Because my stupid mistake made in my much-younger years was filled with tons of green and blue, I've had to wait for many years to even attempt removal. Even in Atlanta there aren't many places that offer the PicoSure and/or PicoWay lasers. I chose Dermatology Associates of Atlanta because they not only have PicoSure and PicoWay, but also the Q-Switched Nd: YAG Laser for tattoo removal. I was able to begin my first treatment immediately following my initial evaluation, which was awesome, and the $100 consult fee went toward my first treatment. I was lucky enough to have Dr. Karempelis perform the procedure. Because everyone is different and every tattoo artist is different, it's very difficult to accurately predict how long it will take to eradicate a tattoo. He did tell me I had the best chance of success because I am so pale-skinned. Yay. My tattoo artist decided to give me plenty of beautiful greens and blues, so I was told to expect plenty of blistering. Yay. First round was to start on all the black. The second round was with the PicoSure for the greens and blues. One word: OUCH! And oh boy was it ouchy. The whole "popping with a rubberband" analogy is complete b.s. It felt to me like someone was slowly burning me with a hot coal. The doc did point out that because it was so painful, that told him the laser was "seeing" the greens and blues really well. Yay. He went to the PicoWay for the orange and yellow. Long story short, I squeezed a foam ball and moaned internally for about 20 ish minutes. Directly afterward the whole sordid spot was that familiar white/icy looking scene we've all looked at on here. After slapping some antibacterial-coated saran wrap on top and then large white bandages I was good to go with some instructions: (1) keep covered until tomorrow morning; (2) elevate as needed; (3) don't touch it; (4) showering is ok; (5) regarding the inevitable blisters - it was suggested that I let mother nature take care of them unless they were causing such distress and disability that I am forced to pop them, in which case I must take great care to keep coated in antibacterial salve; (6) keep moist with Aquaphor or something similar until the itchy healing phase passes; (7) see you in 6 weeks for round 2; (8) NEVER feed after midnight - wait, that's another instruction booklet. LOL I kill me.
I'm happy to post photos later. I'll post the before later, and when the wrapping comes off I'll post a nasty tat-selfie so everyone can ooh and ahh and ask themselves if they really want to do this.
Updated on 17 Sep 2016:
Updated on 18 Sep 2016:
I've lanced and drained the giant blister 5 times and it keeps inflating. Also, smaller blisters have enlarged. Blisters everywhere. Pretty gross. Hope a long skirt will be doable for work tomorrow. No bandage today. It's very tender when I coat it in Aquaphor and bacitracin zinc.
Updated on 21 Sep 2016:
Even less pain today, though still quite tender. As long as nothing touches it I'm fine. I do still have blisters everywhere and tons of the red (blood blisters?) left, though the red has darkened to a maroon. That pesky ugly large blister just refuses to die. I caved in and lanced it again on the 3rd day and it stayed pretty flat until last night when I had to stand for hours - it re-inflated. But ... even through all the blisters and such I can DEFINITELY see that the ink has lightened everywhere and a great deal of the green is already gone in several places - yeehaw !! No more Bacitracin at this point - only Aquaphor three times a day. I've been *very* gently massaging it in just to avoid globs of the stuff on my clothing. I have had some itching, but not much yet (knocking on wood because I can feel it around the corner).
Updated on 21 Sep 2016:
Updated on 2 Oct 2016:
Still peeling where blisters were, but check out the difference !
Updated on 29 Oct 2016:
Updated on 29 Oct 2016:
This treatment was much more painful than the first - and I even used numbing cream and was given a pain pill beforehand. The lasers were increased, and I honestly think this was the most excruciating thing I've ever experienced ... and I've gone through natural childbirth .... being honest. BUT - take a look at the fading already !!
Updated on 15 Dec 2016:
Updated on 19 Dec 2016:
A bajillian blood blisters.
Updated on 2 Feb 2017:
I feel butterflies because last treatment was so excruciating. But look at the progress !!
Updated on 23 Mar 2017:
It's really happening. I can see it slowly disappearing.
Updated on 26 Mar 2017:
For the first time since my initial treatment I awoke on day 2 to blisters everywhere and deep purple bruising in spots. I haven't commented on treatments 3-4 because they were unremarkable, albeit painful. On each of those day 2s I awoke to red bruising everywhere, but no blisters. Hopefully it won't take long to recover.
Updated on 12 May 2017:
It's fading nicely, but it feels like it's taking ages. I want this monstrosity gone yesterday ! Today was treatment 6. As always, it was the longest 15 minutes of my life, and as always I made it through shuddering and whimpering the whole time. I'll post updates only if I blister again.
Updated on 30 Jun 2017:
I swear it's more painful each time !!
Take a look at how it's fading. This is right before the treatment today. I'll post an update before #8. Bottom line: it's going away !!
Updated on 25 Aug 2017:
Day before 8th treatment. It's really fading !!!
Updated on 20 Oct 2017:
There is zero doubt that it is disappearing. I've come a long way, baby.
Updated on 8 Dec 2017:
I didn’t think I could make it through this treatment - it hurts more each time. Somehow I did. The motivation is my “just before” photo. It’s clearly disappearing, which I want more than anything. So still worth it. But excruciating. Seriously.
Updated on 26 Jan 2018:
I am so pleased with the progress. Of course I wish I were done ... and of course it hurts like nothing else. But there is no denying it’s going away.
Updated on 26 Mar 2018:
The good news is that it’s fading. The bad news is that it’s still there...
Updated on 11 May 2018:
This is an agonizingly slow process.
Updated on 29 Jun 2018:
It hurt much worse during the treatment this time, but much less afterward and less swelling. I’m interested to see if there is a lot of bruising tomorrow.
Updated on 30 Oct 2019:
Just before treatment no. 24. I haven’t updated in a long time, but my treatments have continued. I keep hoping they will get easier, but my tattoo artist used an incredible amount of ink. Lucky me! Because the remaining ink is now so near my nerve endings, per the doc, it’s excruciating. But it IS going disappearing. One day I will look down at my left calf and see nothing but a ghostly white leg - this awful tattoo will be gone.