Laser Tattoo Removal

Nurses General Nursing

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I was wondering if any other nurses out there have or are going through the same experience as me. This is one of the most painful things i've ever had to do, my advice to whoever reads this is if you ever want a tattoo done, make sure you want it to be permanent!

Today I went for my fourth treatment. My memory of the first three are of extreme pain and tears. The procedure had to be aborted because I just couldn't cope with the pain. First they tried injecting local. The laser nurse waited for five minutes and then tried but it was too painful. We waited another ten minutes tried again, too painful. I don't know why the block didn't work. I've seen lumps cut out of people under local with no problems. They then applied EMLA (lignocaine and prilocaine 25mg/2ml) cream waited half an hour but I just couldn't go through with it because it still hurt. Lucky for me they waivered the fee.

Next time the plan is to put the cream on first,then inject me with local. Before this I'm to take Panadeine Forte (Acitominophen codeine phosphate) before going in.

So anyone else out there going through a similar ordeal?

I am in the process of removing a tattoo that I got when I was 20 years old. It is on my right breast and I hate it.

I didnt do the laser treatment. Instead, I'm doing Wrecking Balm and I'm seeing a change already. It does hurt though, but I don't think it hurts as much as laser.

I'm African American and inquired about the laser removal. I was told it was no gurantee that all of the tattoo will be removed due to my skin pigmentation. So, I'll take my chances with Wrecking Balm at a much cheaper rate.

Nurse2be, so WrecknBall is Working for you? Do you have a website for it and how long have you been using it.

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My husband's good friend and former boss recently allowed her 16 year old daughter to have skulls tattooed on the undersides of BOTH of her forearms. They are fairly large, too.

When my 16 year old daughter asks for something like this, I'll let her have it done.... over my dead body.

I was talking to my husband about it and decided that it was a battle that Regina, his former boss, decided not to pick. Her daughter has been a bit wild and Regina probably has really had to learn how to pick her battles. She probably figures hey, her daughter will learn her lesson in about oh, fifteen years or so, when she herself is trying to have those tattoos removed. ;)

Myself, I have a decent sized tattoo above my left shoulderblade that I designed myself. I wouldn't say that I LOVE it; as the years go on I realize that I'm not totally crazy about how it turned out. It was my own design though, it has special meaning for me, and so I doubt I'll ever have it removed. It represents my daughter, and eventually I'd like to get one somewhere, to represent my son. I'm going to be careful about designing it, and picking someone who will do a really good job copying it to my body. =)

Did she have it done in a parlor? In Iowa, it is illegal for a licensed artist to tattoo someone before age 21, and 18 in Illinois.

My uncle has a large scar on his forearm that looks like a burn scar, and when I was a little kid, I asked him what happened to his arm as kids will do. He said, "I had a tattoo removed" and his whole demeanor said, "Never EVER get one!"

In those days, the only way to have a tattoo removed was to have the skin cut out, and in my uncle's case he had to have a skin graft. And no, it wasn't covered by insurance.

I know a dermatologist who does not do tattoo removals unless they pay cash up front because her experience is that they don't pay their bills. She actually does more tattooing than removals - things like skin diseases and breast reconstructions.

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I would rather get mine covered than removed. A great artist can cover almost ANYTHING- make it look even better than before.

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Specializes in Operating Room Nursing.

I haven't had any treatment for a long time, not since I last posted. I still intend to get rid of it but I'm just procrastinating at the moment because of the pain.

I am also considering surgical options as well.

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Specializes in Making the Pt laugh..

In one of the very smart moves I have made while under the influence of alcohol my tattoo is easily changed. It has my wifes name written in the shape of a pagan fertility symbol to symbolise her gift of childeren. If she and I part ways I can easily have it changed into something completly different, not that I need to worry because unless you know how and which way to look at it you wont notice her name.

I still barely remember it getting done, it was in a tattoo parlour in the back of a bar, you press the buzzer and the bar staff would bring more drinks......probably how I got inked in the first place. Now to convince the Minister of War & Finance to allow me to get another one.

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Now to convince the Minister of War & Finance to allow me to get another one.

LOL! Who is that??

This thread bums me out :( I have a good majority of my body covered in tattoos and I could never imagine getting any of them removed. Good luck to everyone who's going through this though, it can't be easy :heartbeat

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Nurse2be, so WrecknBall is Working for you? Do you have a website for it and how long have you been using it.

Here's the website:

http://www.wreckingbalm.com/

I have been using it for a month. I'm not as consistant as they want you to be due to the pain. You only have to use it 3 times a week. I am noticing that the tattoo is fading somewhat. What it looks like is dead skin cells are about to peel off, which is the old skin cells that contain the ink. This is how it's fading.

I also wear the concealer they give you when I wear any shirt that may show cleavage.

I paid about $250 for the entire kit and they offer a full money back guarantee if your tattoo is not completely faded within 6 months.

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Specializes in Making the Pt laugh..
Now to convince the Minister of War & Finance to allow me to get another one.

LOL! Who is that??

:heartbeat

The Minister of War & Finance is the pet name I have for my beloved wife. I call her that because she is the one who decides when we go to war and also decides how the finances are spent.

If I got the tattoo I realy want, I can safely say that we would end up in a war and my finances, (read: Pocket Money) will be cut.

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The Minister of War & Finance is the pet name I have for my beloved wife. I call her that because she is the one who decides when we go to war and also decides how the finances are spent.

If I got the tattoo I realy want, I can safely say that we would end up in a war and my finances, (read: Pocket Money) will be cut.

I'm going to assume all of this is sarcastic, so I won't comment negatively on the state of your relationship. Unless, of course, you like being controlled.

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Specializes in ER,ICU,L+D,OR.

I have loved all my tats that have been applied. I designed almost all of them. I would never think of removing them. They are a part of me.

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Specializes in Making the Pt laugh..
I'm going to assume all of this is sarcastic, so I won't comment negatively on the state of your relationship. Unless, of course, you like being controlled.

If you heard what my wife calls me, especialy after reading my pet name for her it would be easy to think all sorts of things. Fortunately, we have a sense of humour that lends us to tease each other in this manner.

She just doesn't like tattoos.

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Specializes in NICU, Telephone Triage.
[Depending on where it is, have you looked at having it incised? I'm just gonna get it over with myself. And then get the tat that I really want (well hidden, of course! LOL!)]

[scrubby, if you don't mind answering, where is your tattoo and how big is it?]

I would really love to have it excised. I think it's too large though. To answer both your questions it runs down my spine. It's not a solid tattoo though, kind of a celtic design. But i'm seriously thinking of inquiring about having it incised out. I'd rather have a scar than the stupid thing on my back, but it may involve skin grafts....

It would be really good if you could just tattoo over the damned thing with skin colored ink. :icon_roll

Yeah, I asked about the skin colored ink idea and a tatoo place said it makes them look worse, it doesn't work. I decided to make my tatoo look better. I didn't like it much at first, so I went and added color to it and I like it more now.

I would be careful since it's on your spine. Good luck!

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