Sunday, December 9, 2007

August 2007 My Second Treatment



....................................... This treatment started much the same but my Dr decided to use a laser; I think it was called the Alexandrite, instead. He wanted to try a laser that had the ability to penetrate deeper than before because it was obvious my outline was A LOT deeper than the shading and we were all concerned it wouldn't lighten. This time they gave me goggles to wear instead of taping my eyes, which really freaked me out the first time. I'm not a fan of getting my eyes taped...
We got started and this laser still felt incredibly painful and sharp, but it didn't have the popping of the last laser. It popped, but not blasting the outer skin, I could actually feel it going deeper. Don't get me wrong, it still hurt like hell and within 1 minute from the start, I was clutching the nurse’s hand and arm and was completely covered in sweat. It's amazing how this treatment works. Once it starts there really is no stopping. I mean we took a few breaks because I felt I would explode if we didn't but stopping it all and coming back next week wasn't an option. We've got nurses, the Dr, the room, laser, etc. Too many people show up to quit and pack it in. I can honestly say that the laser treatment is easily 3 or 4 times MORE painful than getting it done originally. I guess I'd rather be stuck with tiny needles over having layers of my skin zapped with a laser.
By the time we were done I was soaking wet with sweat, shaking from the pain, and crying my eyes out uncontrollably. I'm a mess, for sure. When we finished it looked red and swollen, but only half what it was for the first treatment. They wrapped me up and sent me home to re coop. I felt good when I got home and I can say I could have gone back to work, but of course I chose to take it easy and let the swelling go down first.
The pics of this treatment were taken the next day and they didn't change much through out the healing. No disgusting blisters occurred and nothing besides basic discomfort happened. I will add though, if you get these treatments, be ready for the ITCH! Oh the itch... IT'S UNBELIEVABLE HOW MUCH IT ITCHES!!!
My skin about 2 weeks after each treatment starts to get the itch. You know, the skin is healing after a trauma and it itches to the core of your soul. I got some anti itch cream to lather it up with, but only after the blisters had pass. I scratched and took those boiling hot water showers to help aid the itch but honestly, I think the cream is the best because you don't irritate the skin and give it a better chance to heal.

Saturday, December 8, 2007

June 2007 My First Treatment






.................................................................................. I arrived at the hospital at 9am and nervously awaited my treatment. I was advised not to use the cream to numb the skin because we weren’t sure how much pain I’d actually be in and the cream slows the laser process, as it has to be cleaned off before treatment.
I was called into the day surgery room and was met by my doctor and a nurse. There was a technician for the laser also, who didn’t actually run the laser but kept it calibrated and aligned (I guess for insurance purposes he has to stay w/the machine).
I signed the papers saying I could come away with permanent scarring, burn marks, discoloration, etc. I rolled up my pants and laid back.
Let me also explain, my heart at this time was beating out of my chest! I was freaking out because the laser looked so SCARY and everyone was so serious… I was freaked. So I laid back and …are you ready for this…they taped my eyes shut with gauze and tape! That only added to my nervousness and they said it was to protect my eyes but really, it was FREAKY!
I have been doing some reading on the Internet and people have described laser treatment as popping or hot bacon grease on the skin. This is true DEPENDING ON THE DEPTH of the tattoo! If it’s a light, surface tattoo, it won’t hurt as much because the laser isn’t going as deep to break up the ink! Makes sense, right? MY tattoo on the other hand, is DEEP. You can see the outline was done with a different set of needles that penetrated much deeper than the shading needles. Most tattoos are done deep so they don’t have to be redone or touched up.
That being said, the first ‘pop’ of the laser nearly sent me flying off the chair and it all went down hill from there. We had originally thought the treatment would take 15 min but it turned out to be more like ½ hr. I was clenched and squeezing the nurse’s hand so hard she had to replace her hand with a silicone breast implant, so I would stop hurting her. (I have no idea where the implant came from either…)
The pain was more like hot bacon grease mixed with HOT pokers. I can easily say it is the most painful experience of my life. I just had Lasik a year ago, I bit my tongue in two as a kid, I’ve broken my shoulder, and also have congenital scoliosis, and numerous other unpleasant physical issues. This by far is the most painful and horrible. The pop is like an explosion on the skin, over and over and over. It’s like an endurance test where you can’t stop because of the situation. Must...keep...going…
After the treatment was done I was crying uncontrollably and they gave me some water and cold compresses. The skin was bright red and it was burning a really intense burn. They put some cream on it and wrapped it up with pads and gauze, and sent me home.
I was told I could go to work later that day but the PAIN from the laser was intense. My leg throbbed and got really swollen, and as a result I had to lie down and keep my leg up. Not only that, but I was exhausted from the whole process! It was painful!
I couldn’t bear to touch it that night so I left the wrap on it until the next day. These pictures are from the next day. The blistering started and the entire tattoo was raised bumpy skin. It was still extremely sore and painful to touch but somehow I managed to wash it with soap and rebandage it for the next 2 weeks.
The blisters got worse and I had quite a few that were filled with liquid. This was horrible because they would burst and wet the bandages…then I’d have to re pack it and on and on. So about 4 weeks later I felt good enough to keep the bandages off and discontinue with the creams. About 5 days after I stopped pampering it, my leg molted! Like a snake! The skin began to blister again and it started to peel and off with the layers came ink. It was incredibly uncomfortable and I was forced to start using the bandages again because the blisters had appeared again. I didn’t get any photos of this stage, sorry but take my word for it; it was gross.
I wasn’t sure at this time that I had enough strength to do it all over again but everyone said it gets better with time and now I know what to expect so it shouldn’t be so bad. Not true.
.

