Very helpful explained everything well and made me feel very comfortable

Thanks, i'm glad i found this place! They have the picosure laser. I hope it will work well on my heavy black forearm. I have some nasty scarring around my inner wrist on that arm under the ink from the artist working the skin too much. This guy messed me up pretty good. :(

The Picosure seems to be great, so far it has a 100% worth it rating on the site. I hear ya on the scarring, the guy that did my tattoo did the same thing, I even remember saying to him during the tattoo session...why are you pressing so hard..he told me not to worry : /  He really made a mess of my back. When I got my most recent tattoo the artists (3 of them) at the shop knew him and knew the story of my tattoo...apparently he did a half fast job on purpose as he felt that he wasn't being paid enough...he is known for that. I thought...well I never ever said I didn't want to pay his rate, not sure how that happened. I could go on, but I have just let go of the anger...He got his Karma...lost his job over what he did to me. I don't understand how anyone could purposely not give their 110% when working on something as permanent as a tattoo. Well, we are in this together so stick around. 

I'm sorry to hear this happened to you as well! For awhile i was just so mad about the scarring. I learned that both can be treated so i just have to be patient. Lugging around in long sleeves year round (i hate long sleeves!) I totally agree! It's sickening that one human being can show such little care for the body of another. I blame myself though for being so thoughtless at the time. The anger, embarrasement, regret, guilt and shame has been so crushing on me. People tell me it's no big deal and i wish so bad it wasn't to me. The suffering can be so lonely. Glad i found this place and finally took the first steps in truly getting over this. Sorry to be a neg.

The solid black freaks me out. I feel like it will never go away. The anxiety and depression is maddening at times. We have to stay positive though. I wish the same for you! Nothing but the best! Was yours a cover up?

I just hate being such a downer. I was quoted 2,000 a session. I knew 2,000 for the whole thing seemed way to good to be true. I can't even work right now because of how bad my anxiety is from this. I can't even leave my house. I know it sounds crazy but i developed really bad anxiety as a result of the comments and stares i used to get when i'd wear a simple t-shirt in public. How many years has it been for you? Thanks for being so understanding. I'm trying to at least find some sort of work at home type of job to gather some funds together for the removal. Problem is that if i start working i lose my health insurnace and there goes my therapy and psych doc.

WHOA 2000 PER SESSION IS INSANE! I did the math, traveling costs not included, I paid that much for 10 sessions with a qswitch and also have two sleeves. granted, I got a deal (i think because i traveled so far), it still should doable financially for most people these days. your tattoos look pretty amateurish and light (no offense, its a good thing in cases of removal), youd be set for a cover up in no time. jack Morton is in southern Illinois, if youre willing to travel, the guys really good and is affordable.

Thanks so much for the info. I did end up getting in contact with 'Hindsight tattoo removal' located in Chicago. They said they'd be willing to treat all of them for 550 a session. Sounds much more manigable. I'm glad i stopped going to the guy who was doing these tattoos when i did. I was pretty naive and didn't know much about tattoing at the time. I was under the impression that i would end up with something reasonable. I paid an average of 250 for each and even paid him for touch ups more than i would like to say here. I don't know what was going thru my head in those days. I'm just glad i stopped when i did. Dude kept texting me for awhile, "wanna get more work bro?". Yeaaa no.. What a disaster.

stories the exact same as mine man.. lol "wanna get more work bro". no, I want to get rid of your work bro, actually..

I even have the same "bars"..

Haha, i'm sure he went on to wreck many more peoples lives after he gave up on me. Too bad they're more like prison bars now lol. I miss going to shows and playing music. If it wasn't for the social anxiety i aquired i'd still be active. Best of luck with yours! Have you started a cover up yet? We should all come out of this stronger if not at least a bit wiser. I try to look at things that way so i don't feel like such a goomba.

Hey ihatemyattoos, I say if you miss going to shows and playing music you should just go, live your life again! I completely understand the social anxiety as the same thing happened to me, I stopped going to the gym and just worked out at home, I stopped instructing group fitness classes, I basically became a hermit. With the encouragement of my family and realizing that my quality of life degraded I took small steps to build up the courage to get to where I am now. I am back to do the things I love and I am happier for it - you can do it to! 

It's been the hermits life for me for a awhile now. I try to get myself out and end up having panic attacks and making everyone else feel uncomfortable. Worse off i think i developed a complex and dealing with that has been extremely tough. Thanks for the encouragement though. My family has also been really supportive.

I am glad you have family for support, that is so important. Have you tried working with a doctor/therapist to help with your panic attacks? Those are so hard to overcome, but you can, and you will. Know your triggers, which obviously is the tattoos but when you're out what is it that sets it off? I remember for me it was seeing other women in the gym with tank tops that I could not wear, or the beach, basically anytime I saw an attractive women exposing her back I would freak out inside. It is very uncomfortable for the family, extremely because they really don't fully understand and when you don't understand it's challenging - as the cycle continues they will get uncomfortable and frustrated - that is normal. That was a big reason I knew I had to step up and work towards resolving my issues. I couldn't stand to see my kids watch their mother loose her mind, cry on the way home from the mall because I couldn't buy this or that, or saw a girl in a backless dress and get upset, and my daughter just wanted to have a fun day at the mall. I had to stop making it all about me and realize that my emotional illness was impacting everyone, it no longer was my issue it becomes everyone's issue and it's really not fair. I know this hard but here is your opportunity to make some changes...small steps. I recall this post from my blog, the family wanted to go out, I was on the bed (as usual) reading and sulking..the kids and my husband came to ask me to go out and enjoy the summer day, I said I wasn't ready...etc...cried - then I read something that just hit me: 

I am spending the afternoon reading, and in my...

