I got a huge tattoo — and hated it

Here’s what it’s like to get a tattoo removed. ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ ͏   ­ [Healthline]( [Wellness Wire]( In a Nutshell Imagine this: You spend $1,500 and 30+ hours getting a half sleeve tattooed, only to hate the outcome and spend the next year avoiding looking at your arm. Sounds rough, right? Well, that happened to me. “Give it time! You’ll get used to it.” “You’re the only one who’s going to notice that stuff.” “It’s not that bad.” I can’t tell you how many people said things like this to me after showing them the crooked design placement, the uneven shading near my wrist, and all of the stray ink marks (read: mistakes) the artist made. To me, the tattoo is that bad — so bad that I’m willing to blast lasers into my skin every month for 2 years in hopes that one day I’ll never have to see it again. I officially started my tattoo removal journey last month, and I’m sharing how it went down below. I’ve also included a video from my appointment that you can watch! • [Foods to help increase your “good” cholesterol levels]( • [10 best things to drink when you’re trying to quit sugar]( • [The connection between perfectionism and anxiety]( Be well, Morgan Mandriota Newsletter Editor, Healthline Written by Morgan Mandriota June 28, 2024 • 5 min read [Welcome to the start of my tattoo removal journey!]( what’s got us buzzing [Welcome to the start of my tattoo removal journey!]( Removery provided this service for free. Our opinions are ours alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by Removery.️ I’d been thinking about getting my tattoo removed before I even finished my last session in May 2023. I researched different options and talked to several people about it for months. After getting a word-of-mouth referral from a tattoo artist I trust, I made the decision to move forward and book my first session with [Removery](.️️ During the consultation, I learned a bunch of interesting [tattoo removal facts](: - Laser tattoo removal is considered the most successful and cost-effective method (over options like dermabrasion or surgery). - From the second we get a tattoo, our immune system tries to eliminate the ink, but it can’t because the particles are too big. The laser, especially a [picolaser](, helps to break down the ink into smaller pieces that our body can successfully dissolve over time. - Black ink is the easiest color to remove, so the artist did me a favor by forgetting to add white highlights (white is the hardest color to remove). - Some tattoos may never fully go away, especially if you have scarring. Bigger tattoos, like mine, may take 2+ years to “fully” treat. Before we began, I was handed an ugly pair of goggles to protect my vision and a black stress ball to squeeze any pain away. The technician snapped a few before pictures, iced my arm, did a few test zaps, and then started treating 3/4 of my arm. I asked if we could do the full tattoo in one sitting, but she said no. Apparently, going all the way around my arm would cut off my circulation. Fair enough. 🤷🏻‍♀️ If you watch the video linked below, don’t let my calm face fool you: The laser HURTS. It felt like hot bacon grease constantly splattering all over my skin.️️ [Deep breathing exercises](, squeezing that stress ball, and distracting myself by talking with the techs helped chill me out. Then, before I knew it, we were done! The treatment took maybe 20 minutes. Then I scheduled my next appointment and walked out with a goodie bag full of lollipops and Vaseline, aftercare instructions, and a very red arm.️️ As soon as I left the studio, I noticed that my skin was incredibly sensitive to sunlight. Sun exposure felt like an excruciating sunburn. But the worst part, hands down, was the swelling. My arm blew up like a balloon, so ice packs were my best friend for 3 days straight. But all of these side effects were clearly communicated to me ahead of time (so I didn’t panic) and gradually went away within a week. ️️ I’ve been staring at my tattoo all month just waiting to see changes. Compared to my own before and after photos, I already notice a *slight* difference. Finer lines of ink are starting to break down, and there’s a faint blend where there was once a distinction between the ink and my skin. But I anticipate bigger changes to come in the next few months. ️️ I’ll update you all on my progress, maybe 6 months from now — I can’t wait! In the meantime, feel free to email me with any questions at wellnesswire@healthline.com or click below to see some videos taken during my first appointment. ️️ [watch me get my tattoo removed]( Great finds Protect your skin [La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-In Milk Sunscreen SPF 60]( [La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-In Milk Sunscreen SPF 60]( Sun damage can cause serious harm to your skin, especially during the laser tattoo removal process. This nongreasy SPF 60 sunscreen by La Roche-Posay protects against UVA and UVB rays without any white residues or strong smells. It’s also allergy tested, so it’s a great option for folks with allergies and sensitive skin! [SHOP NOW]( Every product we recommend has gone through either [Healthline's]( or Optum Store’s vetting processes. If you buy through links on this page, we may receive a small commission or other tangible benefit. Healthline has sole editorial control over this newsletter. 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