POSTED UNDER Tattoo Removal REVIEWS
Tattoo Removal by Excision
ORIGINAL POST
On 10/18/2016 I made the (very bad) decision to...
Emidio 1988July 18, 2017
WORTH IT$391
On 10/18/2016 I made the (very bad) decision to ink my left inner forearm with a 2.5 x 1 inches tattoo full of meaning for me (the logo of McLaren, the F1 team that I love so deeply) and I can assure you that day I was 100% convinced.
Unfortunately, that same night (I precisely remember the moment, when I put Bepanthenol on the tattoo for the very first time) I began to feel uncomfortable, scared and depressed about what I just did to my skin (even if the logo was perfectly done) and, believe me, it was the WORST FEELING IN MY LIFE for 8 months. That night I joined the world of tattoo regret. Oh, and when I say "uncomfortable", "scared" and "depressed" I mean feeling just as your life's come to an END, with sleepless nights, constant 24/24h thoughts (even in the dreams) about that black dirty "thing" on my skin, no eating, no concentration, constant researches on the web and on RealSelf about tattoo removal, etc. Simply a NIGHTMARE and something I don't want to remember, something only people who pass through it can really understand. Don't get me wrong: I KNOW that there are a lot of worse things you can experience in your life (from the death of a beloved one to the lose of a job, etc.) but, believe me, having something that you hate PERMANENT on your skin is just unbearable and I didn't want to show my forearm for any reason EVEN TO MYSELF, since I was so self-consciuos about it. I just wanted it gone and resume possession of my skin and my life.
In February I even tried the Picosure laser with ZERO results. I mean, I know that it is a very long process and I couldn't hope for results after just 1 treatment, but the absence of ANY result after months drove me literally crazy (I think I could have taken as long as 2 years of treatments and tonnes of money to get rid of a tattoo so black) and, after accurate researches, I met a very qualificate surgeon who basically gave me back my psychophysical wellness with tattoo excision.
On 06/21/2017 I had the surgery with internal stitches and just a few external ones which my surgeon removed for me after seven day. The process itself was very fast (less than one hour in total) and cheapy, thanks to the little size of my tattoo, and when I first saw my arm finally without anything but a single neat line instead of that black filth...well, I was about to cry for joy, after 8 months of hell!
It's been almost a month from the process and my little Y shaped scar is healing so well: I've used steri-strips until today and now I'm beginning to massage my scar with BioOil to flatten it, since it's still red and thick from the skin tensions that obviously need some time to dampen. I am SO happy to finally do things and live my life without that black stain on my forearm, which was constantly on the corner of my eyes everything I did. My surgeon has assured me that, if I'm not genetically prone to hypertrophic scars or keloids (but with a pale skin as mine and specifically on the forearm it's very unlikely) the resulting scar will be barely noticeable and after the 1 year process of maturation it will end in a neat thin white line, with the pale background of the inner forearm which is slightly paler than the rest of the arm already on its own. Massaging accurately the scar and avoiding the sun exposure for the first months are the two fundamental routines to follow but I don't think it will be a problem for me even in the summertime thanks to specifical creams and oils.
My passion for McLaren is deeper than ever now and I've come to the conclusion that you don't need to write something on your skin FOREVER to pay homage to it. I should have respected my skin more instead of inking/dirting it and I hope that my experience could be useful to other ones planning to have a tattoo: think about it VERY VERY VERY carefully. I didn't use to hate tattoos and maybe I don't even now (obviously on other people) BUT after this experience I've learned that it's just not something for everyone.
My advice is: DON'T INK ANYWAY. Not doing a tattoo is something you'll never regret in your life, while viceversa you could experience very bad feelings of regret and I'm talking about the WORST regret.
Unfortunately, that same night (I precisely remember the moment, when I put Bepanthenol on the tattoo for the very first time) I began to feel uncomfortable, scared and depressed about what I just did to my skin (even if the logo was perfectly done) and, believe me, it was the WORST FEELING IN MY LIFE for 8 months. That night I joined the world of tattoo regret. Oh, and when I say "uncomfortable", "scared" and "depressed" I mean feeling just as your life's come to an END, with sleepless nights, constant 24/24h thoughts (even in the dreams) about that black dirty "thing" on my skin, no eating, no concentration, constant researches on the web and on RealSelf about tattoo removal, etc. Simply a NIGHTMARE and something I don't want to remember, something only people who pass through it can really understand. Don't get me wrong: I KNOW that there are a lot of worse things you can experience in your life (from the death of a beloved one to the lose of a job, etc.) but, believe me, having something that you hate PERMANENT on your skin is just unbearable and I didn't want to show my forearm for any reason EVEN TO MYSELF, since I was so self-consciuos about it. I just wanted it gone and resume possession of my skin and my life.
