I just started day one of laser tattoo removal. AMA.
Posted Apr 27, 2010, 1:47 AM UTC
25138
Do you have a picture?
Can you give us a price indication? I know it's supposed to be more expensive than getting the tattoo itself, and also that it hurts more.
Did you look into any of the chemical alternatives?
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http://imgur.com/r6s6K for this tattoo it's $175/session plus tax. Depends on the tattoo, the ink, how big it is, etc. And yes, it does hurt more.
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what's wrong with that tatoo that's a landing pad for ejaculate.....
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What does it say?
It's one of the last times you'll be asked that.
edit: it's from Age of Electric
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DestroyRebuilDestroyRebuilDestroy.....
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InkRemoveIamstupidInkRemoveIamstupidIamstupid...
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After you get it removed you should get it re-tattooed, and laser it off in the future.
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I am just looking for a good pic...will post. I didn't look into chemical, I was only able to find the laser alternative in my area, and since it takes anywhere from 4-8 sessions, local was the best alternative for me.
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Are the number of treatments due to the size or do you need multiple treatments on the same area?
edit: I'm contemplating getting a tattoo removed. It's not that I regret my decision, but some lines are blurring together. Would you be willing to post after-pics whenever you're done?
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You should see about having it touched up, depending on how its blurring you might be able to get someone to fix it.
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Multiple treatments on the same area. My laser place advises 7-10 sessions for one tattoo (regardless of size), possibly more. I just finished session 5 and there is definite fading, but it is still very visible.
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What did it feel like?
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Like when you're frying bacon and some of the grease jumps out at you. Only over and over, not just once or twice.
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I dunno how you could stand more than a few seconds of that..
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She's probably used to cooking bacon.
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[narwhal reference, etc]
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Just push through.... it really didn't take that long (5 minutes maybe?) and she said just to let her know when/if I needed a break, but I'd rather not stop then start again, so she just kept going. I think I have a higher than normal tolerance for pain though.
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Oh ya? ;)
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What was your reasoning for getting the tattoo in the first place? Why remove it now?
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I was 17 and stupid. I don't like it any longer, nor do I like where it is (my stomach) - it tends to draw attention to an area I would rather not have attention drawn to. :P
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Did your mother say she told you so?
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That's another reason.... she was very disgusted with it, even though she let me get one a year earlier. However when I got this one and she found out... it feels like there's been a bit of a rift there ever since. I think on a psychological level I'm also removing it to try to remove the disappointment, guilt, etc... but that's a whole other story. I'm sure my friends that told me not to will tell me they told me so though!!!
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Cost? I have some "I'm drunk I need more ink on me" nonsense tats.
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For mine it's $175 per session (plus tax). Anywhere from 4-8 sessions should do it.
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You're getting taken for a ride.
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Elaborate, please.
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Where are you going that will tattoo you while intoxicated? :/
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Tattoo artists, whether they have a shop or not will go to parties with all their equipment (including portable sterilizers & fresh needles) they can make a lot of easy money with drunk 20 somethings. Many times it's only a party because the tat guy is there (tat party)
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So sponge_worthy is a reference to a contraception in Seinfeld.
You have a tattoo of a band.
It's on your stomach.
My question, Are you single?
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My condolences.
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Why are you removing it?
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I don't like it anymore, but more than that I don't like where it is. If it was somewhere less conspicuous I might have just left it.... but it's right smack dab in the middle of my stomach....
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Where are your other tattoos? If your stomach one was visible, wouldn't all/most of your other ones be visible too?
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Back of my neck (right across C7), lower back (sigh I know... I had it before it was cool to do so) and ankle. I'd like to get my lower back one extended out and wider so it's not in the 'tramp stamp' category. Damn tramps, wrecking it for the rest of us. That's also why I removed my tongue ring last year. :P
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Eh, I think the tramp stamp stigma is kind of dumb. An ex and I got tats together once; she got hers on her lower-middle back, but it didn't change how much she liked sex or however promiscuous she was. And I mourn for the loss of your tongue ring :P
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I got a tramp stamp before it was called a tramp stamp too (but its the Atari logo, so points for being nerdy) and before they started making pants that show off half my fucking underwear if I breathe wrong.
What's yours? How are you covering it up?
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I really wish the price would come down. I live in japan where most public places/pools/hot springs tattoos are banned. I would love to get mine removed. :(
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Are you serious? Tattoos are banned? That sucks.
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It's to keep out the Yakuza (heavily tattooed Japanese gangsters).
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That's crazy... is that the only reason you want yours removed?
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no no I also got mine when I was young and stupid.
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Seems common when you're that age. :(
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Wow, TIL I can't go to the pool if I ever visit Japan. That makes me sad :'(
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If you're white (or clearly not Asian) they may not care, since you're obviously not a Japanese gangster.
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What he said.
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yes.... obviously
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Oh, no, you can go to some pools. . Very private ones.
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Um, that sounds scandalous.
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Happy-ending pools?
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I wish I could see updated pictures after each session. I have an older tattoo that I'd like to do a cover-up over. I've considered having laser removal just to fade it enough.
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I could update. It'll take a long time though, which ~ 6 weeks in between each session!
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Submit a new one once you're finished. This post will have faded into oblivion by then... I'm interested in how many sessions it'll take and what the final results are.
