“Changed My Life!” 50 Photos Before And After Tattoo Removal

How many of our tatted Pandas thought before their first tattoo: "I'll just get it removed down the line if I don't like it"? Some 10 years ago, that would've been way harder than it is today. As tattoo removal specialist Jamie Tomlinson tells us, the process has come a long way in the past decade.

"Around 10–15 years ago, results were much less predictable and often left behind significant scarring," Jamie tells us. "The technology was limited, and lasers couldn't effectively treat all ink colours."

"Today, the advanced laser and light-based technologies use highly specific wavelengths to target different ink colours more precisely and break the ink down more safely without damaging the skin."

Today, removal specialists can help you get rid of green, blue, and red ink. With older technology, that was nearly impossible. "Today's treatments carry a much lower risk of scarring or skin damage compared to older approaches," Jamie mentions.

Because the technology is relatively new, there's a lot of misconceptions about it. Most of them are about the length of the process: most people imagine that removing a tattoo is as easy as getting it done. But if you go deeper into this subreddit, you'll learn that people celebrate their removed tattoos after several years.

"The laser does the work of breaking the ink down in the skin but it's the body that flushes the ink out via the lymphatic system," Jamie explains. She breaks the process down to eight crucial factors:

1. Tattoo color. A specialist can get rid of black ink the easiest. Red and warmer tones are easier too, but greens and blues are the hardest to get rid of.
2. Skin tone. "Different skin types absorb laser energy differently, which affects both safety and how effectively the ink can be treated," Jamie says.

1. Layering of tattoos. Shrek taught us that ogres are like onions, but our skin is made of layers, too. Tattoo removal specialists can only target one layer at a time. "If someone has a tattoo on a tattoo, we have more layers to target," Jamie notes.
2. Tattoo location. Tattoos fade faster in places where there's quicker circulation in our body: those that are closer to the heart, for example. Tattoos on our limbs, like feet and hands, fade more slowly.

1. Personal health and lifestyle. Tattoos fade quicker for those who lead healthy lifestyles. "If someone smokes or drinks alcohol every day, the body won't have the detox capacity to get rid [of] the ink. Slower process!" Jamie warns.
2. Amount of ink and depth of ink. If your tattoo is lighter or shaded, it might not require as many sessions as thick and dense tattoos.
3. How old the tattoo is. Our bodies flush tattoo ink naturally over time. So, older tattoos are more faded as they are. "Have you noticed how a 20-year-old tattoo might look more faded than, say, a 6-month-old tattoo?" Jamie points out. "The body knows there is something foreign in it, so it does try, but it still needs the help of a laser to break the ink down further."

Another common misconception about tattoo removal is the pain. Many people may be wary of getting rid of their tattoos because they think it'll hurt way more than getting the tattoo did. Jamie says that it's hard to say, since every person's pain threshold is different. "Some people can handle it better. It's uncomfortable, but bearable," she says. Jamie's clients have told her that it feels like a rubber band snap or hot oil splattering on your skin when cooking.

"Depending on the size of the tattoo, the treatment is over very quickly," Jamie also points out.' "Certain parts of the body might hurt more. Tattoo removal may feel more painful over bony areas because there's less cushioning from fat or muscle, so the laser sensation is sharper compared to fleshier parts of the body."

If you don't have a high pain tolerance, there's good news – specialists do offer pain management treatments:

1. Skin cooling machine. It's a device that blows cold air (-22°F). "I use it before, during, and after a treatment," Jamie says. "The clients love it. It almost numbs the area but not just that, it helps with cooling the skin tissues down, which helps with the overall healing."
2. Numbing creams. People can generally get those at their local pharmacy and apply themselves. Those who have larger tattoos tend to use it more often.
3. Stress balls. "These actually do help," Jamie affirms. Perhaps "Think away the pain" can be true for some people.

The last misconception that Jamie often has to deal with as a tattoo removal specialist is that the procedure leaves scars. "When performed by trained professionals using the right technology and a good machine, scarring is extremely rare," she says.

'"It's important to know that sometimes scarring occurs during the tattooing process itself – if the artist goes too deep with the needle or overworks the skin, it can cause scarring which is often covered by ink and when we work to get rid of the ink, the scar might be more visible," the tattoo removal specialist explains.

There's really no wrong reason to get a tattoo removed – if you simply don't want it anymore, that's fine. But Jamie shares the most common reasons people come to her to get their tats undone:

1. Breakups and life changes. "Names of ex-partners are probably the number one request," she admits. "I have had some clients that got a tattoo with a best friend years ago... and now they aren't friends anymore."

1. Career and lifestyle. Some workplaces might have no-tattoo policies. Other professionals just may want a cleaner look.
2. Poor-quality tattoos. Think old-fashioned, faded designs, and "No ragrets"-type misspellings. "Sometimes people call me the next day after getting a tattoo because it didn't turn out the way they wanted," Jamie says.
3. Drunken mistake/Holiday tattoo. Some things, evidently, don't stay in Vegas.

1. Changing tastes. "What felt meaningful at 18 may not resonate at 35," Jamie explains simply.
2. Cosmetic eyebrow tattoo removal. Jamie also does eyebrow tattoo removal. Some, she says, just might want a different look. But if they want new brows, it's necessary to get rid of the old ink.
3. Scalp Micropigmentation tattoo removal (SMP tattoo removal). "A lot of men get this on their heads to give them the shaven head look," Jamie explains. "But again, some men want a more natural look. I literally just had a client get SMP removal." 

Jamie says that removing tattoos isn't just physical: "[It] isn’t just about erasing ink – it's about giving people a fresh start. For some, it's closure after a breakup; for others, it's confidence in a new career, or simply feeling more like themselves again."

"It's one of the most rewarding parts of what I do and why I started the business," she admits. "I am so passionate about helping people. And when we see the results and I can see how much tattoo removal is helping, it makes it all worth it for me."