Tattoo removal

[thedoc46]

So today i went in for my 1st tattoo removal appointment...

Took all of 15 secs of excruciating pain for them to go over the entire tattoo.

Next appointment in a month.

They said not to expect much change until the 3rd or 4th appointment.. which by then will be every two months instead of monthly. I bought a pack of 8 sessions, which they initially wanted $1500, but the haggler in me knocked them down to $600.

Tattoo was of a silly cartoon character that i had done when i was 17 (late 80's they were all the rage back then) lol. About the size of a iPhone 4,

At nearly 43 and on my leg, living in the tropics, with my legs on show ALWAYS outside of work, i was starting to feel a bit of a tit with it. So it had to go.......

anyway if you think a a tattoo is cool now, wait til you've had it for 20yrs.

 

[thedoc46]

OP
Pics now, and then at each stage would be interesting to see the progression as they vaporise the ink under the surface of your skin.

ok.... Even more embarrassing is it had my name on it.. (which i've blurred out)

Here it is before any treatment.. I'll post a new pic of it after a couple of days. Right now it doesn't feel like anything has happened. Nothing like a burn or anything. Perhaps on a scale of 1 to 10 of pain, probably a 1! Doesn't hurt at all right now. During the 15 secs of the machine being on it, it was a good 8 or 9. Possibly even a 10... Hurt a LOT more than the tattoo being done. Anyway, here's the said sad tattoo.

Here's the machine they're using, which i looked up.. and it costs 100k $ to buy.


http://www.focusmedical.com/naturalase_qs.html

 

[thedoc46]

Did they say if you'd see a difference in a couple of days? Watched a program the other day and I'm sure they said it could be upto a year before any difference!

No they said in about a month. Apparently it takes a month or so for the body/skin to realise its had a laser treatment, then start absorbing the ink or something along those lines.

They said it wont start to fade until 2-3 treatments with the colors being the last to go, Will post a new pic after a couple of days once its had time to settle down. Right now it feels like a very mild sunburn at worse.

 

[thedoc46]

Well here it is after the 1st treatment. Bearing in mind that i have some antibacterial vaseline like ointment over it, which is bringing it out more. I can actually see about 10% that has faded already.

Not telling the missus, see how long it takes for her to notice. Gotta get to the CC statement when it arrives before she opens it, otherwise she'll see the $600 charge.

 

[thedoc46]

Pain wise, again still only a 1 out of 10, as very mild sunburn... I was expecting worse TBH. Mild sunburn at worst.

The pain during the laser though was BAD though ! Glad its only a small area and not like a back piece or something. They gave me a rubber ball to squeeze. A girl in the waiting room who was on her 3rd appointment was really anxious due to the pain. Another patient offered her some hypnosis to try and calm her.. After that laser hit my leg, i knew why straight away why she was all edgy.

 

[thedoc46]

I've had 7 laser removal sessions so far, afterwards there's not really any pain like you said. Has it started itching yet? That's what always drives me mad.

Interesting, how big of a tattoo did you have removed? Is it not almost all gone now that you've had 7 sessions ? I was expecting it to be almost all gone by the time i hit 7 sessions.

 

[thedoc46]

So thought I'd update this thread. Just gone past the half way thru the removal process.

Here's a pic 60days after the 4th session. As you can see the tattoo is clearly faded. It's now one treatment every two months.

And here it is after the last laser treatment (number 5 out of 8) which i had yesterday and it frickin hurt ! to say the least.. Also as i'm now discovering, they're upping the laser power. Was literally limping out the place the burning sensation was so bad. They're also are taking longer on the laser. Probably around 60secs now as appose to the 15-20 or so secs that they started on. Not looking forward to the next one.

Glad its only a small tattoo and not a big one. Also embarrased of the ghastly blistering.. Will wear trousers, long jeans (even tho i'm in the tropics) can't have anyone getting a look at this and throwing their recently eaten food up.

 

[thedoc46]

Who cares? It's not offensive, it's on your lower leg who's looking there anyway?

I would have left it, you had it 20 years already it hasn't stopped you getting where you are today.

True, but......................................I live in the tropics, therefore i'm always in a pair of shorts. My mindset when i got it was well, if i live to regret this, i'm always in a pair of long trousers anyway (living in England !!) As I got older, the sillier it became.. Actually (not that i really minded) but it was the butt of many jokes. Mostly from DaMissus

Did feel embarrassed if i was doing a boat thing with work or something like that. I'd be conscious of it. Lets face it a Taz is pretty damn stupid thing to have tattooed on your leg. Nothing more embarrasing than a lady asking you, oh what do you have tattooed on your leg.... ummm a Taz, yeah they were in fashion back in 1989 in England. and made a joke of it.. (my 'ol excuse)

 

[thedoc46]

I wonder how much it'd cost to get a tattoo removal business set up. I imagine the initial outlay must be quite high with the machinery and stuff, but they must make fortunes!

In the USA, you probably have to be a proper licensed dermatologist, before they'd let you lose with a laser. Hence not really all that many of them around.

Plus the 100k outlay for the machine. From there it's probably 10k per month running costs of the biz. Advertising, staff, etc.

I'm sure the guys running it are making a good amount of money.. It'll only grow too, as EVERYONE these days are getting tattoo's. Still too young or not had 'em long enough to regret but most will eventually regret and look at the removal options.

which basically takes a good yr, and 8 sessions of excruciating pain.