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Slartibartfast

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  1. Like
    Slartibartfast got a reaction from Blondie71 in possibly hate my tattoo but i don't know. really need support   
    I’d venture to guess that if this is only your second tattoo and first in a visible spot, your feelings of anxiety are completely reasonable and probably not too uncommon. Some of my friends have fun teasing me cause they know I tend to be very harsh and unsure about my tattoos. Compound this with the fact you can see 1,000’s of the best tattoos from the best artists all around the world, refreshing on your instagram feed hourly. AND the fact that you can appreciate all of those without the consequences of getting them and it makes even more sense why one would second guess, go through shock or feel a sense of regret.
    It’s actually probably a big part of the power and statement of tattoos, a sense of live for today, don’t care about tomorrow, self assured impression whether actual or just imagined. 
    In conclusion, take the advice you’ve received so far and stop looking at it or thinking about it at least until it’s completely healed, settled in, no longer shiny and overly saturated looking.    Give yourself permission not to deal with it about it for at least three months before you can make a reasonable, levelheaded decision or opinion about it.   
     
  2. Like
    Slartibartfast got a reaction from SStu in laser tattoo removal progress   
    *In the interest of full disclosure: I am a stockholder in the company I am about to mention.*
     
    starting this month there will be a new technology for tattoo removal. The device is called Resonic and claims to use Rapid acoustic Pulse In conjunction with q switch laser.  Doing so enables multiple passes per office visit. From the pictures the company has posted it also appears to be highly effective.  
     
    this is the latest and greatest in tattoo removal technology and as yet has not been launched commercially so I am eager to see more from this company and how successful the device may be.
    As a stockholder, of course I hope the company does well for my investment, but hopefully from reading my previous posts you can see that I am rooting for this to work as I believe it’s the best hope of completing my tattoo removal journey.   

    if you are interested in learning more, Google search terms: Soliton, SOLY, Resonic, and RAP (Rapid Acoustic Pulse).
    rest assured I will be posting before and after pictures when this becomes available within eight hours travel distance from where I live.
     

     
     
  3. Like
    Slartibartfast got a reaction from tattooo in laser tattoo removal progress   
    Sorry for the flippant response.  In all seriousness, in terms of cost, time and discomfort I would say laser is exponentially more than getting a tattoo. 
    for me, I can handle tattoo pain.  I have only experienced laser on the neck but I guarantee it is worse than getting the tattoo, which felt more like a burning/stinging/ scraping sensation.  Laser is like a rubberband snapping you more than a trillion times a second.  A pico second to be exact.  The only difference is the session lasts only minutes vs hours for the tattoo. 
  4. Thanks
    Slartibartfast got a reaction from AnjaH in Is my tattoo really this bad or am I overthinking?   
    Not sure if you have seen my thread on laser removal but I would encourage you to check it out if you feel like getting out of your head on this and maybe feeling better about your new tattoo.
    just for a taste, I am going to paste a post I made covering the topic of should I shouldn't I.  
     
    -------
    I do feel that most of the time, the second guessing, remorse or panic after immediately getting a tattoo is normal for me at least and not a good judge of how much of a mistake it was/wasn't.  It often has more to do with OCD, Anxiety and cognitively distorted thinking like "catastrophizing".  
    The tattoo I am getting lasered wasn’t that bad although I wasn’t happy with the placement which made me decide to go through this process. 
    Even still I was shocked, and continue to battle with this decision, at how much it cost each session and how many sessions I will need to MAYBE remove it.  The pain, depending on your pain tolerance and the location, is as bad or worse than people let on.  You won't know if complete removal is even possible until you are so many sessions in that it now looks like your drunk friends scribbled something on you while you were passed out...
     I'm not far enough in to this process to be very positive about it.  Four sessions in and I'm not quite half way there.  (have since discovered probably about a quarter of the way there)
    Ultimately, I made the decision because I knew, after two years of having the tattoo, that I was trying to cover it up as often as possible, and I was never going to be happy with it.  I also was naive as to the effectiveness of laser removal.  I thought I'd be done in a couple sessions, and didn't realize the cost of each laser session would exceed the cost of getting the tattoo.  All said and done, if I only need 10 sessions, I will have paid over 10 x's as much to remove, as to get.  So the "math" to figure out on this one is, do you hate your tattoo 10 x's as much as it cost and two years worth of painful sessions and unpleasant recovery. ....   I am going to add that, if you do hate it 10 x's as much, will you be ok with spending about 5 years of looking a mess where a professionally done tattoo once sat, until you decide, F*** it and just blast over it with something new to agonize over?  Cause that is where I am at currently.
     
