Does that tattoo that seemed like a great idea in your 20s no longer appeal to you? Not to worry. Not all tattoos are forever, and these days removing or replacing them with different inked art is a growing industry.
Maggie Cross, a 32-year-old mom, is one of the many who has had tattoo regret, after getting a face tattooed on her forearm.
“I’d like to add some more colour, so I’m going to get a more colourful tattoo over it,” she explained.
Laser tattoo removal is increasing in popularity and has improved drastically in recent years.
“It's the safest and most effective way out there to remove or even lighten tattoos,” said Ellen Kunes of Consumer Reports.
Pulses of high-intensity light break up the ink beneath your skin. The laser targets just the tattoo and won't damage the surrounding tissue. But it usually takes multiple sessions.
"The average is 10 sessions. Some are more, some are less depending on variables, like how deep it is, how much ink, placement on your body," said Shane Bolton of Fading Fast Tattoo Removal.
But laser removal is less effective on legs or feet. It can also be painful and cause infection or scarring and if you’re a smoker, it can be less effective, likely because of smoking’s effects on wound healing.
The other downside is the cost. By the time you’re done, the sessions could set you back thousands of dollars.
Still, it’s a small price to pay for those who say it’s worth it.
And if you’re wondering what are the most commonly removed tattoos? According to Inked Magazine the Top 10 are:
- Name of an ex
- Dolphins
- Misspelled quotes
- Barbed wire
- Stars
- Butterflies
- Chinese characters
- Celtic designs
- Zodiac signs
- Fairies
