"Instant Regret Tattoo Removal...." Boston, MA

I need to start by saying this site and your posts have both helped me tremendously, I am glad to find out that I am not alone. I have a few tattoos and I love them all. I have always wanted an arm sleeve done and have spent quite a while drawing up all of the pieces to complete my arm. I had a large shoulder tattoo extended and added to back in 2014 so I couldn't wait to continue down my arm. I waited quite a while to schedule the new work on my forearm and was counting down the days til my appointment which was back in early December 2015. Well, the artist did a great job with my new work that is for sure. I woke up the day after getting my new forearm art and was instantly sick to my stomach looking at it, still not sure how or why this has happened to me. If I didn't find this site and your stories I would still be wondering what was wrong with me but now I realize how this instant regret feeling happens and it happens to a lot of us! I waited out the few weeks of "new tattoo shock" but nothing changed, I can't look at it, I can't look at myself in the mirror, and I keep it covered from anyone seeing it 24/7. I will start by saying this has and is going to be a long process that has added a lot more stress and depression to my life. I have been in a tough place going through a divorce with a 5 year old son that is my world. I am going to somehow attempt to get through the next year without letting anyone know I had this work done. I understand this will be close to impossible but I am going to make it happen, I have been sick to my stomach daily because of this new work on my arm. I am not having the entire tattoo removed which complicates things a bit more, it goes around my forearm therefore would require 2 separate processes of removal.

I had 2 consultations, both at dedicated tattoo laser removal clinics. The first consultation only uses the Rev Light and quoted me $450 a session with a minimum of about 10 sessions for removal. The 2nd clinic has both the Rev Light and Pico machines, Rev Light is $325 a session and the Pico is $750 a session. I have spent the past 2 months here reviewing what to do and I am still not sure so I went with the Rev Light $325 for my first session which was just 36 hours ago. The staff recommended starting with the Rev Light for a few sessions then switching over to the Pico. I think I am going to alternate between the Rev Light and Pico for the first 4 sessions and then decide which to go with after that. I cannot believe the cost, time, and stress this has/is caused but I am so glad I at least started this process. I hope to update this as I go so maybe I can help someone else in their journey....

My tattoo is only outline and shading, I did not go back for color work thankfully to finding this site and reading about removal of colors on top of outline/shading. The first couple of pics are before the process of removal, the others are 36 hours post 1st session. I am not sure how clear the pics are using my phone, you can see the difference of the removal work already. I did not have the outside roses touched as I am keeping that part of the tattoo, the removal is only for the skeleton (Bertha) and body. More to come as I will be going every six weeks for another session.

Please please feel free to comment any advice you may have from your experience, from all of my research Pico is faster and will get the work removed faster but it is so expensive. If Pico is that much better than Rev Light I will certainly find a way to have all of the removal work done using Pico ! I wish you all the best during your journey, thank you for posting and helping others going through the same journey as it has helped me tremendously.

These pics are 5 weeks since my first Rev Lite session. I can see tiny line fading here and there but not much at all. I found a spa with the Enlighten laser and have a consultation today. I will be trying the Enlighten treatment for session #2 in a few weeks as long as I can afford it !

Some quick pics 3 hours after my first Enlighten laser treatment. I did not use any numbing treatment or cooling fan, it was painful but not as painful as my first Rev Lite treatment 6 weeks ago. These pics don't show the redness and blisters that are already forming too well but wanted to update you all. I will update more in depth in a few days. I am so glad I found the spa with the Enlighten laser !!