And today is my Fifth tattoo removal session. It took me a while to go back for session because I was waiting for my BF to be back and accompany me there (he has been there for all sessions actually). Yup.. so this update is slightly later.
Went in, numb my tattoo and I was feeling extremely tired. I'm not sure if it is because of the numbing cream/lighter black tattoo or what, but I actually fell asleep during the session!! I was shocked when I was awake too. Anyway, the pain is almost the same as those I described for past few sessions.
I'm happy that I finally confessed to my current BF mum about my tattoo and she accepted it !!
Image time!
Picture taken before the session (lotus)
I think this is REALLY very light now. such pictures always make me look forward to next session and can't wait for it to be gone ~
My arm tattoo.. even though it is still obvious, but a lot better compared to last sessions' colour.
After Lasering!
Now I feel numb towards the pain already.. I think the best way to endure the tattoo removal sessions is to motivate yourself and find a good reason to endure the pain. Eg. "when the tattoo is removed, I will get more sleeveless shirt to wear out!!"
Back with a new post for this month for my 4th tattoo removal session. Trust me, I dread to go and for removal now, not because I don't want to complete it, but because it is really painful! But well, the determination overwhelm the pain I guess. Look and yet not looking forward for the next session though. Hahaha.
Well, last month removal did not see much of a difference.
Below are the pictures for this month:
Placed on numbing cream as usual and this time round about 30 minutes because I feedback that it was quite painful the previous time. Maybe is psychological effect but this time round, the pain is not as painful as the previous one. haha.
This two pictures are the status of my tattoo before the session starts.
and this 2 are the pictures of the removal right after the session. Apparently, my BF (who has been accompanying me for all sessions) said that this session is a lot a lot a lot more "bloody" looking after the removal. Also, the after session "burning sensation" can said to be one of the worst throughout my four sessions.
But I think this is due to the ink differences of the tattoo. My doctor mentioned to me that some of them are darker and some of them are lighter, which I think is the inner petal of lotus (light) and outer petal of lotus (dark). My light ink are reacting well to the laser but the darker one is not reacting well/at all. So she have increased the strength of the laser.
This is how my lotus look like after 1 day (after removing the bandage). I will take one more clearer picture today ! (my BF is not in Singapore so I can't get him to help me take photo already :( )
This is how my words on my arm look like today ( after 4 days) and it is very very obvious that the colour fade a lot and look a lot more "blur" now. those darker red thing are actually dried blood. Don't want to scrub off in case I accidentally tear off anything and bleed.
Yup. That's all for now!
I am looking forward for next session (one step nearer) and not looking forward to the pain ! :(
Finally my 3rd session today :) Have always been looking forward to go for the next session ever since I started with my first session because I just can't wait for it to be gone. Well, the progress has been good so far :) hehe. For the previous one, the healing took only about less than a week for me..
This picture is the status of my tattoo BEFROE the 3rd session removal. Apparently it faded quite a lot.
I guess the difference is very obvious in the comparison photo above :)
So after the 3rd session, it is actually more bloody than the previous session which I have no idea why. Again, it was really painful. Not so much when lasering the black outline, but mainly those coloured part. Especially when she laser the area towards the side of my neck, it really hurts quite a bit. But well, I told myself to endure because I'm one step nearer to what I wish for :)
How my neck tattoo looks like right after the lasering session.
How my arm looks like right after lasering session
The words on my arm had became "skinnier" and also looks a little like faded words now. Hopefully this can be gone by next few sessions :)
Already took out my bandage and this time the healing is faster than previous one actually. But it is still really itchy that I feel like scratching it.
Will update a "healed" pictures a few days later!
PS: I only update once or twice a month, when there are updates required :)
Finally had my next tattoo removal session on April 1, 2013. Initially I thought that my Doctor is going to be away but luckily, she was there. So proceed to do the numbing and laser.
This picture is taken before tattoo session. Can see from the previous post, this is already healed tattoo after my first session.
This is the instant outcome of after the session.
Apparently, this session is different from the first session.
The first session mainly used spread out laser which is less painful. But for this session, they are actually using a more focused laser treatment for my tattoo and THIS TIME IT IS REALLY PAINFUL. The previous time I can say it's like using the back of the needle to poke on me without poking it through but this time it feels like it is poking through my skin!! :(
That is why my skin is so red and there are some pin point blood as well.
The after effect is as bad as the first time, burning sensation only last for an hour or so. Probably a little stiff neck. A lot of people actually mentioned it look.. disgusting. LOL
This is the look right after I removed the bandage the next day (day 2)
This is the look of it on the next day morning after removing the bandage (Day 3)
This is the look on Day 4 (just took it) and apparently the black ink really faded a lot...
