'll get a photo up.

Okay, there's a photo up. You can hardly see where it was at all. I got it removed as I was getting married and wanted to wear a strapless dress. It was a Chinese dragon in red. Moment of madness years ago, trying to impress someone or other no doubt!

There's another way- not laser- called eraze. I've had it done and it works! They go over the tattoo, about a square inch at a time with a needle (like having another tattoo over the top but they numb the area first so it's pretty painless) and as they go over it, it injects q special cream into the skin. This somehow draws all the ink to the surface and it forms a scab, when the scab comes off (DONT PICK IT!) the tattoo has magically disappeared! There's q tiny bit of scaring but better than the horrid tattoo! Might be a bit difficult if it's on your hand as you do need to keep it dry but if you can, it works!

Wow, blossoming, I would be more than happy with that outcome. I have two small ones I would like to get rid of but am afraid of the pain and it not coming out completely, so being left with something that looks worse... but if it looked like that it would be great.

It was painful, but you could take painkillers beforehand maybe. The results took a while, but after a bit I was able to cover up with make up. It didn't look this good at the wedding, but with makeup it wasn't noticeable. I probably should have had one more session, but by then I was pregnant so I left it. I'm really pleased with the result, and friends have forgotten I ever had one.

I like the sound of that lollipoppet, how many treatments did you need?

this is where I went

i'm still having it done, had two already and think i'll need another two, maybe three. like i said they only do about a square inch at a time (i don't know if there's a reason why?) but it is amazing how it works!! my tat was a red heart (bleugh!) with a teenage lover's name (double bleugh!) if that helps!
just google Eraze, there's not alot of places that do it and for some reason it's not very widely known about?

cupnoodle, i'm intruiged. where did you originally want it???

Lollipoppet, glad to hear its going well, how does the area look after your 2nd go and how long did you wait in between treatments? I had first e-raze session 3 wks ago , scab nearly all off, am pleased so far - tattoo has faded to a bluey- grey colour from black, but am now thinking I should leave it a while in between treatments to avoid the dreaded scarring!