laser tattoo removal?

[namechangeforphotos]

Hi, please tell me about laser tattoo removal:
have you tried it?
does it work?
rough idea of price?
how long does it take?
how bad does it look while its happening?does it hurt?

Got this one stupid small tattoo on the top of my upper arm, wish I'd never had it done (its about 15 years old), its faded to fuck and was never quite the right colour anyway, and I hate the thought of having someone comment on it. This hasn't happened recently, because I haven't gone sleeveless except the odd desperately hot or unavoidable occasion. But I can feel people looking at it on the beach/swim pool and I hate it, I just cannot imagine a life where I walk round in sleeveless vests with it on show and quite frankly its starting to really piss me off.

[WeAreEternal]

To add.

Black ink removes very easily.
Green is hard to remove and red very difficult.

[TheAssassinsGuild]

Just had a look at my local Sk:n. Seems slighter cheaper for the size I have per session, but once I factor in the multi-session discount, it becomes quite a lot cheaper. I think I will go for a consultation and think about 4 or 6 more sessions. It't just round the corner from me (as opposed to 45 minutes tube away). Faff and price were putting me off getting any more sessions, but this is easier and cheaper.

OP - thanks for this thread!

[Thenapoleonofcrime]

I'm intrigued by this thread, I don't like the look of tattoos really, and would never have one as scared of the pain. But if it is small and in a hidden place or somewhere only seen if in a bikini, is it worth getting it removed?

It's so incredibly common to have a tattoo now, I feel like practically the only non-tattooed person- I would hope it is not fear of social judgement of other people (say about one on an arm) that drives people to get them removed- although I can understand if it was the name of an ex.

It just seems like you are punishing yourself with an immense amount of pain for a silly mistake, or am I not getting it?

[mandy214]

I think its personal. I'd be lying if I said I was unconcerned with other people's perception of me as I frolicked in the pool with my 3 children with a tattoo on my thigh, and also didn't really want my children to think it was OK (I had it removed before they arrived but they've seen what is left and I've explained, for me, it was a mistake). If they do want to consider a tattoo in later life, the fact that I changed my mind about something that was so difficult to reverse might make them think more carefully about it than I did.

And its just personal - I did it without telling anyone, or thinking in any great depth about it - I was a bit of a goody, nerdy graduate, boyfriend had finished with me, parents thought I was "sensible" and I wanted to "prove" I could do something out of character / demonstrate I was cool / independent. Which I obviously wasn't and regretted it almost immediately

[SophiePendragon]

Sometimes there is a psychological element. There was for me - it was a reminder of how I let myself get bullied into something I didn't want.

I wanted more than anything for that not to have happened, and to be able to say to the person that did it, actually you made me feel like I had no choice.

But I don't think I will ever do that and so I wanted rid of the evidence.
I am a lot older now and coming to terms with the mistakes I have made, gradually, and realising I can't make my past not have happened.

[meglet]

marking place. I had to cancel my picosure apt last year. someone I need to find the time to get into London to get zapped.

[meglet]

somehow

[DollyTwat]

My tatto was a coverup of a home made one that I was stupid enough to have done to myself when I was 14. I also had a dot on on of my fingers. That caused me so much embarrassment in my life, I'm glad I had them removed. Homemade tattoos are the easiest to get rid of by the way, one session would probably do it

[Postchildrenpregranny]

Have been considering a very small tattoo to 'mark' my 65th birthday . I have lived a terribly conventional life on the whole and I think I like the idea of shocking people , just a bit .
DH and DDs are horrified
Maybe not, if so many people regret them

[ChloeMTurner77]

I hate my tramp stamp but I'm in a wheelchair so it's rarely seen!

[furrymuff]

I've had both of mine removed, one was fairly small on my belly, the other a large one running down my spine. Both were black which made it easier. It took about 2 years going every 8-9 weeks so I think I had about 9-10 sessions in all? They have both now completely disappeared and I am really happy with the result. I originally used a Groupon deal but the cost never went above £60 each session - that was for half an hour and the therapist worked on both of the tattoos each time.

It was painful, much more painful than actually having the tattoos! I always compared it to having a hot elastic band repeatedly flicked on you, and they would both be bloody and then scanned for a few days afterwards. But the result was worth it to get rid of two hideous tattoos I had done as a teenager. I'm not against tattoos and would like more, but I would have to research the artist far more thoroughly now! If anyone wants to see before and afters or get the name of the therapist just pm me I'm on the South Coast.

