Instant Regret, Too Big and Bulky. Miss my Plain Skin :( - London, GB

Hey there - I'm sorry that you are less than thrilled with you new tattoo. I honestly think it looks great, but of course it's not my body. Give it some time to heal and sink in. It's so shocking to have such an immediate change to our bodies - not much else can compare or prepare ourselves for such a change. I think removal is possible for you, but give yourself some time before making another big change. Good luck in your journey :)

Hello! I'm sorry you're not happy with your ink! I honestly think it's quite lovely and not a terrible mess-up like some other tattoos I've seen here. Could it just be that you are in shock from the change you've made to your body? It's not uncommon for people to feel that way after a tattoo. I highly recommend trying to remember the reasons why you got the tattoo in the first place, and try to remember what, if anything, it represents. And the biggest thing is give it some time. Try not to dwell on what you don't like about it, but what you do like, and what it says about you

However, if you give it a little time and a little thought and truly believe it doesn't suit you, none of us will judge you for wanting to remove it. I only say the things I do because laser removal isn't instant and it's not that cheap and I would hate to have you regret trying to remove it.

If/when you do consider removal pink ink can be quite a bit tricky. But I have seen some great fading here and elsewhere of tricky colors. Someone I talk to often on RealSelf had red in her tattoo that is almost gone, her username is bennieBabs. Maybe her pictures can give you some hope?

I wish I could give you a big hug. Pretty much the exact same thing happened to me.

I got a tattoo on my arm, around that size, because I was in a state of depression and I made a rash decision. I have undergone 8 laser treatments (picosure) and the result is pretty bad. I have darker tan skin, sort of a lighter caramel, so I got a lot of discoloration. I'm going for a coverup soon, because I have no choice. I miss my bare skin as well..and I'm so sorry you had to go through this too.

Good news for you is you have pretty light skin, and the laser might respond a lot better to you. Picosure got rid of my purples/blues/greens a lot. Red, it did nothing. I read that the proper laser for that is the Q-switch, which is better for red and black ink. So you may need to use Pico And Q switch.

I know it won't help, but I think your tatt looks beautiful. Be careful and think about if you want it removed or not, because you might be left with something way worse than what you have now..your arm is not going to be the same as it originally was..

My arm is much worse than yours, its a half finished mess with lots of colour. I don't know if I should just finish it and hope for the best or start lazer. I don't see any success stories for anything as dense as mine. You tattoo is finished nicely you might end up liking it.

I have a half sleeve of every color you can think of and I'm going to start removal! Nothing is impossible, it just takes a long time for the body to break down the ink. I went to a consultation with someone who has a Picosure laser. Going to remove a blue "flower" to start. I was told new ink can be easier to remove than sun exposed ink. Of course amature ink being the easiest by far. I too have TONS of pink and black swirls I will work on next. The best laser for this seems to be the Picoway. I highly recommend searching for a Picosure or Picoway laser and going in for a consultation. It's best to get answers to these questions right from the professionals. I learned most tattoo removal cases aren't documented online. I searched all over this site for days after my tattoo nightmare! Know you aren't alone in your tattoo regret..... Your tattoo is beautiful regardless if you keep it or not. We are our own worst critics! :)

That's the thing about lasers, they're so unpredictable..and there is no way to tell what result you will get in the end. Everyone's different, she should have mentioned that.

Hi there!
You definitely are not alone! I recently got a tattoo done on my arm. Had planned it for years but has not turned out how I wanted. Its too big, on my bicep and too dark. At first I bloody freaked out. For weeks I stalked the internet trying to find hope that it can be removed, panicking, even looking at ways to cut it off (obviously not something I would have actually done). I looked at everyone else's lovely bare, untainted arm "what have I done?" " I wish I could go back and not had it done" blah blah. I was a MESS for weeks. Now, two months on I have made peace. The ink has settled and things are so much better. I see things clearly and my tattoo now feels like it has always been there.
I am still going to have it removed because it isn't what I wanted and I want to change it. Wayne is going to be treating me from the Reset Room London. He has been fantastic! When I emailed him with panicked photos and cries for help he was supportive and informative. I'm almost excited to see him now! I'm looking forward to starting the removal process....and it is just that - a long process! Your body will be working to remove the ink particles that get blasted by the laser. I'm seeing it as a kick start to being healthier (to help my lymphatic system ie drinking more water, green tea, raw veg, jumping/exercising) but remember, everyone will respond differently. Some people fly through laser removal, other people need more time. I've heard lots of crap about so and so colours aren't removable, or old/new tatts are harder/easier. There are lots of anecdotes on the internet but take it all with a pinch of salt.
There is loads of great support here! Tattoo is regret is real and terrifying but given time things get better and you learn to accept your situation.
I will say that, in my opinion, Andrea Catton is very very expensive! I think mainly because she has been on BodyShockers on BBC3 ( I think it was). Not sure there is any need for her to charge so much for using the Pico! The choice is yours though!
It is your body and your life but at the end of day its just a tattoo.... :)

That's great you have hope again, I was told 6 to 8 treatment but I would have to spit the tattoo into 2 or 3!! I think the number of treatment these places say are very optimistic but we have to start somewhere!!

WOW! I thought pico-laser treatments was expensive here in my country, but that is way overpriced. I would check out the prices in other clinics with pico lasers. I would say that my tattoo is even bigger than yours and I am not paying that much. The standard price was 300GBP (converted from NOK) per treatment, but I bought 6 treatments as a package and paid 215 GBP per treatment.

Picosure can definitely do what she says it can, however, 4-6 treatments might be a stretch. My doctor said usually 6-8 and explained that depending on my body and the ink its never a guarantee. That being said I think the discount if you can buy multiple, is the way to go. I paid ahead of time and used a 0 interest credit card...
I wouldn't take the excision route right away. I would wait and see if there are areas that don't lift and save that procedure for then. My tattoos have been lifting pretty fast, but I have a solid black star that isn't lifting well. I might have that one cut out once the rest of mine are faded.