Friday, December 7, 2007

The 'before' shot

Finding the Right Doctor

I started my search for the right doctor while I was still living in Oregon. The search came up short, finding only those ‘fly by night’ tattoo removal laser centers that just oozed creepiness. Be wary of those promising results as NOTHING can be guaranteed. There are so many factors to consider when removing a tattoo. The location, size, colors, depth of ink, type of ink, your skins reaction to the laser, etc. No one can tell you up front that they can definitely remove your entire tattoo. It’s an unknown until your first or second treatment.
THAT is even scarier! I had to venture into the unknown and let a Dr start treatment with me having NO idea what would happen!
Unsettled with the doctors I spoke with on the West coast, I had decided to wait until I moved back to the East coast to continue my search. I started in Boston, calling doctors there and trying to find the right laser center. I even called Laser Treatment Center schools, promising a deep discount for their work. Trouble is, the lasers would be run by students who had NO experience. Yea, I’d say a deep discount would be in order…
I searched all around Boston and still didn’t find a doctor I resonated with.
So I went south to NYC. I found TONS of strange Tattoo Removal centers with goofy looking doctors, ads and slogans. I spoke to a few Drs and they seemed just as unprofessional and goofy as their ads!
See, when a Dr is picked, you should commit to a solid year of treatment with that same doctor! So you better like him/her and trust in her work and the facility they use. This, in my opinion is the most important part of this process. If you get a bad feeling from the center or the Dr then keep looking. You’ll find the right one and be thankful you found them.
I went to a Dr in Morristown NJ that seemed pretty highly regarded in the Laser treatment world (or so his website claimed). This doctor looked like Dr. 90210, suave and charming. That is until I asked him to see some of his previous work. I wanted to see a portfolio of what he has done, because at this point I wasn’t even hopeful my tattoo could be removed because of the darkness of the ink. He got very defensive and told me his work needed no explanation and he didn’t have to show me anything because everyone is different. I understood that but still, I wanted to see what he has done. This seems like a pretty reasonable request to me but he thought differently.
This doctor ended up telling me he wasn’t the Dr for me because I should know who he was and be familiar with his work. He was a legend, if only in his own mind. He gave me an estimate of $10,000 for the removal. I left in tears, paid the $100 consultation fee, and told him to go to hell on my way out the door.
My friend told me about a plastic surgeon they used years ago that was doing tattoo removals. I decided it was worth a try and I made an appointment to meet him.
His office staff was so pleasant and welcoming and they all seemed curious about my tattoo and they were eager to help me. When I met the Dr he was very warm and kind, soft spoken and gentle. He explained to me the process of removal and wanted to find out why I wanted it removed and get a feel for me, as an individual. He is regarded as one of the best plastic surgeons in NJ and his walls were filled with awards and plaques.
He also explained to me that they RENT the laser; therefore they have the latest technology in removal. This is something that never occurred to me! It makes sense thought. He doesn’t have to charge the high-inflated prices because he doesn’t have the equipment to pay off. The treatments would also be done at the Hospital in the next town would was even greater because you know it’s sterile and safe! Also, with all of the codes and regulations Hospitals have, this Dr HAS to be certified and competent to handle the laser.
He gave me an estimate of $500 for each ½ treatment, totaling 7-9 treatments in the first year, then taking a year long break then continuing treatments, if necessary. He explained that the body needs a year break to absorb the inks and heal itself. In that time is when the most removal happens and it’s necessary to maintain a healthy removal treatment.
I trusted him and decided to use him as my doctor. Since then, I have had 3 treatments and I’m still very happy with him and the work he has done. In addition, his staff has been wonderful and they have made the extra efforts to make sure I heal correctly and that everything is ok after the appointments.
It took me a couple years to get to this point but hearing horror stories from people who have chosen the wrong doctor; it was well worth the wait! If I had only been so careful when finding the right artist from the beginning! Oh well, that story I’ll save for another time…

Sunday, December 2, 2007

Here we go...

Hello all!
I've been thinking about starting a blog to chronicle my adventure into the unpleasant world of tattoo removal for so long...I'd say it's about time! My purpose is to educate those considering the process about the pros and cons FROM MY POINT OF VIEW! I am not a doctor nor am I a tattoo artist. I am a Textile student in NYC who has decided to undergo the process of having my 3rd tattoo removed.
When I first started looking into tattoo removal, I found mostly pages advertising creams, laser centers, books, etc....but nothing from someone who had undergone or is currently undergoing treatment! I couldn't find any FIRST HAND accounts anywhere! This was unsettling and worrisome. It seemed that tattoo removal has become quite popular in the past few years but then again, why was there little to no information about it on the web?
When considering something of this magnitude, it's good to find people in similar situations, willing to share and confirm fears, praises or at least to share information. I was lost, alone and feeling that I would never be able to wear a skirt again without thinking about the damn tattoo on my leg that I just wanted OFF!
So this is the beginning. I plan to post pics, graphically describe my treatments and offer up any and all advice that anyone wants to ask about. I started treatments in July here in NJ after MANY attempts at finding a Dr which I trusted and didn't feel was taking advantage of me. There are SO MANY important factors to look at when finding the right facility and doctor, all of which I plan to discuss.
So hold on, I just got this blog started and I plan to start from the beginning and work my way to right now, a few days after my third treatment. I hope this helps and I look forward to hearing from you all… stay tuned…