It took three tattoos before I ended up with one I grew tired of. It was a tattoo that sounded better in my head and was done when I was a bit angry. I don’t recommend getting a tattoo when you’re emotionally unstable. In most cases it won’t end well. It was a shop that was owned by a friend of a friend and only cost $60 I think. Yup, another case of you get what you pay for. I’m trying to remember the timeline but I have a horrible memory. I think I only had the tattoo for maybe 2-3 years before I decided to have it removed. I had thought about having it removed, started looking around, and when I found a local laser treatment center, I made an appointment. The appointment I made was for a consultation but it ended up being my first session! I just want to make it clear, I wasn’t pressured to start treatment but I figured I was in there, it was something I wanted (or needed) to have done, why wait? Why not make the commitment and start the procedure? Here is what it looked like five days after the first treatment:

Horrible tattoo, right? Yeah. That’s why it’s gone! The session didn’t last long. They numb the area first with a few needles and then laser away. It’s a weird feeling, not one I can describe exactly. I guess it feels like a bunch of rubber bands hitting you. It’s a different feeling than getting a tattoo, that’s for sure. I wouldn’t say it hurt either but I have a high pain tolerance. The pain didn’t really hit until the final session. It hit me on the way home after the numbing wore off. It was like a burning sensation and I honestly thought I was going to have to pull over it. That’s how bad it hurt. In the end though, it was worth it. Oh and I still get tattoos. I have a total of five not counting the one that’s nothing but a memory. I just make sure it’s something I stew on before actually going under the needle. That’s the advice I always give. If you can sit on the idea for a few months and keep coming back to it, then it’s probably a solid choice. I have one tattoo that I thought about for a year before actually getting it.
Here are a few more photos:

I probably could’ve went for one more session but I was happy enough with the results and really, unless you know it’s there, you don’t notice it. Plus with the way I worship the sun, it’s faded some more on it’s own.