Tattoo'ed professional considering laser tattoo removal

[hokiegal]

Hi guys! New to the forum :) I am pursuing my Doctorate of Optometry, and I have several visible tattoos. The last thing I want is a patient to come in, see my tattoos, think I am uneducated and irresponsible, and leave. Most people would just say, "forget those people; who cares what they think?!". I used to have the same state of thought until my entire livelihood depends on patients' perceptions. Granted, my tattoos can also show an artistic side that some other patients can appreciate. I know I am not the only professional student that is having this internal battle.

With my background in science, I like to thoroughly understand procedures before I delve into them. After doing some research, I found a few websites that explain the whole procedure of laser tattoo removal. To be honest, I did not even understand how tattoo ink stayed permanently without being sloughed off daily as regular skin. To my understanding, tattoo ink really is made of dispersed pigments, and these pigments submerge themselves subcutaneously deep under the layers of skin that become removed. The way the lasers work to remove these deep ink clusters is by sending waves through the top layers of skin to break up the clumps of aggregated pigments molded together under the skin. (source: I. Science of Tattoos | New Look Laser Tattoo Removal Clinic)

There are plenty of choices for doctors these days. My tattoos are very conservative, yet visible. How do I assure that my patients are not going to shy away from a little ink? Is laser tattoo removal the way to go to ensure my professional credibility? Thanks!

[Mark Bee]

"The last thing I want is a patient to come in, see my tattoos, think I am uneducated and irresponsible..."

I don't have much interest in perpetuating stereotypes. The best way to attract clients would be to be very a very good doctor. Until you grow a reliable, stable, practice, wear long sleeves.

[irezumi]

If you don't want to live with tattoos then get them removed. If you like having your tattoos or are worried about what other people think then wear a long sleeve shirt.

You don't need a doctorate to figure that out.

[Mick Weder]

You may be surprised.

I work in a corporate environment & required to deliver information to large groups of Directors.

I have this saying, "you gotta know your stuff & own your space"

I'll be the one who determines how I'll be perceived.

I notice peoples initial reaction when they see this dude walk in suited up from the neck to the fingers. I also notice their reaction when I walk out, which then has nothing to do with my tattoos.

I chose to express my different outlook on life through tattoos, I ain't ever gonna let them make me doubt who I am.

Faaark being ashamed.

[misterJ]

My optometrist wears a lab coat/ drs coat.

Most others wear a shirt and tie and slacks of some sort. Considering this how much are your face hands and neck tattooed?

[El Dolmago]

Considering a number of the forum members have their Doctorate or are fairly close to getting one you may not get a sympathetic audience here. Most professionals wear long sleeves - I suggest you do too. My only optometrist concern is that they do their job.

[Bunny Switchblade]

I am an ABO Ceritfied Optician (well I was, I have let it laps)......I wear a lab coat but my neck and hands are tattooed and there is no way for me to cover those!

It really depends.....can't you just wear long sleeved shirts and have them hidden?

I work full time and have been an Optician for over 25 years with mostly visible tattoos.....and to be honest I really enjoy the doctors who are willing to accept me for who I am.....

I guess the question here is.....do you want to be who you really are in life OR do you want to hide that and bow down to what you are perceiving is people who won;t accept you because you are tattooed?

If wasn't easy for me......I was actually not promoted into management at Lenscrafters because of a silly tattoo I had on my index finger I got when I was fifteen......mind you I was able to train people for management.....LMFAO!

I learned this from a former manager about 7 years ago.....

BUT....you know what....having to work twice as hard to get where I am now made me twice as good as my peers! ;)

I have run several optical departments in hospitals and managed a few stores and private practices.....

I am working full time as an Optician at a VA Hospital by day now and working full time in the evenings and weekends as a tattoo apprentice....working my ass of to learn to tattoo the right way!

Let me just say this.....I hope you will be strong and brave and be one of those doctors that keeps his tattoos BUT if you don't.......please don't ever put a dollar sign over giving an Optician who has visible tattoos a chance because you may find the best employee you could ever want to have if you give them that chance!

[graybones]

My OB/GYN is heavily tattooed, sleeves and all. I didn't know for years until it came up in conversation, she always wears long sleeves and you would never be able to tell.

Unless you have your hands or neck done, I think you should just crank the A/C up in your office and buy a bunch of long sleeved shirts! That said, there definitely is some good info on this forum about laser removal and how it works if you dig around a bit in the "Tattoo Removal and Coverup" section.

[Killercook76]

I can understand what you are talking about.. People judge all the time for all sorts of things. Personally I wouldn't care much if anyone who i was in contact had tattoos. Unless they were highly offensive. I highly doubt people will check you out personally before making any sort of appointments. Maybe just check where you went to school etc.