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Sure. I'll then have all the pics too so you can see week to week. It won't be for... uh... 6 months likely at the earliest. Stay tuned. Haha.
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Holy shit, how much can they remove at a time??
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They go over the entire tattoo (I'm sure this differs depending on what you're getting removed) but it takes several sessions - you don't just go over it with a laser and poof it's gone... anywhere from 4-8 I think, depending on the tattoo and the person. I'm guessing it'll just get lighter and lighter until it's gone..? I can't tell a difference with mine yet, but she said it "whitened" nicely, which is what it does right after the lasering. Right now it's raised (similar to after you first get one) and the letters look like they're outlined in red, and there's some minor blistering here and there.
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Does tattoo removal leave any scars or marks? Also how much was gone after your first session?
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It can. I can't really notice a difference right now, although the tattoo looks like it's outlined in red right now from the laser, and is raised (sort of like when I first got it). Some minor blistering.
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I've had a tattoo removed. No scarring what-so-ever. You can't tell there was ever one there.
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Whose name is it?
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Haha, no "one's" name. Band logo.
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what's the band?
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Extra points to anyone that's even heard of them. Age of Electric.
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hahah YES ryan dahle
where's my remote control??!!?!??!
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Would you ever get another (presumably less conspicuous) tattoo in the future?
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I have 4 - and yes, I'm considering more in the future. :)
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What could possibly go wrong?
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The Twilight tattoo wasn't worth it, amirite?
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I wouldn't recommend that either.... fyi kiddies!
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Have you ever had laser hair removal? If so, would you say it's a similar experience to that?
Would you ever consider getting another tattoo again?
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I asked the girl about it vs. hair removal while she was working on my tattoo. She said hair removal is not nearly as painful. I've never had it though, so can't compare personally.
Yep, I have 4 tattoos and am mulling over my next ones - likely just adding onto existing ones.
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I've had laser hair removal. It feels kind of like they're snapping a rubber band on you and it's a little hot. It doesn't really bother me. I have tattoos, never removed any, but I can imagine it being worse.
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Heyyyy I just started removing one of mine yesterday! Mine's on my wrist though. The black part of mine isn't so bad, but where there was red ink I've got a blister the size of a marble... It's kinda neat looking, tbh. But maybe that's just me.
I would REALLY recommend a local anesthetic cream beforehand. The place I'm going gave me some - apply it one to two hours beforehand (just leave it on there for a couple hours) and it hurts a LOT less.
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Ya they did mention that cream, but I decided to just go ahead and do it without... I would imagine wrist would hurt less than stomach, at least the thought was going through my head yesterday... "this would hurt less if it was somewhere else". Haha!
What was your tattoo of?
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The tattoo was a rather stupid looking pair of oriental characters on the inside of my wrist. One of the characters was black, and it was by far the larger one. The red one was a quarter of the size of the black one. I regretted it within a year of getting it.... and that was close to 8 years ago. Bleh.
I'm thankful that mine wasn't on my stomach. That would definitely be worse. My wrist is sensitive enough - it feels about the same as the inside of your upper arm, if you've had a tattoo around there (that was my first one). I would definitely suggest the cream especially if it is taking a while for them to go over it with the laser. I bought a bigass tube of it as I have around 8 treatments in total to look forward to.
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Haha, I'm all right, but thanks - maybe the pain of the removal is my punishment for getting it in the first place. :P It really didn't take that long to go over the whole thing - 5 minutes maybe? I didn't regret mine for a few years, but ya, it's been about 8 or so now that I've not liked it. :P
No upper arm tattoo - back of the neck, lower back, ankle and stomache. I still like all the other ones. phew Haha. How much is yours costing? You should post a pic of yours too, and then we can update each other as we progress! :)
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I like my original one too, just hate this one. This is costing me $75/session for the first three sessions, then $50 thereafter (all in Canadian $$$s). This place was recommended to me by someone I work with, as his wife used to work there... So I have confidence that they know what they're doing.
Here's the pics: before, taken yesterday, as I was waiting for the fella to come in and cook part of my arm, and just a minute ago in my work van. Nice little bubble, eh? I'm keeping it covered so I don't rub the hell out of it.
There is some blistering in the black area as well, but no where near as bad as the formerly red area.
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Um.. since I didn't start off by typing in any comments, I'm not sure how to "edit" to add pic... (help?) but here's a pic of the original. :P http://imgur.com/r6s6K
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I think that looks fine...did you ever think about getting it covered up with anything? Maybe an ouroboros...it would even kind of mean the same thing.
Edit: Wrote this before I saw this question has been asked repeatedly previously, sorry.
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No worries. Thanks though, I just haven't liked it for a very long time now.
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Did you ever consider a coverup?
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I don't want to draw any more attention than necessary to my stomach anymore (go figure) so no.... having a tattoo front and centre tends to do that. Bah
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Crap, I was hoping someone was removing a tramp stamp... We really need less of those around..
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Am getting my tramp-stamp sometime within the month! =p
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Don't let judgmental internet nerds stop you.
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Your tattoo has faded terribly from repeated suntans. Good choice to get it removed.
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Actually, that's pretty much the way it's always looked. They're thinking it'll be a pretty good removal b/c of the shade of it and it's not that deep. Amateur tattoos are a lot easier to remove than professional, and although this was a professional tattoo... I'd say it's on the lower end of the scale. Yay for me!
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How big are your jugs?
She did say ask her anything.