[ClashCityRocker]

I have a dubious home made one on my arm which I really want gone.

It's black Indian ink and was done with a razor blade (yes, I was a bit of a tit when I was younger) and looks like it was done by a three year old. I hate it - I can't wear short sleeves, ever.

[ILovedThe90s]

SophiePendragon I just had a little Google about the link between laser tattoo removal and skin cancer, because if there is a link I'm not going to have it done!

From what I understand of the articles I read, and someone please correct me if I'm wrong, if you have a tattoo done over a mole you may not notice changes in the moles shape and size that indicate the early signs of skin cancer. If you have laser tattoo removal and you have a mole there, it could damage the mole and lead to cancerous changes. Also, laser tattoo removal can lead to changes in the pigmentation of the skin, which means that you are unable to tolerate any sunlight. If you fail to apply sunblock to that area, it again could lead to skin cancer.

I have moles all over my arms, so it's possible I have a mole underneath my tattoo. I can't see if I do though, the tattoo is quite dark with some scarring (feels bumpy to touch). I may now make a GP appointment to ask their opinion.

[SeraOfeliaFalfurrias]

I had a blue bird tattoo lasered off my shoulder. It was a beautiful designed fucked up by a crap 'artist'. Unfortunately at the time and in the place I lived there weren't a lot of places you could go to get a tattoo. I hated it from the minute I saw what he'd done to my gorgeous bird, and most people though it was a palm tree. I tried to have it fixed some years later by a decent artist - she did what she could but it still wasn't great, and now of course was two layers of blue.

So I had two layers of blue - one of the toughest colours - lasered off. I got it done at a tattoo parlour. They tend to be cheaper than the "beauty laser" places and specialise in tattoos. It was £40 a session and took 4-5 sessions to get it faded enough for a cover-up (which I love).

IT FUCKING HURT! Giving birth was easier. I had to mentally shut myself away in a corner of my mind to stop myself freaking out. It really was excruciating.

Once I've got some money saved up I'm planning to go to a really good artist and get the bird I always wanted and still love (it's from my favourite childhood book) tattooed on the other shoulder instead.

[DollyTwat]

Clashcityrocker when I went to have a sample done, she did my home made ones

They were gone by the time I went to have the other tattoo lasered. Seriously, it may only take one session to get rid of, home made ones aren't as deep you see

[maybemyrtle]

Am in the process of removing one at the moment, it's a black and blue design on my inner wrist, covering roughly 1x2 inch. It is definitely fading and a few bits have totally gone which is encouraging, but it has taken far more sessions than I was originally quoted. Takes about five minutes, hurts like hell and I seem to blister quite badly - dressing it immediately with some compression really helps though. It's been costing £50 a session but has just gone down to £45.

I have another one on my hip that I love and isn't going anywhere so I'm not anti-tattoo, but I wouldn't have another now.

[thiskiwicanfly]

SophiePendragon your story sounds just like mine - pressured to do something and then hated it. I had it removed as much as possible and now only have a few bits of green (the leaves) left which look a little like a cats paw shaped bruise. It's enough of a reminder for me about the dangers of pressure and not being strong in yourself, and unless you look closely you wouldn't notice it.

It hurt like hell having it removed though! I was 17, it cost $50 and took 30 minutes or less to put on, and at 33 it took months of sessions and cost about $1200 to remove... I'm not anti tattoos and if I came across one I absolutely loved (and there are some strong candidates already) I'd think carefully about having another. But on my terms - not someone else's.

[SophiePendragon]

Oh this I'm sorry to hear you had a similar thing going on. It's painful to think about isn't it.

ILoved thank you for clarifying all that info, it was a while since I had looked it up so couldn't remember what I had read

I think I may have had a mole or something under mine. Well there's a bump there but I don't know what it is or was...hopefully it isn't dangerous what they already did. I remember a very strong instinct to stop though and not let them do any more. I'm not one for deliberately injuring myself!

Realising I am too old to worry about what anyone thinks any more, is quite a relief. But it is tempting to have another go at it purely from the point of view of watching the little inky bits fall off afterwards. That was quite satisfying.