In February I even tried the Picosure laser with ZERO results. I mean, I know that it is a very long process and I couldn't hope for results after just 1 treatment, but the absence of ANY result after months drove me literally crazy (I think I could have taken as long as 2 years of treatments and tonnes of money to get rid of a tattoo so black) and, after accurate researches, I met a very qualificate surgeon who basically gave me back my psychophysical wellness with tattoo excision.
On 06/21/2017 I had the surgery with internal stitches and just a few external ones which my surgeon removed for me after seven day. The process itself was very fast (less than one hour in total) and cheapy, thanks to the little size of my tattoo, and when I first saw my arm finally without anything but a single neat line instead of that black filth...well, I was about to cry for joy, after 8 months of hell!
It's been almost a month from the process and my little Y shaped scar is healing so well: I've used steri-strips until today and now I'm beginning to massage my scar with BioOil to flatten it, since it's still red and thick from the skin tensions that obviously need some time to dampen. I am SO happy to finally do things and live my life without that black stain on my forearm, which was constantly on the corner of my eyes everything I did. My surgeon has assured me that, if I'm not genetically prone to hypertrophic scars or keloids (but with a pale skin as mine and specifically on the forearm it's very unlikely) the resulting scar will be barely noticeable and after the 1 year process of maturation it will end in a neat thin white line, with the pale background of the inner forearm which is slightly paler than the rest of the arm already on its own. Massaging accurately the scar and avoiding the sun exposure for the first months are the two fundamental routines to follow but I don't think it will be a problem for me even in the summertime thanks to specifical creams and oils.
My passion for McLaren is deeper than ever now and I've come to the conclusion that you don't need to write something on your skin FOREVER to pay homage to it. I should have respected my skin more instead of inking/dirting it and I hope that my experience could be useful to other ones planning to have a tattoo: think about it VERY VERY VERY carefully. I didn't use to hate tattoos and maybe I don't even now (obviously on other people) BUT after this experience I've learned that it's just not something for everyone.
My advice is: DON'T INK ANYWAY. Not doing a tattoo is something you'll never regret in your life, while viceversa you could experience very bad feelings of regret and I'm talking about the WORST regret.
Replies (11)
September 9, 2017
I regret my tattoo. Only 6 weeks old. Big colored tattoo on my calf. I have little hope of complete removal.
September 11, 2017
Thank you for sharing regarding your tattoo removal .... please tell me what type of surgeon performed this for you ??? Any type of laser is such a joke and waste of money and extremely painful with blisters .. My story is simply.. Brian my 18-year-old youngest son was murdered .... during the trial I had his name tattooed on my wrist ... they misspelled his name and put Brain..
( My Brian was shot in the head in a drive-by ) Again share some details of the name of this type of surgery so I can have done immediately .. 3. 5 years is to long... Thank you ..
( My Brian was shot in the head in a drive-by ) Again share some details of the name of this type of surgery so I can have done immediately .. 3. 5 years is to long... Thank you ..
September 11, 2017
I agree with you on the fact that laser is pretty much useless if you think about the massive amount of time and money needed: I just had one laser session with zero results (ironically I think my tattoo got even darker!). As regards the surgery, you can just contact your nearest qualified plastic surgeon: the procedure is pretty easy for a surgeon as only the very first layers of your skin is removed (and tipically they go as deep as the bone when they perform surgeries like fracture repairs, etc)! :)
UPDATED FROM Emidio 1988
2 months post
2 months
Emidio 1988August 29, 2017
I let the picture speak for itself! I have my arm and my LIFE back.
Replies (6)
September 2, 2017
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I also had a tattoo done on my wrist which I've regreted ever since. Every time I saw it, I would hurry and cover it up under my watch or blouse. Three days ago I got it surgically removed. It feels right, but I am still nervous about the scaring. Your scar looks absolutely amazing, and I am hoping for the same result. Can you tell me how long time you rested your arm after the operation? I'm pretty paranoid and fearing that I'll make the scar worse with too much movement. Again - thanks a lot.
September 4, 2017
Try not to make excessive movements just for the first weeks, until you take off the steristrips and your scar is perfectly closed. After this stage, you can treat your scar by MASSAGING it (with the help of creams like Mederma): this is the most important thing to do and don't worry about moving/stretching your scar a little bit, because it helps to reduce the excess of collagen and it becomes flat. After 3/4 weeks I've begun to massage my scar, have normal showers and even swim in the sea! Just protect it from the sun every time with 50+ creams or clothes for the first months and, believe me, nobody will ever notice you had a tattoo on your skin! My scar is soft, pale and thin and I too was so concerned in the first days after surgery, because I thought I made the wrong decision because of the fear of an ugly scar. But if you take care of it very carefully (I repeat: massage and protection from the sun) your body would do an amazing job. After just 2 months my scar is not noticeable anymore when it's not red (something you'll have to accept in the first period) and I will keep updating my review. :)
September 4, 2017
Thanks for your positive reply and tips. I was lying in bed feeling a bit sad about the whole process, so your reply made my morning! I hope so happy that everything worked out so well for you. I had my tattoo for 8 years before knowing about this option. I have many friends who tried laser and even after years of treatment, you could still see the shade of the tattoo.
