Treatment #2

Well, after the good results (and healing) of the first session, I decided to continue with it. The girl today said that the tattoo had faded pretty significantly since the first treatment, and I noticed it as well. Here is that tattoo before treatment #2:

This time, I researched alternative numbing treatments prior to going in. So we applied a numbing cream, covered by gauze, with an ice pack over it. Then we were off!

So I had a stronger and larger laser used first, and the smaller of the two used second. I made it through the first laser pretty quickly and easily. I managed to get it done, only stopping twice. So then we reapplied the cream and ice pack for a few minutes, then out came the small laser.



This wasn't quite as bad either, and went much faster than the first treatment. We stopped occasionally, but for the most part, it went well. So all-in-all, the second treatment session wasn't that awful. Here are some pictures during the treatment:

But here I am, 8 hours post-treatment and my foot is swollen and the treated area is blistering (a pretty common side effect of laser tattoo removal). Right now, I'm sitting here with an ice pack on my foot and seriously thinking about just going to bed and hoping that it's better in the morning.

Jan 21- 19 days after Treatment #1

Treatment #1

So I decided to make an appointment with a place in Pittsburgh for a consultation. I really liked what I heard, and the price wasn't as bad as I was expecting. If I paid up front for 6 sessions, I received a 20% discount on the package. So six treatments cost $960. I can also get a refund if I end up not needing the sixth treatment.

The first treatment was painful. I was offered lidocaine to numb the area prior to the treatment, but I hate needles. So I went through the whole thing without numbing. Some people say it feels like a rubber band snapped against your skin, but I thought it was worse. It was more like several bee stings in the same spot, but over and over again. So after 45 minutes and going through 4 pulses at a time, the process was finally over. Whew!

Here's what it looks like after the laser pulses on the black lines:

The day after the first treatment, my foot was swollen and sore, but I could walk. It hurt if things (like pant legs) ran against it, but otherwise I was alright. After about two and a half weeks, it started to itch like crazy. It was like a sunburn when it starts to heal and then peel. I started applying some ointments and things for it and after a few days it was better. So I decided to go ahead with the second treatment.

Explanation

I have a tattoo on my foot that I decided I should get removed. I'm in law school, and it's become increasingly more difficult to dress for occasions where I'd like to wear a skirt or dress, but would also like to cover the tattoo. One of the things with law is that when I'm in a courtroom, it's appropriate to wear a pant or skirt suit. There are some times when I really want to wear nude hose or just not wear socks. Especially in the summer with cute shoes! So this is to document the journey into the unknown!