Now below pictures are my quote tattoo on my arm which is just purely black ink. I'm not sure why but it seems like it is more difficult to remove compared to my neck one even though the black ink are suppose to fade faster.
This is the instant look of it after the lasering session
This is on Day 3
And this is on day 4. Those "colours" around the words are not any oilment and medication but it is just my skin colour. It's like those "blue black" skin colour but of course, it does not hurt.
Looks like the words are getting "slimmer" as compared to the original tattoo.
Overall, this session's after effect is not as bad as the first session. Not as itchy or burning and it doesn't hurt when touched.
Can't wait for the next session on April 30 :)
Will post more pictures when it heals to see the difference from the Original and after first session.
Photo was taken about 2 days back and it was still feeling a little itchy at that point of time. Today, many of my friends start saying it looks like some worm just crawled in.. haha. It's just having really big pores and most of the part (the red coloured area) are pop up. It's not painful but more of itchy.
The itchy-ness actually die down a lot already and I can feel that it is healing. At least in time for the next appointment :)
Oh ya, I also have friends mentioned my black shading now looks like brown colour instead. It's good!! :)
Finally booked my next appointment on April 1 and going to sign up for their package. But it will be done by another doctor as my appointed doctor will be overseas. Well, I just want to get it done as soon as possible.
Day 5:
This is my tattoo as of fifth day and my skin is rough and really
itchy.
There's really urge for me to scratch but well sometimes I just pad it
hard. I don't want to end up with scar just because these minor
actions.If you open the picture to zoom in, you will be able to seee
that the skin looks crumbled.
Day 6:
Today is the sixth day and it is still that itchy. But today, there start to be dead skin dropping off, similar to those dead skin we will have when we just got inked. Actually, only the red colour part will peel but the black one don't. This might be because of different wave length used.
This picture taken without light. Look the dark dark coloured skin area. are the dead skins which should naturally peel it off
THis picture taking with flash when I am back home.
Basically, I think that the colour really did become lighter and I am stisfied with the clinic.I can't wait for next appointment!
My side view which I took less than an hour ago. Can see a little of swollen at my neck area. Now it feels a little stretched feeling when I move my head.
Definitely will hurt when in contact with any surface.. Even my hair :(
As mentioned, the colours went back to brighter as compared to the instant result right after the session but can actually see the differences. You can click on the image to enlarge it if you are not afraid of looking at big pores etc.
I tried to look at the light colour area (the shading of the water) and I can really see the difference. Before it looks like black and now it looks more like gray instead. And I also compared the Lotus tattoo outline to my another tattoo outline and I can see the darkness differences as well.
My Arm Tattoo
For this I really don't see much differences other than the red red thing appearing around it.
Overall, I am really satisfied with the result and can't wait to go for more sessions to see the progress.
After such a long procrastination that I wanted to remove my tattoo on my neck which I did with my ex in 2010, I finally did my research and booked appointment with NeuGlow
This blog is for me to record down my process of tattoo removal and hopefully anyone else who wants to remove their tattoo can get to read this blog and know how is the process going to be like. Honestly, it took me a lot of courage to make this decision, but what motivates me? My Future.
A lot of people told me that my tattoo is nice and just treat it as an artistic piece on my body rather than remembering as a "couple tattoo". However, people who tattoo should understand that when you decided to do one tattoo, you know what's the purpose of it. That's why, the purpose of this tattoo is for us to remember our love being as a couple. I can't just change the purpose when everything was done.
I have 4 different tattoo pieces on my body.
First was a picture of hand letting go of a bird at my left back that represents "freedom", which was my first tattoo and also a tattoo drawn by my tattoo artist himself. That was a beautiful piece which I know I will not regret and will not remove.
(Skipping my Second and Third tattoo because it was those I removed)
Fourth tattoo was a feather-bird tattoo on my right lower tummy (bone that area) which is a picture which I wanted. I always love tattoo that gave me a feeling of "Freedom" probably because that was what I have been wanted since I was young. Wanting to be free from a lot a lot of things, wanting to run away from here to somewhere far. I even wanted to put a dream-catcher tattoo on my body but well, I did not as I realised it's a little too much. Therefore, I did not regret on this tattoo either.
The ones I removed..
Second one was this Water Lotus couple tattoo on the back of my
neck
which was a pretty big piece and it consist of red, yellow, green and
black. It is very obvious when I wear round neck shirt and also can be
seen if I wear collar shirt. You must be thinking I was so silly to do
such tattoo and regretted such action. Yes, I was silly but did not
regret. Because I learned a big lesson from that particular relationship
and that particular guy. He taught me how to be strong from all
failures. This tattoo consistently reminded me not to allow the same
things to happen on myself again. Since I did not regret, so why did I
choose to remove? Because it's time to let go. It's time to get rid of
all these left over because that guy worth 0% of my memory. I would
rather live with a scar, than a picture to allow people to consistently
remind me by asking "why you get this tattoo?" questions..
