Before and After My First Treatment

Whenever I am anticipating an event or situation to be painful (e.g. an exam, a race, a debate about the healthcare reform bill, etc.) I tend to build it up in my mind to be painful beyond epic proportions. I believe this is what people call “coping”. I do this so that when I am faced with the possible painful event and/or situation it is never as bad as the one my imagination has created.

When mentally preparing myself for my first laser tattoo removal treatment I imagined it would be like having scalding, hot, grease splashed onto my skin over and over. The experience wasn’t unlike what I just described; however, believe it or not, it was tolerable. I had the option of having the tattoo injected with lidocaine before hand. Unfortunately that would have meant $100 extra dollars, and since my tattoo is fairly large I would have exceeded the maximum dose before the entire tattoo was numbed. Instead I opted for a few Tylenol and some nitrous oxide.

This is the tattoo before:

And this is after the first treatment:

Detail of the blistering:

Size of tattoo: 10’x7'

Percent fading: 0%

Time under the laser: ~20 minutes

Pre-medications: Tylenol 650mg, nitrous oxide

Pain Level: on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the worst pain imaginable) I would rate it a 6. I was still able to have a conversation with the Physician Assistant during the procedure.

Wound care products used: Bacitracin, Telfa pads (non-adhesive bandage), and Coban™ (a self-adherent dressing - awesome stuff).

After Effects: A small amount of sero-sanguinous drainage and blistering for about 3-5 days. I stopped bandaging it after 1 day because it was sort of a nuisance. I do not recommend this. If you can, keep performing wound care for at least 3 days.

Unexpected response: After day 3 my arm swelled up and took on a yellow tinge. I was not expecting that at all. After day 10 I thought I was out of the woods, the blisters began to scab, there was no swelling and no yellow tinge to my skin; however, the itching began. Oh the itching. Never in my life have I experienced an itch on this level. I half wanted to be put in a straight jacket and locked up. I ended up having to scratch it. I do not recommend this either. In order for the tattoo to heal properly itching is not advised. To relieve the itch without scratching I applied Benadryl cream and when that wouldn't get the job done I would lightly scratch the tattoo with a gauze bath sponge. Both these remedies worked effectively.

Next treatment: second week in April.

Why and How

The question I get asked most is: Why? Good question.

Why did I get this tattoo in the first place, and why do I want to get it removed?

I think my tattoo is beautiful and the artist who inked my arm is exceptional. The tattoo serves as a reminder of a few things that are important to me. However, I am past the point in my life where I need a constant reminder of the reasons for getting the tattoo. Also, I am just tired of where the artwork is hanging. I should have considered my tendency to change a lot and not always like what I liked yesterday before getting a tattoo (I wish tattoos were moveable – then I would be a perfect candidate for one). Thus, the decision to get it removed popped into my head a few years ago. After a lot of research, contemplating, weighing pros and cons, I decided to start the process.

How long will it take?

It depends. For the size of my tattoo it will probably take anywhere between 8 and 15 sessions to inkless. That includes 6 - 8 weeks in-between treatments All together it will take at least a year to two years. This is a commitment just like getting a tattoo is a commitment. I figured I should get started now and not wait any longer.

How does tattoo removal work?

Magic! No, just kidding. There are three layers of the human skin: epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis aka subcutaneous tissue. Tattoo ink is injected into the dermis and therefore sticks around for eternity, save for some expected fading over time. Tattoo removal can be achieved by debriding the skin (think cheese grater), chemically (uh…no), and most often by laser. I am having mine removed via laser. A special laser is used to penetrate into the dermis at the site of the tattoo and break up the ink. After that it is up to the immune system to get rid of the tattoo ink.

I liked this visual representation from Rethink Laser Tattoo Removal

I hope that someone finds this information useful. I will post information on pain, pre-medications, post-medications, time, wound care, and before/after pictures.

Hello!

Hello Internet! The purpose of this website is to share a chronicle of my tattoo removal.

When I began researching tattoo removal I had a hard time finding a comprehensive account of an individual’s experience. Not to say there isn’t information out there, there is. Tons. Before and after photos, clinic websites, information about ways to remove tattoos, etc. But, not much in the way of a personal account. I suppose this is my way of filling in a possible gap.