re: Anybody here had a tattoo removed with a pico laser?

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How much do each of the treatments cost if you don't mind me asking? How long are the sessions and how often can you go?

Thanks in advanc

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When I was 18, I got a shitty tattoo. It was a small, round one on my shoulder. It was only about 2 inches in diameter. I lived with it for 20 years and hated it. About the only good thing about it was that it made me realize I never wanted another tattoo.

So when I found out about the pico laser treatment, I finally decided to have it removed earlier this year. In January, I went in for my first treatment.

They numb the tattoo with a blast of cold air, then hit you with the laser. I'm not going to lie, it does hurt. It's probably worse than getting the tattoo itself. However, the treatments are super fast. Of course, it depends on the size of your tattoo, but because mine was only two inches in diameter, each treatment was over in less than 60 seconds. Even large ones take less than 3 minutes.

After getting each treatment, you skin will react very much like a deep sunburn: blisters, redness, pain, etc. You'll have to wear a bandage for 5-10 days after each treatment. I wait six weeks between treatments, though others wait 8 or 10 weeks. I just wanted mine gone as soon as possible.

The cost is pretty gross, too. Each treatment cost me $250 a pop and I've had 6 treatments so far. The larger the tattoo, the more it costs per treatment. But honestly, it's working and my tattoo is almost entirely gone. It's pretty amazing and less than a year into this process, my dumb arse mistake is almost completely gone. I'm thinking I'll need just one or two more treatments.

Anyhow, good luck. I'm happy with the end result, even if it was expensive and hurt a little. It's worth it and I have a cautionary tale to my kids about getting shitty tattoos.

ETA: I ask a lot of questions during each treatment and have learned the following:

-colors like red and orange are the toughest to remove, dark inks like black, green and blue are easiest.

-the older the tattoo, the easier it is to remove.

-the location of the tattoo matters. The more flesh behind the tattoo, the easier it is to remove and the less it hurts. For example, it's easier to remove a tattoo from the thigh or shoulder than it is the ankle or the knuckles, if that makes sense.

Apparently there are ragrets

I thought laser tattoo had been around forever. The first episode of the Simpson's almost thirty years ago, Bartc gets a tattoo taken off with a laser.

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I could make a fortune removing tatoos. Unfortunately for me, there are too many stupid people in this world that honestly believe their trash tatts are cool.

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Tattoo removal clinics are one of the fastest growing businesses in California. Since every new trend starts in CA, and spreads east this may mark the end of the tattoo fad.