    Finally, your tattoo really looks good.  Technically speaking, it checks off all the blocks so I put this down to first tattoo, big tattoo, highly visible (for you) area and mind screw that is ensuing as a result of the things I just mentioned.  
     
    Give it several months and then see what you think.  If you still consider laser after that, check out what I've posted and continue to post on this forum as my journey with laser continues.
    ~Best of luck 
  5. Like
    Slartibartfast reacted to Hogrider in Is my tattoo really this bad or am I overthinking?   
    What part monkeying with it will make it worse is confusing you? Educate yourself on laser removal. There is no guarantee, or expectation, that the entire tattoo will fade at the exact same rate.
     
    You will find someone that will claim they can do what you want, even though they can’t, and then you’ll be back here asking how to fix the mess you caused.
     
    Quit obsessing over this and just enjoy your nice tattoo.
  6. Like
    Slartibartfast reacted to SStu in laser tattoo removal progress   
    Yup. The final absorbsion takes many months. I think my spacing between sessions was about 4-6 weeks. 
  7. Like
    Slartibartfast reacted to SStu in laser tattoo removal progress   
    Keep in mind that the full dissolving/absorption of the ink can take up to 6 months. 
    On the other hand, that line-work is IN THERE. 
  8. Like
    Slartibartfast reacted to Dan in Got my first tattoo - I screwed up...   
    it's all a learning process, 🙂 I never stop learning more and more about tattoos.
  9. Like
    Slartibartfast got a reaction from Samth in Got my first tattoo - I screwed up...   
    I agree with the comments above re placement. I think if it had been too much higher it might bend and distort with flexing. 
     
    try and take a break from looking at it. Wait until it is completely healed. 
  10. Like
    Slartibartfast reacted to Theatralica in laser tattoo removal progress   
    Thanks for sharing your progress. I've seen some people 'casually' recommending laser removal before getting a cover-up on the Internet. But the pictures you've shown so far definetely proof that steps like these shouldn't be taken carelessly, even when you're unhappy with your tattoo. All the best to you and I hope you will reach the desired result soon.
  11. Like
    Slartibartfast got a reaction from SStu in laser tattoo removal progress   
    Should I get my tattoo removed?  Since posting this series, I occasionally get messages asking if tattoo removal is something I would recommend.  I am always happy to respond and help others with this decision by sharing my experience.  Rather than retype the same thing again and again, I figured I would post my latest response here in case anyone reading this thread finds themselves grappling with the same question.
    I do feel that most of the time, the second guessing, remorse or panic after immediately getting a tattoo is normal for me at least and not a good judge of how much of a mistake it was/wasn't.  It often has more to do with OCD, Anxiety and cognitively distorted thinking like "catastrophizing".  
    The tattoo I am getting lasered wasn’t that bad although I wasn’t happy with the placement which made me decide to go through this process. 
    Even still I was shocked, and continue to battle with this decision, at how much it cost each session and how many sessions I will need to maybe remove it.  The pain, depending on your pain tolerance and the location, is as bad or worse as people let on.  You won't know if complete removal is possible until you are so many sessions in that it now looks like your drunk friends scribbled something on you while you were passed out...
     I'm not far enough in to this process to be very positive about it.  Four sessions in and I'm not quite half way there.  
    Ultimately, I made the decision because I knew, after two years of having the tattoo, that I was trying to cover it up as often as possible, and I was never going to be happy with it.  I also was naive as to the effectiveness of laser removal.  I thought I'd be done in a couple sessions, and didn't realize the cost of each laser session would exceed the cost of getting the tattoo.  All said and done, if I only need 10 sessions, I will have paid over 10 x's as much to remove, as to get.  So the "math" to figure out on this one is, do you hate your tattoo 10 x's as much as it cost and two years worth of painful sessions and unpleasant recovery.  If so, Do it.  
     
