Back in the day, tattoos used to be forever. That's why we're still warned to think twice about getting tattoos today. But nowadays, tattoo removal exists, and experts say that removing standard black tattoos has up to a 90% success rate. About 70-90% of colored tattoos are removed successfully, and the same goes for 95% of small tattoos.
Every bit of the removal journey can feel like a small win, and where better to share your progress than on a subreddit dedicated just to that? Whether it's a bad tattoo job, an ex's name, or something that brings back bad memories, tattoo removal experts have helped these folks to get rid of it.
We've gathered the most impressive and successful examples of tattoo removal and present them to you here. Turns out, sometimes you can erase your mistakes.
To find out more about how the tattoo removal process works, Bored Panda reached out to a professional – Sydney-based tattoo removal specialist Jamie Tomlinson from Goodbye Tattoos. "Tattoo removal is like peeling back an onion skin," she tells us. Yet there's also so much more to it.
Read on to find out whether removing a tattoo is more painful than getting one, what the most annoying misconceptions about tattoo removal are, and why new technology is making it more and more effective!
#21 3 Sessions. First Two Sessions Six Months Apart In 2018. Third Session Done June 2020. After Photo Taken Today January 2025. Q Switch Nanosecond Laser. Not Removery. Not Picoway
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20points
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:
- 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."
- Career and lifestyle. Some workplaces might have no-tattoo policies. Other professionals just may want a cleaner look.
- 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.
- Drunken mistake/Holiday tattoo. Some things, evidently, don't stay in Vegas.
- Changing tastes. "What felt meaningful at 18 may not resonate at 35," Jamie explains simply.
- 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.
- 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."
#29 Seven Sessions First Session January 2019. Q Switch Nanosecond Laser
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16points
#30 I've Had Six Treatments In Two Years. I'm Very Happy With The Progress!
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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."
#35 Full Removal. 8 Sessions Over 11 Months. May 2021-April 2022. Picosure
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15points
