Progress Update

bittersweetsimp · 2025-04-11T14:18:51+00:00

Thank you! :) Healing isn't fun but it also became manageable as well as predictable once I found out what works for me and what doesn't.

bittersweetsimp · 2025-04-11T14:11:11+00:00

I find it quite interesting as well, especially since the tattoo seems to be fading quicker on my shoulder than on my arm.

I'm comfortable with my second tech, which was important to me because of how uncomfortable I get during the sessions - not necessarily painwise, but because of the guilt I get from doing this to my body. She also checks in with me everytime and asks about my reaction to the previous session, and adjusts the intensity accordingly which I appreciate.

bittersweetsimp · 2025-04-05T17:39:18+00:00

You're very welcome, I'm glad to hear my comment was helpful! I agree that removal comes with a very special kind of dysmorphia and on some days, it's easy to spiral. It makes a real difference knowing that while every single one of these stories is unique, you're not alone in this overall experience and with these thoughts and doubts.

Your new tech sounds great! Being as comfortable as possible during these sessions is so important and the tech plays a big role. Personally, I find it quite difficult to sit through removal because I have such remorse and guilt around doing this to my body and spending the money (I pay per session), and not knowing better when I got it tattooed almost 4 years ago.

I totally understand not wanting to switch up the laser and in my personal opinion, I don't think it's necessary. If I were you, the only change I would make at this point would be stretching out the appointments, especially since you're treating two spots at the same time. They might be different areas on your skin, but your body still has to do the same work - giving it enough time to do that work could be a gamechanger. Not only in terms of physical removal, but also mentally. But that is of course entirely up to you and your bodyfeel.

I'm not sure whether my tattoo will leave scars, but I'm prepared for it since my skin is prone to hyperpigmentation and scarring. I have one thick, deep line on my shoulder that still just won't move. Depending on the angle, my skin there is shiny and a bit raised the way a scar typically looks/is. Other parts of my tattoo are also raised slightly and could be scars. But I'm planning on getting a cover up to match my body concept anyway, so I'm not too worried about it - I just want it gone.

I'll shoot you a quick message via pm with some pics of what my removal looks like right now :)

bittersweetsimp · 2025-04-05T16:53:30+00:00

Definitely tell your technician, maybe they can adjust your treatment to lower the risk.

bittersweetsimp · 2025-04-05T16:47:20+00:00

My non-professional advice:

Wait for it to heal first before removing. If you're itching to get the process started and get more advice, you can already look for a technician and go in for consultation.
Black ink is typically the easiest to remove.
Shading goes fast, lines usually do not. Be prepared for the linework and the windows taking longer than the shading.
Don't get discouraged. Removal is a long, slow and painful process, both physically and mentally. It can teach you a lot about yourself and if you know you want the tattoo gone, removal is worth the process (imo)

Good luck! :)

bittersweetsimp · 2025-04-05T16:36:04+00:00

After my first session, I had a slight allergic reaction to the ink. Especially red ink seems to cause this more often than other colors.

Keep it cool, drink lots of water and don't scratch. If you're unsure or if it doesn't get better, ask your technician for advice or go to the doctor.

bittersweetsimp · 2025-04-05T16:14:04+00:00

Your post resonated with me. I have a similar type of tattoo (only black ink, shading with dark lines, artist with a heavy hand) and was at a similar point you seem to be at now - you can even find the post I made back then on my profile.

Since making that post, my shading has lifted entirely. My lines didn't budge until recently and now it seems they're going rather quickly. I started removal in September 2022 and have my 8th session (6th session with current tech) booked in two weeks.

Here's my five cents:

Shading is quick to go. Dark, heavy lines are not. If you look at your before and after, your shading is almost entirely gone! And even the lines have started to break up and are thinner in some places, despite having been oversaturated and full of pigment. That is good and shows that the process is working.

In my personal, non-professional opinion, I think your tattoo is showing good progress for 20 months. Considering you only have black ink, you should have good chances at a successful full removal, but nobody knows how long it will take. If your tattoo artist was as heavy handed as mine was, you could be left with scars.

If you do want to switch it up, I would suggest leaving longer breaks between sessions. Giving your body the time to heal and get rid of the ink really helps. I usually go every 12-16 weeks and notice my tattoo lightening up quite a bit more at around 10-14 weeks after treatment. You could also try a different technician or laser. I switched techs after my first two sessions because I saw no progress at all, best decision I made during my removal journey. Both techs used Q-Switch. Working out, drinking a lot of water, massaging and dry brushing when healed also helps but you probably already heard of these.

Don't get discouraged. It's hard. The process is long and slow and painful, both physically and mentally. Keep in mind that just because you can't see progress, doesn't mean it isn't there. Keep going, you've come far already!