• 6 Apr 2013
• 6 months post

I am spending the afternoon reading, and in my book, the author writes: "It was as if I had been swimming down the same river over and over, and each time I would come across a large rock blocking my natural flow. It was always there. One day, though, I realized that it may always be there. So rather than have to face that same rock, that same blockage, repeatedly, I was choosing somewhere different to swim. I didn't have to set myself up for that hurdle over and over, one that hindered my natural progress, causing blockages and pain every time without fail." ~Bonnie Ware "The Top Five REGRETS of the Dying" 

I'm seeing a pdoc and was talking to a therapist, but i stopped talking to the therapist. I have panic and anxiety all the time even at home. I used to go out but felt so uncomfotable and i couldn't just let go. I guess it's the fact that they're on my arms and i have to see them all the time. I miss my t-shirts so much. I used to wear one even in the winter. I hate long sleeves so much. I've forced myself to go out with a t-shirt on and always ended up regretting it. People have been really rude to me about my situation (sorta how my social anxiety started). I used to get so much pent up aggression from dealing with that all the time that i would lash out. I've learned to keep my cool kinda like buddha. When it got to the point that i became suicidal i knew that i couldn't handle it on my own anymore and needed professional help. It's been about a year since i first saught treatment. I was reluctant to take the stuff for a long time. I just started again a couple of weeks ago. I'm at least sleeping a little now but i'm still housebound. I'm hoping that will change soon enough.

I just barely got back from my first session. lower portion of the arm, outline and background. have to wait til next month to get the color in, but looks great so far. its pretty amazing what can be done in our situation. then theres the upper arm after. I also need more treatments on my other arm which I haven't pictured. as soon as I start on that journey I will be posting reviews.

oops, that was supposed to be a reply to above!

Look forward to watching your progress, so apprciated that you keep the commuity updated :)

Everyone on here has been so great. I took your advice and decided to make some baby steps already to getting out there. It's just so damn scary when you feel like all eyes are on you, judging you blah, blah, i know.. I know things will get better and everything will turn out great. I just hate how my head sometimes gets in this negative mode where all i can beleive is negative crap (you'll never get things done, your life is so fargone). I'm begining to challenge that thought process though and it seems to be working a bit. I should be financially ready to start the first treatment in the next month or two. Thanks.

Man that's so awesome! What style are they using for the cover up?

its a koi sleeve. I tried to take some pictures last night, but its hard to capture whats going on, since we only started on the lower half of my arm and haven't added any color yet. still a long way off though from completing this sleeve, then I still need more laser on my other arm, and then a process to complete that sleeve. lots of money and time still need to be invested and its still extremely stressful right now. but i see similarities between us, so i wish there was something that i could say. feel free to PM me to talk anytime.

I am glad that you did reach out, and I encourage you to continue on with your therapist if that is an option. Letting go indeed is hard, but it's the first step to moving forward. When we are afraid we tend to pull back from living our life but by doing so you miss out on so much. At some point you just have to be brave and stand up for yourself. As hard as it is to stop caring about what people think of you, you have to let go and stop experiencing yourself by what other think of you. You are hiding behind long sleeves, just as I would hide behind full back tops, but I did eventually let go and I don't care if some of my tattoo shows, or if anyone sees it...why don't you try a 3/4 length base ball style shirt (not sure if that describes it well) People can be very rude, but for those people do you really care, be thankful that you are not like them. Congrats on keeping your cool, Buddhism is wonderful, and I will throw something out there for you, if you haven't tried yoga yet, give it a try at home - it goes hand in hand and is very healing. Remember that every single person in this world suffers for all different reasons, we get lost but in time we find ourselves again, trust me you will also. 

Great to hear, you can do it and we are all behind you for support!

I second eva on Buddhism and/or yoga. I got involved in practicing Buddhism because of this, and can honestly say that it single handedly was the thing that kept me afloat (just "afloat" because I could have been more serious about it). and even though im not so stressed or depressed anymore, its something I will continue to do, if anything positive has come out of all this. hope youre doing well.

I'm doing alright, thanks man :). I'm a christian, but always thought buddhism had some really great ideas and practices on things. I'm open minded and may look into buddhism a bit further. Your story was one of the things that brought me to sign up for an account on here. I saw the BF tattoo and was like "hmmm.. here's someone i can even closer relate too haha. I give you and Eva mad props for being able to still go about your lives. I litteraly freeze in fear of doing most anything at all. I've managed to save up quite a bit already for someone out of work. I will soon be able to start treatment. I'm even scared of going to the appointment and having to talk to the people treating me. I hope they're cool.