I just hope someone invents an easier, more pleasant way of achieving it! That cream looks promising.

[LadyPlumpington]

I'm interested to see that so many people are determined to get their tattoos removed. I got one on my ankle around 10 years ago (stupid symbol that says it's Chinese and means something profound but probably doesn't) and every so often someone comments on it and I remember that it's there I can't imagine spending 100s of pounds on getting it removed as it has so little impact on my life. It's interesting to see that I am unusual in this.

[SophiePendragon]

I would get mine removed properly, I think, if it were very inexpensive and not too painful.

But I agree LadyP - there are better things to spend money on than getting something removed that doesn't really cause any problems.

[namechangeforphotos]

Sorry I didn't get back to this thread, had a birthday in our house so been a bit hectic here!

Mines not a persons name, but a brand yep I literally branded myself, young and stupid was my only excuse. It is covered most of the time so yeah its just sleeveless weather I'm affected by it really. I'm not big on pain and it sounds like laser removal could be quite painful

In the grand scheme of things its not a massive deal, I have pmt at the moment (and when I wrote my OP) so perhaps it got to me more than it should have done, I got a bit ranty. I'm not against tattoos in general, but I don't want to give my (or anyone else's) DC the impression that its a good idea to mark yourself with a name or a brand, I guess.

I'd hoped the cost of removal.might have come down a bit since the procedure has been available for a while, maybe it will be cheaper (relatively) by the time I have the spare cash to do it. I've been losing weight and working my arms for definition and they are starting to look pretty good, I just feel like having nice arms is drawing even more attention to the tattoo (self sabotage, "I don't deserve to look nice" type of issues right there!)

[namechangeforphotos]

Thank you all for your input and sharing your stories with me

Watching the Tattoo Fixers programme the other night put it into perspective a bit as well, anyone else see it? Cringe for the bloke with the cock on his finger - I had the sound down so I didn't get the full story, but I could get the gist of what happened with the "You'll never walk alone" chap, that made me quite sad and I didn't catch the end of it to see if they sorted his out for him?

[daftyburd]

I watched Tattoo Fixers too. The You'll Never Walk Alone" guy didn't want that covered up. He was proud of the story behind it. They gave him another on his chest to celebrate his gold medals in the Invictus Games and how much he's achieved.

[KateM1972]

Hi - I have had four removed over the years - it is expensive - but from experience it is worth investigating where you are going, how they do it, and the people that are doing it (as in what experience/qualifications they have). I have heard of people who have been promised quick results and have been left with scars (at least with a tattoo you can cover it up with make up if need be - I also have personal experince of this - before going for removal, I looked into this too).

The process has changed little in the ten years since I had my first one removed - suprisingly the cost hasn't changed much (I'm paying the same now per session, as I did in 2003 for a doctor to remove the tattoo) - although the procedure now is more complex - different lasers are used for different colours, there is a focus on aftercare and skin healing (the area is cooled immediately to help recovery and I only have one session every 6 weeks or so to allow the skin to recover). It is, or rather was, a painful experience - I tried painkillers before and after, numbing cream - basically anything I could think of. Then the company I use, as it is doctor led (I am a Nurse Practitioner in an ED, so highly suspicious of letting anyone laser my skin - maybe I should have thought like this when I let so many people ink my skin!!) now offers local anaethetic (injectable) into the tattoo site before treatment. This has multiple benefits - it makes it pain free, it also means the laser power can be increased slightly (meaning fewer treatments overall) and the anaesthetic lasts for long enough afterwards for th e areato feel like it's a bit of sunburn and is settling down.

I recorded on my phone the last session I had - it was that painfree that my hand was steady enough and I wanted to - if anyone would like to see it, or just wants anymore information - I am happy to be contacted - I did a lot of work before working out where I would go (I travel for an hour to go to the place I chose - and I live in Birmingham where many offer this), so am happy to save other people any work if it would help (I'm a single, working mum so really do get how precious time is!!)

I cannot emphasise enough how important it is to do research before you embark on this process - and be suspicious of anyone offering a quick fix!!

Kate

[Alligatorpie]

I had mine removed in another country so can't comment on price but yes...it hurt. More than anything I had ever felt. Luckily my tattoo was small so I only needed 4 sessions and it was really quick.
And I am really glad it is gone.