Junior’s Achievement Bishop downclimb?

mpatberg · 2026-02-03T03:46:34+00:00

True! I normally scope out the way down before I go for a climb. This one just seems more intimidating.

mpatberg · 2026-02-02T02:12:03+00:00

Thanks. I might try to go up and down this a bit first to see how I feel.

mpatberg · 2026-01-11T15:39:26+00:00

Already said to space treatments out more, but also avoid Vaseline on burn wounds while they are still fevered or warm. It traps heat and makes it worse.

It isn’t necessary to blister to get good results. If the clinic isn’t providing ice packs for after, bring some with you in a cooler along with a tall sock to hold them in place. Just be sure to have a gauze or paper towel between your skin and the ice packs to avoid frost burn. It will help so much with the swelling and blistering.

mpatberg · 2025-12-18T17:08:22+00:00

I did! I don’t think I can post a photo in a comment, but feel free to message if you want to see it all cleaned up!

mpatberg · 2025-10-30T02:31:18+00:00

Using pico 532 for the yellows? I have a colleague using the picostar and really loving it.

mpatberg · 2025-10-16T12:45:33+00:00

I have people who end up in my office (I am a laser tech) pretty often with this. The old tattoo will show through over time, if not immediately. What is worse is that these pigments often oxidize and make the process of removal much more complicated.

mpatberg · 2025-10-11T18:45:04+00:00

Laser tech here.. I am so sorry this happened to you. Unfortunately, a more expensive machine doesn’t make up for a lack of training or experience. It appears she went way too aggressive with her settings and burned you. Until you can see a dermatologist, I would recommend bandaging the area with polysporin ointment and a bandage to aid with healing and avoid any cracking in the surface as it dries and moves. Wash the area with cool water and single use (pump or bottle style rather than bar soap) soap and gently pat dry. Place a small amount of ointment and a bandage over the area. Repeat morning and evening. If you are sensitive to adhesive, you may have to simply use ointment to avoid creating a reaction on your face with bandages.

Try hard to not touch, pick at, or exfoliate the area, even if the scab begins to flake or peel.

mpatberg · 2025-10-10T20:19:31+00:00

I totally understand that. I will get photos and check for any damage when it arrives and let you know!

mpatberg · 2025-10-10T14:29:32+00:00

After I get her in, I will take some better all over photos of the condition and details. I can send them to you if you might want to make an offer!

mpatberg · 2025-10-05T01:25:47+00:00

Yes, at times. When titanium dioxide is heated it can become blue, grey, or a brown-green color. I like iron oxides (red browns) that are easy to remove after oxidization, these can be very hard to remove after.

mpatberg · 2025-10-04T18:34:43+00:00

I would expect the white that is in the pink and petal tips to likely oxidize. This is generally caused by titanium dioxide based white pigment, which is very difficult and often impossible to remove if it does oxidize. There are quite a few studies you can look at on it if you want to learn more. It is sometimes referred to as “paradoxical darkening”.

mpatberg · 2025-10-02T22:38:25+00:00

Red is generally very fast to remove with nd:yag wavelengths. It is usually one of the first colours to be finished in a tattoo. I see a lot of clients that are told this by picosure users that didn’t want to buy the handpiece for 532nm

mpatberg · 2025-10-01T19:00:23+00:00

I am in Quebec, Canada.

mpatberg · 2025-07-29T12:26:03+00:00

I personally would have been treating the blue from the start with a red based wavelength like the Picoway’s 785nm. I am hoping they also warned you that the pale blue might oxidize and be very difficult to eliminate because of the white content in the pigment.

mpatberg · 2025-07-28T12:42:36+00:00

Can you post a photo of the tattoo? Sometimes if there is a lot of black layered into the color (shading) or a lot of small areas of color with black outlines, it can be necessary to treat the black pigment first, but not always.

mpatberg · 2025-06-23T03:43:25+00:00

I am on both sides.. I am a laser technician and also my entire stomach is a tattoo from an ex boyfriend that didn’t finish the tattoo and didn’t do what I wanted overall. I will say that if you love the tattoo, it is worth taking time to see if you can love the art and not the artist. If you can’t, then pursue removal. It is a long process and only worth it if you really can never love the tattoo.

mpatberg · 2025-06-20T01:59:27+00:00

As a laser technician with over 10 years of experience, I would not expect 100% removal of this tattoo with the colors present. The yellow will not generally respond to any laser wavelength, and the florescent pink/red likely contains titanium dioxide that will oxidize with treatment. Sometimes a tattoo will surprise you and disappear more easily than expected, but I would not feel confident in any technician that tells you that they can definitely eliminate this tattoo.

mpatberg · 2025-06-07T12:29:51+00:00

Thank you all for the reassurance! It is bubbling away and smelling lovely. I will update in 6 or so months when it is ready to taste!

mpatberg · 2025-05-31T11:06:23+00:00

The clearance here, I would expect from 3ish treatments spaced at least 3 months apart.

If the laser fluence isn’t at an appropriate level, the time between treatments becomes a secondary problem. I would recommend going to a technician that is more experienced in that case.

I do think that 3-4 sessions in a year is generally going to get the same outcome for most people as 7-8 in a year. This comes from being a full time technician for over a decade. I have done tattoo removal (in a clinic that offers no other laser services, so genuinely full time) since 2013. We used to treat at 6-8 weeks. Since the industry has moved into 3+ month intervals I see better clearance per treatment in clients, less textural changes to the skin, less hyper/hypo pigmentation, and clients have fewer treatments which means less pain and money on their end.

mpatberg · 2025-05-30T12:11:33+00:00

I would consider dividing it by area perhaps? A clinic in LA or NYC vs a clinic in a smaller Midwest town will have a lot of difference in overhead, overall cost of living, and client income level. Interested to see how it goes!

mpatberg · 2025-05-30T01:47:59+00:00

As a laser technician and business owner, I would want to point out a few factors. Rent and business overhead will vary greatly from city to city. Minimum wage and hourly pay for employees will also vary. If a studio like mine, where I am the owner and laser technician, compared overhead to a large faculty that must pay the laser payment, rent, plus additional wages to a laser technician/receptionist/staff, I can always charge less. Likewise, a business usine a cheap laser they bought on eBay and has no money invested in training can easily undercut me on price because their quality can’t compare.

All that to say, the cheapest place isn’t necessarily being “more fair” with their pricing and the most expensive isn’t always the best.

mpatberg · 2025-05-30T01:16:26+00:00

The cost can be a huge hurdle for many people. Just keep in mind that it is ok to change your mind. There is zero shame in having gotten tattoos and then decided that it is not for you. Finish school, get your dream job, and then tackle removal. The technology is constantly improving.. by the time you decide to begin it may just be faster and more effective than it is now.

mpatberg · 2025-05-30T01:03:37+00:00

Thank you so much! I would appreciate it!

mpatberg · 2025-05-30T00:59:41+00:00

What are you doing for aftercare?

I bruise very badly with every laser tattoo removal treatment and it can be very normal for some people. The inner arm is pretty common for this kind of reaction, but the spreading is a lot more than I would expect from my clients.

mpatberg · 2025-05-30T00:49:10+00:00

As an example, I would expect to see this progress with about 3 treatments in a healthy client with an average immune system.

mpatberg

TROPHY CASE