    I will be posting updated "healed" pictures from my latest session as soon as I get a chance. 
     
    Slarti
  12. Like
    Slartibartfast reacted to Dan in New Beautiful Tattoo - Mix of Emotions (Regret, visibility?)   
    hi,you have "tattoo remorse", it's very common,it will go away,
    your tattoo is a nice tattoo,
    don't get any laser done,
    it will fade and lighten naturally over time,
    now,put a tank top on and show it with pride,nobody is going to think less of you,and if they do that's their problem.
  13. Like
    Slartibartfast got a reaction from scottyg in laser tattoo removal progress   
    Should I get my tattoo removed?  Since posting this series, I occasionally get messages asking if tattoo removal is something I would recommend.  I am always happy to respond and help others with this decision by sharing my experience.  Rather than retype the same thing again and again, I figured I would post my latest response here in case anyone reading this thread finds themselves grappling with the same question.
    I do feel that most of the time, the second guessing, remorse or panic after immediately getting a tattoo is normal for me at least and not a good judge of how much of a mistake it was/wasn't.  It often has more to do with OCD, Anxiety and cognitively distorted thinking like "catastrophizing".  
    The tattoo I am getting lasered wasn’t that bad although I wasn’t happy with the placement which made me decide to go through this process. 
    Even still I was shocked, and continue to battle with this decision, at how much it cost each session and how many sessions I will need to maybe remove it.  The pain, depending on your pain tolerance and the location, is as bad or worse as people let on.  You won't know if complete removal is possible until you are so many sessions in that it now looks like your drunk friends scribbled something on you while you were passed out...
     I'm not far enough in to this process to be very positive about it.  Four sessions in and I'm not quite half way there.  
    Ultimately, I made the decision because I knew, after two years of having the tattoo, that I was trying to cover it up as often as possible, and I was never going to be happy with it.  I also was naive as to the effectiveness of laser removal.  I thought I'd be done in a couple sessions, and didn't realize the cost of each laser session would exceed the cost of getting the tattoo.  All said and done, if I only need 10 sessions, I will have paid over 10 x's as much to remove, as to get.  So the "math" to figure out on this one is, do you hate your tattoo 10 x's as much as it cost and two years worth of painful sessions and unpleasant recovery.  If so, Do it.  
     
    I will be posting updated "healed" pictures from my latest session as soon as I get a chance. 
     
    Slarti
  14. Like
    Slartibartfast reacted to Gingerninja in Does this look normal?? Or am I just being paranoid...   
    Note: holy close-up. This isn't Ink Master. Let it heal! 😎
  15. Like
    Slartibartfast reacted to Dumpleton in The Tattoo Pain-Scale   
    Ha Ha,
    You should be the rib area sucks, it was a struggle for me.
  16. Like
    Slartibartfast reacted to SStu in laser tattoo removal progress   
    Ugh. Brings back painful memories . . . 
  17. Like
    Slartibartfast reacted to SStu in laser tattoo removal progress   
    I found the old thread from 2014 and was going to link it here but for some reason the photobucket pictures are now blurred out (by photobucket?), so no real point, I guess. Anyway I had about 25-30% of my whole back done in 4-5 x 30-40 minute sessions. Just lightened it enough to give the cover-up artist freedom to not make it an obvious cover-up. 
  18. Thanks
    Slartibartfast got a reaction from tattoodoubts in possibly hate my tattoo but i don't know. really need support   
    Bingo!  The concept of permanence is possibly playing a larger, if not total, role in your doubt than the tattoo, image, execution, location, experience...etc. 
  19. Like
    Slartibartfast got a reaction from tattoodoubts in possibly hate my tattoo but i don't know. really need support   
    I’d venture to guess that if this is only your second tattoo and first in a visible spot, your feelings of anxiety are completely reasonable and probably not too uncommon. Some of my friends have fun teasing me cause they know I tend to be very harsh and unsure about my tattoos. Compound this with the fact you can see 1,000’s of the best tattoos from the best artists all around the world, refreshing on your instagram feed hourly. AND the fact that you can appreciate all of those without the consequences of getting them and it makes even more sense why one would second guess, go through shock or feel a sense of regret.
    It’s actually probably a big part of the power and statement of tattoos, a sense of live for today, don’t care about tomorrow, self assured impression whether actual or just imagined. 
    In conclusion, take the advice you’ve received so far and stop looking at it or thinking about it at least until it’s completely healed, settled in, no longer shiny and overly saturated looking.    Give yourself permission not to deal with it about it for at least three months before you can make a reasonable, levelheaded decision or opinion about it.   
     