Anyway if you do decide to get anything lasered off just know that it's a long process.

[MrsGougeTheEyes]

I don't know where you live but I would totally use this to my advantage and market myself to other cool people. Can doctor's market themselves? haha

[misterJ]

I feel the heart of the matter is that he/she? Is unhappy with their tattoos and this is a reasonable excuse to remove them.

If I am not mistaken it's some number like 23% of Americans have tattoos and the number keeps growing.

Be an ethical friendly consummate professional and you will find yourself successful

In all fields

[iowagirl]

I don't know where you live but I would totally use this to my advantage and market myself to other cool people. Can doctor's market themselves? haha

Heck yeah! I wish there were more providers around here w/tattoos. Or..well, any. Besides, if you have a Doctorate of something, I kinda think that means you iz smart. Who gives a shit if you have tattoos-you trump them b/c you are a Doc-tor. Professional people w/tattoos, in my eyes, serve to help beat down the stereotypes.

The tattoos are a part of who you are and speak to who you are as a person.

[slayer9019]

I am not here to sway you either way but I thought I'd drop in here to throw some of my ideas into the ring. I will as always echo a lot of what others have said. Make sure you are getting them removed because you don't like them. If you are a good person and stick to your guns on your beliefs, there isn't many that will stop you. I will also mention (as others did) that there are quite a few professionals on the forum that ponder similar questions all the time. My motto is simple when it comes to tattoos in a professional setting. If you are concerned, keep em above the cuff and below the collar. I can't think of many professions where full coverage wrist-to-collar is not required or at least very much normal. Still haven't met a doctor who greeted me in a tank top and short shorts (yet). If you want to read further into others opinions and life experiences head over to a thread I started a bit ago (http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/general-tattoo-discussion/1244-tattoos-workplace.html), I'm sure your ideas will either be solidified or resolved. We also have an entire sub-section on this forum dedicated to coverups and laser (Tattoo Removal or Coverup | General Tattoo Forum | Last Sparrow Tattoo).

Personally as a "tattooed professional", I am going the opposite route. I am booked out getting more and more tattoos.

[Zillah]

Nurses in medical surgical can't wear sleeves below the elbow, for reasons relating to infection control, at least over here. Which is interesting because doctors don't have to. So I guess uniforms can be an exception. That still leaves plenty of real estate elsewhere.

[Mick Weder]

Nurses in medical surgical can't wear sleeves below the elbow, for reasons relating to infection control, at least over here. Which is interesting because doctors don't have to. So I guess uniforms can be an exception. That still leaves plenty of real estate elsewhere.

Interesting. In Australia there's plenty of nurses and Docs sporting serious ink.

[Zillah]

Interesting. In Australia there's plenty of nurses and Docs sporting serious ink.

Seems to be a bit more conservative that way here, though it could depend on the hospital. I'm fortunate enough to work in Mental Health, where they are less worried about that sort of thing. When I eventually get tattooed on my forearms like I'm intending to it shouldn't be a big deal.

[Mick Weder]

I too work health care. Was delivering restraint & seclusion training today for an Acute Mental Health Unit ;)

[Mick Weder]

It's funny, when I rock into a MH unit to catch up with the NUM, I spend more time talking with the consumers!

They love seeing this dude who works for the hospital rockin in with tattoos belted everywhere and talk to them like I'd talk to anyone else.

I love liaising with our MH units & community teams.

[1eyel3ft]

My sister is a esthetician and she lightened a small tattoo for me and it hurt like hell. But even if you sit through several smelly painful sittings the tattoo may not be visible but the scar will be. Just use make up or something. Tattoos are becoming more like how or what, sometimes how good is that tattoo, not so much you have a tattoo, these days. It seems.

[irezumi]

There's plenty of topical creams and 'cold air' technology to make lightening and removal extremely tolerable.

To the OP; if you are worried about people judging you based on appearance then tattoos are definitely not for you. If you feel worried that it will affect your job and removing them gives you peace of mind then do it. That makeup shit every single day and maintaining the makeup throughout the day will get tedious fast. I'm not really a proponent to actual removal vs lightening but hey if it makes you sleep better at night then go ahead. Not judging.

[CABS]

Personally as a "tattooed professional", I am going the opposite route. I am booked out getting more and more tattoos.

I'm on the same plan. I work in corporate too. The fact that I know I'll be in long sleeves for awhile, means that I keep booking more and more appointments to get covered. Going iiiiiiiiiin!!

[hogg]

I'm on the same plan. I work in corporate too. The fact that I know I'll be in long sleeves for awhile, means that I keep booking more and more appointments to get covered. Going iiiiiiiiiin!!

Another reason why cool Bay Area weather is, well, cool.