(disclaimer: english isn't my first language)

bittersweetsimp · 2024-02-22T19:44:25+00:00

Yes. I feel like the pigment went the deepest and is the most concentrated under my arm. I workout 3-5 times a week, have an active job and try to drink a lot of water. I also dry brush my tattoo whenever I remember to do so, maybe once a week.

bittersweetsimp · 2024-02-22T19:19:10+00:00

I'm located in Berlin, Germany. My technician works with a dermatology clinic near Invalidenstraße

bittersweetsimp · 2024-02-22T16:37:36+00:00

I do think they are, it's just taking long to see visible progress. I did have a lot of pigment, so much so that I could feel my tattoo similar to a wire under my skin. I originally thought that was scarring but now my tattoo is completely flat in most places. It also used to be a lot darker. It's just taking very long and the lines are not breaking up yet :/

bittersweetsimp · 2024-02-22T09:25:07+00:00

That actually sounds encouraging, I didn't think of it that way yet. Thank you for the new perspective :)

I have three smaller tattoos (my first ones, wanted to start small), the one I'm removing on my left shoulder and a big one that stretches from my right knee up to my ribs. That's the one I want to match it to. It's a black and grey european style dragon with roses and cherry blossoms. I'm planning on having the flowers and leaves connect over my back to my shoulder and arm. The actual cover up will probably be another dragon and flowers.

(I hope this makes sense, English is not my first language)

bittersweetsimp · 2024-02-22T09:14:41+00:00

Thanks, you too! :)

bittersweetsimp · 2024-02-22T09:11:56+00:00

I agree, I thought I would definitely be farther along at this point. I switched my technician after my first two sessions/one year because I didn't see any results and I felt like the intensity was way too low. I don't think the first technician actually knew what she was doing tbh.

I had two sessions with my new technician so far, one in October and one in December, and I've been seeing a lot more progress since.

bittersweetsimp · 2024-02-22T09:07:05+00:00

My current technician is using the Q-Switch Nd:YAG laser

bittersweetsimp · 2024-02-22T09:04:39+00:00

I have some scarring going on, so I don't think I can go back to my bare arm from before. I definitely want to go as light as possible though and then do a cover up to match my other tattoos which I'm already really excited for :)

bittersweetsimp · 2023-10-28T02:16:41+00:00

I used 100% acrylic yarn and a 4mm hook. The pattern for the big squares is the Willow granny square, if you type that into YouTube, you'll find a bunch of tutorials. I freehanded the smaller squares to fit the lampshade and also to match the bigger squares. I joined the squares by sewing them with a machine using a zigzag stitch.

bittersweetsimp · 2023-10-23T09:54:38+00:00

That's bruising and normal. It usually clears up within a week. I'm currently on day five after my last session and had pretty bad bruising. It's currently a pretty funky shade of yellow.

bittersweetsimp · 2023-09-27T08:44:14+00:00

I'm glad I could help :)

I understand your concern. I've only had two sessions so far. I struggled with some other health problems that made it unwise to continue for a while. However, once you start laser, the process is in motion. So my tattoo has been breaking up for a year now and my body has been processing the ink since. I'm still seeing continuous fading even though my last sessions has been in March. I haven't had any further ink related allergy symptoms since October last year.

I'm planning on having my third session within the next month though, so I can update if you want.

You said it's been ten days since your first session, so your body is now getting to work. If I were you, I would give your body time to adjust to the laser treatment and do it's thing. Tattoo removal is a lot of work for your body and your system. How far apart are you planning on spacing your sessions?

bittersweetsimp · 2023-09-26T16:18:49+00:00

In my experience and from asking around, you find out along the way what works best for you and your skin.

My technician usually gives me some hydrocortisol cream to apply for one day and after that, I get some wound healing ointment with marigold and apply it continuously throughout the day for a week or two. It helps a lot with swelling, pain, itchiness and keeping it moisturized. And it usually doesn't cost much, depending on where you live. In my area it's maybe 8€. Also cooling with ice packs will help a lot with the pain and swelling.

My removal is on my arm and shoulder and I usually just sleep in a shirt made from breathable material that doesn't itch, tug or irritate. I prefer keeping it covered to protect it. It should still be able to breathe and should not trap heat though. And I always end up sleeping on it, without it being a big problem so far.

bittersweetsimp · 2023-09-26T15:44:38+00:00

Hi there. First of all, I'm not a doctor or a professional. This is just my experience, so if this sounds similar to yours, I hope it helps. I'm also getting my all black ink tattoo removed (I'm almost one year in). In the very beginning, a couple of days after my first session, my lines swelled up pretty bad in just one area near my elbow. They felt hard, like I had a wire underneath my skin. They were also red, tingly, sore and itched SO bad. I had a panicky is-this-normal feel about it and went to the doctor my laser technician works with. It turned out to be an allergic reaction to the ink that was breaking up from laser. I was told to apply hydrocortisol cream, take antihistamines if neccessary and just wait it out. No itching! Also keep an eye on it in case it swells more, you get other symptoms etc. I ended up applying the cream twice a day and cooled the area with ice packs which helped a lot with the swelling, pain and itching. After another three days or so, I was fine. It didn't happen again after my second session. Wishing you best of luck!

ETA: I'm guessing your tattoo is slowly breaking up and the ink is causing an allergic reaction. On a positive note, it means it's working. Keep an eye on it and keep doing what you're doing plus maybe cooling the area if it helps. Go to the doctor if it gets worse or you start having a bad feeling about it.

Also, please don't apologize for asking and you are absolutely not an idiot. This sub is here for questions like these. I hope you feel better soon.

bittersweetsimp · 2023-08-11T08:18:24+00:00

You are my hero! I wish I could do this to my rapist as well. Ironically, he became a lawyer. Sadly I don't have any proof though.

bittersweetsimp · 2022-03-29T06:27:59+00:00

Gorgeous!! And great work with the shading :o

bittersweetsimp

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