I know I shouldn't be looking at the tattoo this early after a treatment and trying to imagine when this all will end, but I can't help it. I mean if I think about this logistically and how very little is getting taken out from time to time now. I really can see my self needing like 10 treatments more! My only other thought is that I need to slow down and put at least a couple months between each treatment as I was initially advised. I guess I fell into the impatient trap as I have been doing treatments every 5 weeks...should I fall back to every eight weeks?. I just don't want to wait. With summer here, I am also risking tanning the scar which makes it look darker, so I think, "should I just wait until fall to resume treatments?". Decisions, decisions, decisions....and I am now over two-thousand dollars into this experience, so saving money is a huge incentive too.
When I went for my last treatment, Allison, whom usually does the treatments, was out on maternity leave, so I got a new girl. She is really new...meaning she had just been trained for laser tattoo removals. What an experience that was! The assistant, who is usually there, gave me the anesthesia injections, and she doubled me up. I think she gave me about 100-120 injections, and usually I can only feel the epinephrine just slightly, but this time my heart was racing! Well, the new girl doing the treatments was so slow zapping me, because she wanted to do it just right...understandable. But I was getting really anxious from sitting there so long and thinking, "oh my god, the anesthesia wears off really quickly...hurry, hurry!". Anyway, it went fine, and like I said before, I never felt the after burn which could of been due to the assistant giving me so many injections! But one interesting thing this new girl said was that after the treatments are done the tattoo will continue to fade, so I am now thinking does this mean I have to leave ink in there? Will there come a day where they are like, "let's take a break and see what happens"? Scary! I don't know how not to be nervous right now, but I was told this is when it really gets hard...and I feel it!
Any suggestions? Should I take a break, slow-up, or keep going?
Girl I am right with you!! I was supposed to have #9 done last week but I broke my shoulder blade and didn't want to deal with both so now I go back in July. Initially I wanted to go every 4 weeks just to get it gone, but it is still pretty normal looking so now I'm debating on waiting every 8 weeks for a few more treatments and if it doesn't start to fade I think I might just have to live with the damn thing!
ReplyDeleteShannon,
ReplyDeleteHave you asked where they are with the heat of laser? I wonder if they are keeping it at the same heat as they did for treatment #1 or turning up just slightly. Every time I get a treatment they turn the laser up for the black (red maxed out a while ago), but the black/green is what is really fading. The red is barely changing from time to time. Maybe if you're on treatment #8 without any fading, you should ask about the intensity of the laser or go to a different place and see what they say. I know it is fresh but shouldn't you see some change?
Well, I hope it fades for you really soon...like now! Feeling as crazy-anxious as I do, I couldn't imagine what it is like to see no change.
I decided to put a few more weeks in between "treats" than I have been, which is great just for the fact that I won't be having blisters all the time in this heat. I also think I need to be a little more patient, and see how much time fades it on its own!
My laser tech won't take me any sooner than 6 weeks- and I chose to wait 8. My first appointment was April 16th and my next one is June 12. My tattoo is mostly black, and very dark at that.
ReplyDeleteI hardly notice any difference since the first treatment which is so disappointing, but yeah, there is some fading. My tech kept saying my body needs to take the time it needs to absorb the ink and it would be a waste of money to go sooner.
Every time someone asks to see it they always say 'what the heck, there's no difference" Le sigh.
At least when I go back for my second treatment I know what to ask- and I'll definitely ask about the intensity of the beam.
I wish I started this in the fall... summer is such a drag to have to go through this lol
I know he said everytime they raise the level, but lately the blisters havent been as bad so that makes me think he really isn't raising it :/ I am either going to go every 8 weeks now or just give up completely and maybe in a few years go back. I mean it has faded a little from the original but for having 8 done I really only see a difference in the black outline nothing close to your results :( I have one more paid treatment in July so I guess I will go from there.
ReplyDeleteI just had my 4th treatment this past Thursday and before that, my tattoo has faded a great deal. I am extremely thrilled with my results. I have always waited 2 months between all my treatments and I think it is helping the progress go so far, for me. I think I will only need 2 or 3 more. I do have some blue which has been troublesome but my dermatologist says it is even doing well compared to some other patients. Anyway, I say wait a while between your treatments. You're almost there!
ReplyDeleteHey there! First off, great job on the blog... keep it up and be strong!!! I'm having my 3rd session in a few weeks and sympathise with the never-ending feeling that comes with tattoo removal... *sigh* I guess we are all in this together!!....
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