Third
one was a quote on my right inner arm did at another tattoo studio with
my best friend (of course different quotes) and it says "Truth May Hurt
But It Will Set You Free" and again, it is to remind myself not to be
cheated again. As in, I would rather know the truth then finding it out
myself, cause that's probably more painful then anything else. I would
rather know the truth, cry over it, stand up again, and walk away from
those people who did this to me. Because this people do not deserve even
1% of my trust. Of course, when I mentioned about people lying to me,
there are definitely some "lies" which I don't really mind but some which
are a NO NO to me, such as cheating behind my back.
Before Removal
My appointment was at 10:30am and when I reached the building at 10:20am, I was shocked as the clinic was not open. Luckily my friend went to walk around and realised that the main clinic is located all the way in, beside the lift and it was really a big clinic which also provide plastic surgery and dental service. Went in and definitely I was really nervous. Gave my particulars, waited for less than 5 minutes before a Doctor came to bring me in for consultation. Spoke to her about which tattoos I wanted to remove and she explained to me about the procedures, also some of the after effects of the removal sessions, chances of scaring/left over ink colour and also the charges. As I was pretty determined to do so, I went ahead despite the fact that my red colour might not be able to removed totally. Well, if I never try, I will never know.
After the consultation, in less than 5 minutes, a nurse help me to place numbing cream on my tattoos....
and left there for about 20 mintues before the process starts. Honestly speaking, is my tattoo area really numbed? I don't really feel so. After they remove the cream, I tried to pinch a little on my neck/arm and I can still feel the pain. So if you are afraid of pain, please get the nurse to give you a longer time for the numbing cream before the session.
I went ahead for the tattoo lasering. At first I was really really nervous and expecting great pain as I have read different blogs about tattoo removal and the pictures were pretty scary. There are some with really swollen areas, bleeding, blistering etc... So you can imagine how much pain I was expecting at the point when I lied down on the bed..
The Removal Process
So, the session started in a while after I lied down. Started off with the black area as it requires lower strength ( I really have no idea how does those frequencies/wavelength/strength of lasering works) and honestly speaking, it is really not painful at all!!!! I don't know is it because I have really great expectation of pain that is why when it's so minor, I think it's nothing near to pain. It's like using a blunt needle poking on my skin consistently without stop for next 10 minutes)..
and once my black inked area are done, they proceed to the red, yellow and green area and they adjust the wavelength/frequencies/strength (?) to be higher that the doctor, nurses and my friend got to wear goggle to prevent hurting their eyes. I don't have to because I was not able to view it. Hows the pain like? It is more like someone snapping rubber band consistently on me without stop. However, I thought that this pain is better than tattooing pain. To me, it is alright and bearable, not those extremely pain that I will shout out loud but still can lie comfortably without much clinching on my hands. However, different people has different type of tolerance level, so it might not be painful for me but does not mean it will not be painful for you. The whole process for my lotus tattoo went on for about 30 minutes I guess. This is the instant outcome of it:
The colour looks like really faded. However, doctor mentioned that the colour will return in next few days. but of course not as bright as before. After which, the nurse helped me to put on cream and bandage it.
and I went to school like this.. a lot of people start asking me "OMG YOU SPRAINED YOUR NECK?? ARE YOU OKAY?" haha. that was really funny.
After Effect
The after effect is actually worse than the process! My neck and arm was burning pretty badly and I could hardly move my neck. But this only lasted for a few hours before the burning sensation subside. Today is the second day and I don't feel the pain anymore. It's just swollen. The bangade can actually be removed today but I am not doing so because I need to work later (F&B) and prevention is better than cure. hehe.
I left the clinic at about 12.15pm. So the whole process including consultation took me about 1hour and 45 minutes. Pretty fast.
The next appointment is encouraged to be done after 4 to 6 weeks later and the number of sessions can only depend on the process of the removal.
I honestly like this removal clinic as it is really efficient and I have read a few good reviews about it, therefore went ahead. At the same time, I am also a student therefore the cost is a big problem for me and I must say theirs is really reasonable. Their doctor are really professional and I like the fact how my doctor consistently asked me if I am okay and all.
I actually have videos of the process (2 videos, one for removing the black ink another another one for the red/yellow/green ink) but they are still uploading. Will put it in this blog once they are done.
First video up! This video only shows my doctor lasering the black ink area only.
There will be another video up later which shows higher frequency/wavelength/strength of lasering for my red/green/yellow inked part!
Second video up! This one shows my Doctor removing the coloured part of my tattoo.
There will be another blog post probably by this week after I remove my bandage.
If you are interested in removing tattoo, please feel free to leave your comments here and I can help you clear your doubt if possible :)
