I would like to know if laser removal is as painful as...

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Answer by Melissa M. Oelschig
Submitted on 11/18/2003
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I had my first treatment today. I am going to a well known doctor in the St. Petersburg, Florida area. I decided against the local injection of lidocaine around the seven tattoos I am having removed. I took a mild sedative about 45 minutes before the treatment. The pain was close to the same as getting a tattoo....a little bit more intense, kind of like a heated tattoo needle piercing the skin. At my next treatment I am going to try taking a higher dose of the sedative...a valium given to me by the doctor's office and a topical anesthesizing cream. With the combination of these two, the doctor should be able to do more laser work. The blue coloring in some of my tattoos is going to be the hardest to remove. I hope this information helps!

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Question by Eyequest
Submitted on 9/21/2003
Related FAQ: rec.arts.bodyart: Tattoo FAQ 9/9--Bibliography
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I would like to know if laser removal is as painful as receiving the original tattoo and if they give you anything for the pain afterwards. Thanks

Answer by Anita
Submitted on 10/22/2003
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If they tell you it's like being "snapped with a rubber band" guess again, it's more like having hot grease poured on you. There is a topical cream that works well, that's it as far as pain relievers. Based on that they cannot inject Novocain nor give pain meds as this thins the blood and causes bleeding. The site may not bleed in order to do the laser procedure.

Answer by donna
Submitted on 12/6/2003
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ive been having a totoo removed on my arm. i think it hurts way more than actually having atatoo, i often come out in tears as the pain is so unbearable. im having mine done in the uk so i dont know if you have different lasers over there?

Answer by Jose
Submitted on 12/12/2003
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Laser treatment feels like hot grease flicking against your skin. It is slightly more painful than getting a tattoo, but you should not need any sedatives unless your removing multiple tattoos or a very large one that would require a long time to treat. I recently had laser treatment on a small tattoo, maybe 2 square inches max., and it only took about 5 to 10 minutes for the whole procedure. My dermatologist used the Q-switched ND: Yag laser. This laser is supposed to be advanced in removing black, dark blue, and red ink. Anyway, the procedure can be painful, but it is well worth it. No pain, no gain!

Answer by ERINGOCHELLE
Submitted on 1/20/2004
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YEAH, MY DOCTOR SAID IT WOULD FEEL LIKE "BEING SNAPPED BY A RUBBER BAND" ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT I AM GLAD MY TATTOO IS AS SMALL AS IT IS OR I WOULD HAVE JUMPED OFF THE TABLE BEFORE IT WAS DONE. IT FELT LIKE I WAS BEING CUT BY A RED HOT KNIFE! AND WHAT MADE IT WORSE WAS I HAD TO WAIT BETWEEN COLORS FOR THEM TO CHANGE THE INTENSITY OF THE LASER. IT BETTER WORK, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY!

Answer by Hether
Submitted on 4/26/2004
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Well, I have had 2 treatments now on 2 tattoos. I have to say - it is quite painful. During and afterwards. It is nothing like being "snapped by a rubber band"...it is like being sliced open with a scalding hot rubber band with little snaps of electrical shocks. However...a few Tylenol after the procedure and a nap really do the body good. :) I have 2 smaller tattoos being removed and it only takes about 15 minutes for the whole procedure. Feel free to email me with any questions - and I do have before and after pictures if anyone is interested. Ravenfly2@aol.com

Answer by Andrea
Submitted on 5/26/2004
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I have a small tattoo below my hip that I got 2 years ago. It's not that I don't like my tattoo, I just don't want it there for the rest of my life. Anyway, I am looking into having it removed in the next couple years and I was just interested in any information anyone might have regarding the process. I'd like to hear from people who actually have had tattoos removed or in the process of having them removed...I think their viewpoint is more accurate than the opinions of laser tattoo websites and doctors. Any info would help. Thanks. AndreaLHarward@yahoo.com

Answer by booboo
Submitted on 3/2/2005
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Getting a tattoo removed with a laser felt like having a lit match held against my ankle. I thought it hurt much more than getting the tattoo. I have only had 2 treatments and it's about 75% lighter. Unfortunately there are a couple of black marks left by the laser from where there was some white in the tattoo (the laser oxidized it). You can't do anything about them as far as I know...does anyone know any differently? I am getting my next treatment next week. Ouch. But worth it. todly@shaw.ca

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