  20. Like
    Slartibartfast got a reaction from tattoodoubts in possibly hate my tattoo but i don't know. really need support   
    HEY been there and I feel for you. I second what JAC said.  Take a break from thinking about it or even looking at it for a while. Once the tattoo has settled and you are more used to it you might be surprised to find you actually like it and what you are experiencing now is just the panic of the concept rather than the art. 
     
    I say this both as a fairly medium/heavily tattooed guy and also someone who tends to have strong negative reactions to most of the tattoos I get initially.
    There have been a few I continued to dislike past the normal break in phase. For these, two of them were “fixed” by just adding more around them.  I found some of what I didn’t like was the placement or how much the stood out all alone. Also, adding took some of the attention away and then defects didn’t seem so annoying.
    i have even started laser removal for one of them that I continued to regret.  I don’t recommend this method unless you have tons of extra cash, are good with horrible pain and don’t mind taking a couple years to complete the process.  I’m an open book on this experience so feel free to shoot me a message with any questions.
    ultimatley, most of this tends to come down to temperament.  I tend to be the type of person who second guesses even what I order for dinner, of course I’m going to have difficulty adjusting to a tattoo.  That is until I have enough that each one doesn’t matter as much, which is where I’m at right now.  Now I go for the fun of getting one, to add to a spot, and/or to collect from an artist I’m super pumped about.  Before I had too much focus on the specific design and nothing was ever perfect enough.
     
  21. Like
    Slartibartfast reacted to Heatherr in laser tattoo removal progress   
    looking forward to update photos/progress
  22. Like
    Slartibartfast reacted to tsuk in laser tattoo removal progress   
    Thanks a lot for sharing your exerience, it s a LOT harder to remove than I imagined 
  23. Like
    Slartibartfast reacted to tsuk in laser tattoo removal progress   
    Thanks for answering, hopefully you ll get the desired results from this
  24. Like
    Slartibartfast got a reaction from tsuk in laser tattoo removal progress   
    I am getting a discounted rate since this is with my primary care physician that I have seen for the past 14 years. I don’t feel right advertising that price but I can say that places seem to charge by the square inch and this is considered a med/large tattoo by laser removal standards.  I was quoted $800 per session if I bought five sessions up front from one place. My doctor quoted over five per session but I made a deal to pay in advance for five so he cut the price down for me.
     
    In general, I would figure about the cost to double the cost of getting it, per session as that’s what it has worked out for me.
     
    Should advancements like the RAP come out and actually work, I would pay considerably more if it could double or triple up results per session. 
  25. Like
    Slartibartfast got a reaction from Princess Sparkle Mittens in laser tattoo removal progress   
    The pictures above are just an update. 4 days since first session. I’m simultaneously encouraged and discouraged by the progress. I see a few spots with really significant lightening others that look no different. I heard the first few sessions might not yield much. 
     
    I’ll post when there is news. 
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