Erasing Regret: Laser Tattoo Removal!

[bax]

Hello all,

As I have grown into my thirties I have began to have that oh so fun feeling of regret from some permanent (or so I thought) decisions that I made as a teen.

I have been looking into doing some laser tattoo removal and was curious if anyone on this board had any experience with the prcoess? From doing quite a bit of preliminary research, which is actually quite fascinating it looks like there are two main types of lasers on the market today: Q-Switch and Picosure.

It looks like varying colors will require different wave lengths, but everything I have read tells me that black ink on fair skin is the easiest to remove. This bodes well for me as all I am looking to remove a 3 inch x 2.5 inch black tattoo on my upper bicep.

It sounds like the color, size, age, and location will all determine how many sessions it will require to remove. The Picosure laser is more advanced, but I'm not sure if it actually speeds up the process or not for a black tattoo.

For those wondering the science behind it is that the laser breaks down the ink pigments into small particles (think smashing pebbles into sand) which the body's lymphatic system is then able to pick up and remove. Obviously this is a long process with 6-8 weeks in between sessions (for skin to heal) and some tattoos can take up to 10-15 sessions to be fully removed (others see can see results sooner).

Pretty interesting stuff. Anyways- does anybody have any experience with laser tattoo removal? Bonus if it is local experience as there a quite a few shops in Calgary offering this now.

[Fuzz]

Pics, so we can judge how bad a decision you made as a teen.

[nik-]

I wish that I hadn't have got Nutty Blocc Compton Crips tattooed on my face.

I've never even been to Compton.

[Swift]

Man, laser tattoo removal is gonna be a boom industry in the next few decades. Lotsa money to be made there.

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Pics, so we can judge how bad a decision you made as a teen.

Anything thats 3" x 2 1/2" is worth laughing at.

[Nufy]

came looking for...



you guys are slipping...

I am dissapoint.

[ResAlien]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

Anything thats 3" x 2 1/2" is worth laughing at.

So seriously are we not doing phrasing anymore or...?

[Sliver]

I've had about nine or 10 appointments from Remington Laser on mine and the black faded super fast (within maybe four?) but the green is super stubborn. Haven't been in a few years because it didn't seem like it was fading enough to bother. I should look into it again to see if newer lasers are better.

Good luck. It would be nice if tattoos faded into nothing on there own over five years or something. The ginormous tattoos some millennials get now are going to look fataing terrible when they're 40.

[speede5]

Tattoos are so in right now I'd spend the money on a nice coverup instead.

And once you hit that 40/50 age range you won't really care what people think and everything starts going south so a crappy tattoo becomes the least of your worries.

jmo

[KTrain]

Along with laser tattoo removal, fixing those big ass ear holes are going to be huge money makers in the near future.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by KTrain

Along with laser tattoo removal, fixing those big ass ear holes are going to be huge money makers in the near future.

Are those fixable? I think you've maimed yourself for life once you do that.

[NuclearFart]

Plastic surgeons can fix blown out earlobes, even the ones that look like they went several rounds with Mandingo.

[REDVAN]

Needle and fishing line should stitch it up just fine.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by REDVAN

Needle and fishing line should stitch it up just fine.

You could go from having Pog earlobes to having Gandalf's beard earlobes.

[Shazam]

[KTrain]

Originally Posted by 4X4

Are those fixable? I think you've maimed yourself for life once you do that.

It’s doable. I was going to post a photo but it’s a pretty nasty looking surgery.

[Galakanokis]

Are tattoos in? My old ass mother and her flock of hens got tattoos this summer so I figured they were as far from in as one can get.

Nothing says cool like comparing fresh ink with a bunch of octogenarians.

Does laser leave a scar or big mark in place of the tattoo?

[4X4]

Originally Posted by KTrain

It’s doable. I was going to post a photo but it’s a pretty nasty looking surgery.

So I googled and read this:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/str...gery-1.3154767

There's this:

"I've seen patients who are really surprised you don't just take the spacer out and it goes back to normal," Dr. Khanna says.

WTF?

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I've had about nine or 10 appointments from Remington Laser on mine and the black faded super fast (within maybe four?) but the green is super stubborn. Haven't been in a few years because it didn't seem like it was fading enough to bother. I should look into it again to see if newer lasers are better.

Good luck. It would be nice if tattoos faded into nothing on there own over five years or something. The ginormous tattoos some millennials get now are going to look fataing terrible when they're 40.

you know if someone came up with a ink that degraded and broke down over time, that would be major money.


I'm sure most of these kids in college with neck tattoo's or visible sleeves regret it once they get into professional interviews. It'd be kind of cool to be able to get a tattoo, and then in 5 years it either fades away or you can go and get it revitalized for another 5 years.

[surferguy]

Originally Posted by KTrain

Along with laser tattoo removal, fixing those big ass ear holes are going to be huge money makers in the ear future.

Missed opportunity Ktrain.