Having several tattoos on my leg removed

[Mike Panic]

Note to the moderators, this is my leg, tattoo removal being done on me, not a client / stranger / randoms.

Back in 1997 I started what I hoped would be an epic leg sleeve - and ended up falling out of love with it about a year or two later. I also added to the back, by a different artist, a totally random piece to what you see here and what's on the side. By 1999 I had zero intention of actually finishing it and started focusing more on work, a career and things like that. Since then I've had several other tattoos that I actually like, but have always dealt with what's that? whenever I wear shorts. Thus, I started having them removed a while ago. Since this piece was mostly grey wash, and put in rather lightly, I've had some really great results after a single treatment. Thursday night I sat through a 2nd treatment on this piece and had 1st treatments on the right side of my leg and a piece on the back.

Healing is going well already and hopefully by the second week of January I can get another treatment.

[SStu]

wish mine were as light as that to start with.

So no cover? Going back to zero?

[Mike Panic]

As of right now @SStu, no cover, going back to zero for this part of my body. I'll revist it after I get a few other areas tattooed that need attention.

[Idahoink]

Looks like incredible results for a first treatment. For the prices out here in banjo land, it's almost cheaper for me to fly east.

Good luck with the process

[Luk7]

I'm blown away, fantastic results for a first session.

[bhess246]

You're lucky that your tattoo is so light. Good luck with your removal.

[Mike Panic]

Thanks @bhess236 - I'm hoping to get another treatment in around the end of the first week in January and will keep updating this thread.

[Luk7]

and what about result?

[Mike Panic]

and what about result?

I've actually been waiting for a 3rd treatment, my business partner has two 5 month olds at home (twins) so the time when we are both in the office at the same time anymore is super limited.

I am long over due for an updated photo though, I'll see if can take one and do the comparison, there's been even more fading.

[Mike Panic]

Finally got an updated photo together - this is after two treatments:

My business partner has been extremely busy with 5 month old twins so our schedules never seem to sync up, I'm hoping to get a 3rd treatment this weekend.

[tatB]

@Mike Panic looks great! Barely visible and I bet you can't even notice it when your leg hair grows back.

[aleksksks]

Yeah, pretty good results.

Btw, does the hair actually grow back? My brother had part of his arm lasered, he's had around 4 treatments in the past 5-6 months. He said he shaved the area the first time and it still hasn't grown back.

[Mike Panic]

Btw, does the hair actually grow back? My brother had part of his arm lasered, he's had around 4 treatments in the past 5-6 months. He said he shaved the area the first time and it still hasn't grown back.

Yes, for most people. The "after" photo here, hard to see but there is hair there, but my legs aren't overly hairy to start with, but it did come back. The way lasers are setup for tattoos, they will do hair removal but it's extremely inefficient at it. If your brother shaved for every treatment, it should have come back within a few days / week, but not knowing who / how he's being treated I can't speculate what's going on.

[aleksksks]

I see, his laser specialist told him it should come back although there might be some permanent hair loss.

I was just wondering.

[Mike Panic]

Everyone is different, most people use the same "style" of laser for removal too @aleksksks - but it can happen. Same with people who have lots of freckles. Sometimes ya just lose a few.

[SStu]

So I just adjusted the date on my upcoming 3rd session, and the girl at the counter advises me that I don't need to come in an hour early because they have stopped using the numbing cream. In the course my subsequent questions, she divulges the name of the ex-cream (Dr.Numb) and advises that they've stopped using is because "it doesn't really work".

A very quick search on-line reveals mixed results from other users.

I, of course, have no idea if it works or not since I havn't yet had a laser session without it being applied - but I guess I'm going to find out next Thursday.

Any opinion on the product and/or if there is an ulterior motive for the 'clinic' stopping using it?

[Mike Panic]

I personally don't use them on my clients or have it used on me because, even fully absorbed into the skin, it's a barrier between the pigment and the laser (light). It opens up the possibility for the light to be reflected or refracted, and the laser to not be as efficient.

We currently ice (cold packs) for 10-15 minutes before treatment.

[SStu]

Interesting. These guys use a super-cold air blowing device during the process, too - so hopefully the absense of numbing cream will not enhance eotjer the pain or the ability for the laser to do it's best.

[Mike Panic]

@SStu - it's called a cryo-cooler, it's are next big purchase.

[Napalm Pancakes]

I've been using Dr. Numb for my last few treatments and I think it works great. I go to New Look Houston and they use a cryo-cooler, but it was still pretty painful without the numbing cream. I was also unaware that negative results could be caused by using a numbing cream.

[Mike Panic]

@Napalm Pancakes - everyone has a different idea of pain and what it feels like, and some people in the business like the numbing creams, some use injections to help with the pain and others just put ice packs on the skin prior to treatment. Some clients have said taking 1 Tylenol or Aleve an hour prior to treatment also helps - personally I think that's more a placebo thing.

Pain wise, I typically sit through about 13 minutes for all 3 of my tattoos and after the first 90 seconds or so my body just starts to deal with the pain and mentally I can begin coping with it. It's not a horrible feeling (I've also had spinal surgery) and it's not something I really enjoy, but within 20-30 minutes of it being over, I'm virtually pain free again.

[SStu]

I've been using Dr. Numb for my last few treatments and I think it works great. I go to New Look Houston and they use a cryo-cooler, but it was still pretty painful without the numbing cream. I was also unaware that negative results could be caused by using a numbing cream.

New Look is also where I'm going . . . so you might want to start getting geared up for it not being available any more . . . :confused:

[Napalm Pancakes]

New Look is also where I'm going . . . so you might want to start getting geared up for it not being available any more . . . :confused:

I purchase Dr. Numb off of amazon and have my wife apply it about an hour and a half before my appointment. I will probably continue to use it, even though they don't offer it. You should have said that you chose New Look, because we could have both gotten half off one treatment with there referral program.

[Other]

...others just put ice packs on the skin prior to treatment.

I have always been curious about the validity of this.

A laser impinges into the skin and dispurse the ink into smaller parts which the bodys' leukocytes can now recognize as a foreign particle and try to get rid of naturally.

The farther the ink particles gets away when it gets hit by the laser, the more likely the body will see it as a foreign partcle and try to get rid of it.

The thing is, if you were to use ice or even cold air prior to or during the process of tattoo laser removal, wouldn't you're epidermal layer contract a bit which might affect how "far" ink particles get dispersed when the laser is applied to the skin?

Both the person who does my lasering and myself agree that it wouldn't help with the process of laser tattoo removal and might actually negatively impact the progress of tattoo removal. Wanted to get your guys opinion on the concept.

[Mike Panic]

@Other - Based on the progress I'm personally seeing as a client, and someone who works in this industry, I can say that any negative impact it may have is extremely small when compared to the comfort level that ice brings prior to, and during [larger pieces] for the person on the receiving end.