I hope you don't mind I have a few more questions:
- What do you mean by "excessive" movement? Did you use it like normal the first couple of weeks and just avoided lifting heavy things with that arm etc? At the moment, I am still using it for basic things: washing up, writing on my computer, bicycling and so on.
- How did you take showers the first couple of weeks? At the moment I have a waterproof glove around it and my boyfriend helps with washing my hair, so I don't get water up the glove.
- I got inside disolvable stiches and one outside stich, which I am getting out in 10 days. On top of that they just put tape to keep in together, but no steristrips as you wrote. Can you tell me more about what they did to yours after the operation?
Please keep the updates!
I hope you don't mind I have a few more questions:
- What do you mean by "excessive" movement? Did you use it like normal the first couple of weeks and just avoided lifting heavy things with that arm etc? At the moment, I am still using it for basic things: washing up, writing on my computer, bicycling and so on.
- How did you take showers the first couple of weeks? At the moment I have a waterproof glove around it and my boyfriend helps with washing my hair, so I don't get water up the glove.
- I got inside disolvable stiches and one outside stich, which I am getting out in 10 days. On top of that they just put tape to keep in together, but no steristrips as you wrote. Can you tell me more about what they did to yours after the operation?
Please keep the updates!
September 4, 2017
Don't worry about normal movements: my tip is just not to lift up heavy things or stretching it too much because your scar is still in a very early process of healing. When the actual scar is formed and the little scabs come off, you can start to massage it gently with Mederma (or similar creams) and then a little bit strongly to break up the collagen. The 3 weeks mark is the "crossroads" for everything basically (movements, water, etc).
The water: well, my first showers were not funny at all, ahahah! :) But even in this case don't worry: I'm sure your boyfriend's making an incredible job by helping you. I personally just had showers with my left arm pointing to the roof...LOL! :) I basically avoided every kind of water contact for the first three weeks, than the water becomes your "friend", simply because your scar at that point forms better if it's not too dry with the help of water or creams.
The steristrips: my surgeon put them on from the beginning, when I still had the sutures stitches. I kept putting them on until the famous 3 weeks mark just to hold the sides of my scar together as strong as possible, but you can follow the advice of your surgeon if it's not necessary.
Last but very far from least, DO NOT WORRY about the initial appearance of your scar! Please, don't be sad or discouraged. I too had very sad days even after the procedure, because I thought my scar could remain red, raised and THICK as it was in the first days. But BELIEVE ME, our body is phenomenal and it just need time and patience.
You will end up with a soft pale line and I'm 100% sure you'll love that little scar so much more than your tattoo. It's not just an "encouragement message", but the reality. As you can see in my photo, my scar is already unnoticeable so I'm not giving you fake hopes! :)
The water: well, my first showers were not funny at all, ahahah! :) But even in this case don't worry: I'm sure your boyfriend's making an incredible job by helping you. I personally just had showers with my left arm pointing to the roof...LOL! :) I basically avoided every kind of water contact for the first three weeks, than the water becomes your "friend", simply because your scar at that point forms better if it's not too dry with the help of water or creams.
The steristrips: my surgeon put them on from the beginning, when I still had the sutures stitches. I kept putting them on until the famous 3 weeks mark just to hold the sides of my scar together as strong as possible, but you can follow the advice of your surgeon if it's not necessary.
Last but very far from least, DO NOT WORRY about the initial appearance of your scar! Please, don't be sad or discouraged. I too had very sad days even after the procedure, because I thought my scar could remain red, raised and THICK as it was in the first days. But BELIEVE ME, our body is phenomenal and it just need time and patience.
You will end up with a soft pale line and I'm 100% sure you'll love that little scar so much more than your tattoo. It's not just an "encouragement message", but the reality. As you can see in my photo, my scar is already unnoticeable so I'm not giving you fake hopes! :)
November 6, 2017
Congrats! I wish I was able to do the same. I think mine is a bit too large. How did you find your doctor?
November 7, 2017
I just wrote “plastic surgeon” on Google and chose the best rated! :) It’s so simple as an operation because it doesn’t need to go deep in your skin. I actually don’t know why some surgeons say they cannot perform it.
