Brand New Tattoo Regret - Denver, CO

Hello everyone. For the past week I've been quite the regular on this website, and first and foremost..thank you everyone for sharing your stories. I feel so much less alone in this situation. So here's my story. For the past couple of years I wanted a larger, colored tattoo. I have two other tattoos that I'm perfectly fine with and I've always liked tattoos when I see them on other people. After waiting this long I figured I wouldn't regret my decision. Well...I was wrong. Since getting it - a week and a day ago - I have obsessively searched for ways to get it removed. It's not an ugly tattoo, it's just the size of it is shocking to me. Maybe by the time it's healed enough to start laser treatment I'll have a change of heart, but right now all I can think about is wanting to rip it off my skin. I've already had two consultations and have one more on Monday, and am gathering the information so that when the time comes that I am actually able to start, I will have had time to mull it over, get educated, compare places that do the procedure, etc. The only problem is there is a chance I could be leaving the country for a year this summer...so basically I'd get two sessions in and then not have access to a treatment until at least a year later. I know it's going to be expensive and painful, but I figure if it upsets me this much, a few years of painful treatments is better than a lifetime of feeling like there is something that doesn't belong on me.

I think the worst part of this is how it has affected me emotionally. I've gone back and forth between having good days and bad days...but sometimes I feel like I just want to crawl up in a hole and not leave until this is resolved...which would be a long time in a hole!

Like I said though, everyone's stories make me feel a little better and less alone. So keep them coming, and I will be sure to update everyone with my situation!

I keep going back and forth on what to do about my situation. One minute I'm thinking I'll just keep it and forget laser. The next I'm thinking maybe I can just get rid of one part that bothers me the most. Then I think I'll just go for the whole thing. The scariest part of this to me is the fact that there is no guarantee it will be gone, and what if it looks worse after! With the colors in mine (dark purple, kind of a khaki green and darker green, coral, and of course black) and with the size of it..I don't want to end up having a mess. I just don't know what to do. I guess I still have about 4 more weeks till I can even start laser, so hopefully in that time I'll have come up with an answer. :(

As I said above, I keep going back and forth....but what I am thinking is maybe start removal on the part of the tattoo that is really bothering me ...which is black shading and the coral color....and see how my body does with that. Also have them test a few of the other colors to make sure I don't end up doing those and ending up with a giant black smudge effect on my back! What do you guys think? I know it would drag things out to not just start all at once..but I'm just so scared of making things worse. Ughh. Like I said, I've always liked tattoos, but all I can think about right now is how much I want my skin completely clear of ink! Including the other two small tattoos I have that I LOVED before this happened. I hate this whole thing and can't believe it's happening. I feel like I'm in a bad dream and I'll wake up and it'll all be over..but obviously that's not the case.