De-Tatoo You

May 21, 2005 6:56 PM

How many laser treatments should it take to remove a dark blue tatoo? My friend thinks a dermatologist has a thing for her because after four visits, her dark blue tatoo (an Ex-'s name) is still there, and not very much different than prior to her first removal treatment

(Bet you didn't think ParisParamus would know a woman with such a problem but you would be wrong!!)

posted by ParisParamus to science & nature (5 comments total)

I just read an article on tattoo removal:

Patients can only go under the laser once every two months, and since it takes 10 to 12 sessions to make a tattoo disappear, the entire process can take up to two years.
posted by cmonkey at 7:04 PM on May 21, 2005

Check out this article at Cockeyed.com. It looks like it takes lots of trips to mostly remove the tattoo.
posted by substrate at 7:48 PM on May 21, 2005

Is it dark blue because she chose dark blue, or dark blue because it's a really old tattoo and the ink has faded?

If it has faded to dark blue odds are it'll be a real pain to get rid of because, from what my artist has told me, the ink used to be deposited much deeper into the skin.
posted by Kellydamnit at 8:25 PM on May 21, 2005

My advice is to get it covered up with a different tattoo.

1) Tattoos are relatively inexpensive compared to laser tattoo removal (which while it's something of a medical procedure, it might be too cosmetic to be covered by insurance).

2) Laser tattoo removal is a very lengthy process. What took you an hour in the tattoo parlor could translate to multiple visits to the laser surgeon. The problem of having your Ex's name glaring at you could quickly be solved by covering it with an opaque design in an afternoon.

3) My younger sister's friend is currently having a tattoo removed. From what I hear, it's absolutely excruciating. I have several tattoos myself, some of which are rather large. I'm a huge wimp with a low pain tolerance but tattoos don't hurt enough that I'd never consider getting another one. My sister's friend says that the laser removal hurts so much that she hopes that she never feels that kind of pain again in her life.

While a tattoo is a needle piercing the skin, the removal involves actually BURNING THE TATTOO OFF until it turns into SCAR TISSUE!!! OH MY GOD!!!!!!

It's going to hurt too much, take too long, and be too expensive to go through with the removal process. For the love of God, just get it covered with a new tat.
posted by Jon-o at 8:34 PM on May 22, 2005

The scar tissue issue is a big one- my uncle had his ex-wife's name lasered off about 10 years ago, and he can still see the little scar that says "Janet". Drives him crazy...
posted by InfidelZombie at 12:33 PM on May 23, 2005