UPDATED FROM Emidio 1988
3 months post
The closest I can get! :)
Emidio 1988September 4, 2017
This is my scar, very zoomed! Still a little bit red on its sides, but as you can see the actual line is pale and it's turning into "normal" skin. Believe me, when it's not red (still some months of redness for me) you can barely notice it, even because the actual line is very thin. :)
Replies (7)
September 4, 2017
As you can see, the very little folds of my normal skin match together perfectly with my scarred skin. I hope the redness will disappear soon, so that I can show you a "definitive" photo of my scar, because (especially in some parts of the scar) it's very much unrecognizable the transition from the normal skin to the scarred one. :)
January 14, 2018
Has the redness disappeared? Looking for something similar, but want a straight white scar, no redness or hyperpigmentation around it, so I'm curious as to how yours turned out.
January 23, 2018
I’m 7 months after the operation and I’ve been massaging my scar everyday (just two times, 5 minute each) with absolute pleasure! :) It’s still red because it needs one full year to regenerate the capillares underneath, but the skin is so...NORMAL! :) It’s not thick anymore, it’s flat, it’s half of a millimetre large...basically you won’t see the difference when the redness will go away! Don’t waste your time with expensive creams (just buy a basic Aloe Vera Gel) because it is the MASSAGE (not the ingredients) that breaks the scar tissue and leave space to normal tissue.
January 23, 2018
Some days it turns already pale/skin color and, believe me, it’s just normal skin! I couldn’t call it differently (it doesn’t even seem a scar anymore and I often forget I used to have a tattoo)! As I said, I will post the final photo when the redness goes away.
September 10, 2017
Amazing results. You must be so happy! Getting my stitches out and seeing it for the first time after the operation on Friday..
January 29, 2018
Keep us updated on the scar, I wanna see if the redness/hyperpigmentation goes away as well.
March 2, 2018
Thanks a lot, I appreciate that. I'm in a bit of a different situation, I had a botched filler injection under my eyes that left me with a dark line/shadow (hyperpigmentation) under my eye that looks like I have bag around my cheekbone at all times. I've covered it with makeup for 2 years, but I'm tired of it and just want a scar instead, and your result is very encouraging (mine is MUCH smaller than your tattoo, so I hope I can get even better results, and there will be no stretching of the skin).
I read your comments on the tattoo removal forum and I related so much to your frustration and feelings towards this. There are no lasers that will leave you with a clear skin, so what do you want? A scar, or something that looks like a nasty skin disease? Laser removal is such a hype, even the best case scenarios have residual pigment.
I am already reminded by my mistake everyday in the mirror, and feeling like I have the choice between wearing make up at all times or looking sick is just not an option for me anymore.
I can live with a scar, I can own a scar, even if it's on my face. For all it's worth, we already had scars, we had permanent damage done to our skin.
So I'm seriously considering excising a hyperpigmentation, because it's essentially a tattooed bag under my eye.
It's a big decision, and I really want a thin white line like yours.
I also like the way you view your scar, as a reminder of not getting tattoos, mine will be a reminder of not getting needless cosmetic procedures.
I used to be vain and strive for perfection, but now I just want my manhood back and look healthy again. I am tired of wearing make up, sun block and avoiding the sun like a vampire out of fear of it becoming darker.
This will be my final solution.
Let me know how you feel about it, and if you ever had any regrets. I can promise you that my pigmentation bothers me just as much, if not more, than your tattoo did, so why not get it excised? I suffered from severe anxiety and depression, and the only time I've felt relief is when I realised I can just get the stupid thing excised.
It'll be a shitty story for a scar, but I can always make something up. :)
I read your comments on the tattoo removal forum and I related so much to your frustration and feelings towards this. There are no lasers that will leave you with a clear skin, so what do you want? A scar, or something that looks like a nasty skin disease? Laser removal is such a hype, even the best case scenarios have residual pigment.
I am already reminded by my mistake everyday in the mirror, and feeling like I have the choice between wearing make up at all times or looking sick is just not an option for me anymore.
I can live with a scar, I can own a scar, even if it's on my face. For all it's worth, we already had scars, we had permanent damage done to our skin.
So I'm seriously considering excising a hyperpigmentation, because it's essentially a tattooed bag under my eye.
It's a big decision, and I really want a thin white line like yours.
I also like the way you view your scar, as a reminder of not getting tattoos, mine will be a reminder of not getting needless cosmetic procedures.
I used to be vain and strive for perfection, but now I just want my manhood back and look healthy again. I am tired of wearing make up, sun block and avoiding the sun like a vampire out of fear of it becoming darker.
This will be my final solution.
Let me know how you feel about it, and if you ever had any regrets. I can promise you that my pigmentation bothers me just as much, if not more, than your tattoo did, so why not get it excised? I suffered from severe anxiety and depression, and the only time I've felt relief is when I realised I can just get the stupid thing excised.
It'll be a shitty story for a scar, but I can always make something up. :)
The reason I'm commenting though, is because I can totally resonate with all you are saying, honestly, I could have written this to the word myself although my tattoo was not Mclaran, but it was of something I like, and still do. So there we are. I'm glad its not just me!