Tattoo Forum with Gallery: ask your tattoo questions, upload your own tattoo pictures or rate and comment other member’s tattoos!

Luxe · Tattoo lover Joined: 23 Feb 2011 Posts: 9

Hi,

I am aware that laser has a 5% chance of scarring and I'm wondering if anyone here can share their experiences with laser tattoo removal. How were the results afterwards and more importantly did you scar? I already have some keloid scarring from my previous tattoo that I got covered up so I really don't want further scarring. Also I plan on getting treatments to remove the keloid scarring after my laser removal...Has anyone done this with success? Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Iron Black Rackham · Tattoo addict Joined: 18 Jan 2011 Posts: 556

Laser removal can also remove the actual pigment of your skin leaving the area completely white. That's why you get something good and in a place you can cover for work if need be. Laser removal is also expensive as hell and way more painful than getting the actual tattoo.

Luxe · Tattoo lover Joined: 23 Feb 2011 Posts: 9

[quote="Iron Black Rackham"]Laser removal can also remove the actual pigment of your skin leaving the area completely white. That's why you get something good and in a place you can cover for work if need be. Laser removal is also expensive as hell and way more painful than getting the actual tattoo.[/quote]

Thanks for the advice but my tattoo is 1/3 of my back and I really don't want something in its place. At this point I'm done with tattoos and I am getting it removed because I don't want this tattoo to affect my future career. I have done my research on lasers for some time now so I'm well aware of the cost involved and that is not the issue. My main concern is how I can get my skin as near normal as possible.

Luxe · Tattoo lover Joined: 23 Feb 2011 Posts: 9

I contacted a few clinics and they did inform me about the risk of the area going white but how common is this? Also what is the risk of the keloid scarring??? I really just wanted my original skin back but that does not seem feasible at the moment. A clinic told me that they could get the tattoo roughly 90% gone...That way i can cover the rest up with makeup. Hence my concern for the keloid scarring because you would be able to see it through the make up.

Iron Black Rackham · Tattoo addict Joined: 18 Jan 2011 Posts: 556

If you go to a Doctor that is trained in laser removal I would believe scarring would be minimal but I'm not sure.

Luxe · Tattoo lover Joined: 23 Feb 2011 Posts: 9

[quote="Iron Black Rackham"]If you go to a Doctor that is trained in laser removal I would believe scarring would be minimal but I'm not sure.[/quote]

Thanks I am currently ONLY looking for a DR. to perform the procedure...I don't trust the "laser technicians" to do it, considering the size of my piece. The difficult part is that no one can assure me of the results...I have even tried looking for pictures of large complex tattoo removals but found nothing. Its scary because I know that once you start you can't stop but at the same time I don't want it looking more messed up than before...

Also most of the DR.s mentioned that I have really high expectations for results...And I think this also makes them worry that they cannot get the laser to work to my expectations.

Does anyone have pictures of their tattoo removal that they would like to share??? That would be very much appreciated!

Iron Black Rackham · Tattoo addict Joined: 18 Jan 2011 Posts: 556

Can't help you on that one. I've only known people that have had stuff removed. I do know they say it hurts way more than the tattoo ever did. One lady had initials removed from her forearm a while back for a job she had. The laser destroyed the natural pigment so she had pure white initials instead of black so she just got it covered with something more feminine. Sometimes the laser can't remove all the color either. It may be really faded but you'll still see it. The cost is usually 10x the price of the original tattoo as well since it has to be done in multiple sessions.

Luxe · Tattoo lover Joined: 23 Feb 2011 Posts: 9

[quote="Iron Black Rackham"]Can't help you on that one. I've only known people that have had stuff removed. I do know they say it hurts way more than the tattoo ever did. One lady had initials removed from her forearm a while back for a job she had. The laser destroyed the natural pigment so she had pure white initials instead of black so she just got it covered with something more feminine. Sometimes the laser can't remove all the color either. It may be really faded but you'll still see it. The cost is usually 10x the price of the original tattoo as well since it has to be done in multiple sessions.[/quote]

Wow I can only imagine if my tattoo went completely white! That would not be a pretty sight! I have had a few clinics quote me different number of treatments as well. Any idea why that is? Is it possible that one clinic might be able to do less treatments than another or is that unlikely? Also I guess it would be good to mention that my tattoo is mostly GREEN...sigh the hardest color to remove Sad

My two top picks quoted me
1) 20-25 treatments @ $650 for the first session and $300/remaining session
2) 10-15 treatments @ $569/session

I picked these two clinics because their Dr's have amazing reputations and they use Q-switched lasers. These clinics also have multiple lasers (I found that a lot of clinics only used 1 or 2 lasers).

I asked why different clinics quote a different # of treatments and she was not able to answer me. Obviously if I can get the same results in 15 sessions then I would prefer to go that route. More sessions = more risk of scarring

Iron Black Rackham · Tattoo addict Joined: 18 Jan 2011 Posts: 556

I'm really not sure what the difference is. Like I said I don't really deal with removal outside the occasional client.

Luxe · Tattoo lover Joined: 23 Feb 2011 Posts: 9

[quote="Iron Black Rackham"]I'm really not sure what the difference is. Like I said I don't really deal with removal outside the occasional client.[/quote]

Well thanks for all the help so far! I will see a few more clinics just to be sure. I also want them to show me pictures of what I should expect. I am 95% sure that regardless I will go through with removal.

Iron Black Rackham · Tattoo addict Joined: 18 Jan 2011 Posts: 556

Good luck

Disappearing Ink · Tattoo lover Joined: 14 Apr 2011 Posts: 1

[quote="Luxe"]Does anyone have pictures of their tattoo removal that they would like to share??? That would be very much appreciated![/quote]

I have a few of my removal process, which I am documenting, here:

(The before pictures are in the January section. The most recent after pictures are on the April 7th post.)

I have one on my left forearm that is scarred. I had a removal procedure done with an ink that is supposed to attach itself to the original tattoo ink. The skin rejects the new ink, pulling them both out of the skin. It worked a little, but it left some scarring.

When I went in to get the laser removal, they weren't too sure how it would react, but it seems to be helping the scar a little. I'm also using some silicone scar sheets to help.

I was told at the office that if there is scarring after the tattoo removal is done, I can do something like laser resurfacing to help smooth it out.