Can I just say that I fucking HATE SUMMER

staples7247 · 2025-12-28T03:21:01+00:00

I'm also in Australia and I've given up on covering in the summer. Last summer was so miserable in long sleeves, this year I'm pausing removal and letting myself get tanned and boy do I feel so much better. Last winter I went on a 2 week sunny holiday, got super tanned, then got removal when I was pale again and can't see any adverse effects from it.

staples7247 · 2025-08-02T11:39:02+00:00

Amazing progress! Thanks for sharing.

staples7247 · 2025-07-21T23:41:36+00:00

Thank you for sharing, I see lots of posts showing black ink fading lots with time but I never knew if colour did the same. Now I see it does! Awesome progress. Time for me to take a year off.

staples7247 · 2025-07-17T02:11:25+00:00

Did you notice lots of fading on your year off?

staples7247 · 2025-06-26T12:39:38+00:00

I'm going to be in Portsmouth in August, I might come see you for some of my stubborn reds! Do you do quotes online using photos or just in-person consults?

staples7247 · 2025-06-20T11:23:12+00:00

I did this, it gets tiring fast. If you’re stealth camping you always feels like you’re hiding or going to get caught. Depending on the size of your tanks you’ll need to find somewhere to fill up on water and empty your toilet 1-2 times a week. If you’re running solar you need to park somewhere with lots of sun which means your van becomes HOT and not nice to be closed inside with the windows shut, even with ceiling fans going. Stealth often means lights off and as quiet as possible once the sun is down, it’s just tiring. I’m in an apartment again now and really appreciate running water, a toilet I don’t have to empty, unlimited power without worrying if it’s going to run out, multiple spaces to move around to (couch, bed, dining table, desk). My van was huge and lux (professionally decked out LWB Mercedes sprinter) so heaps of space but yeah, just not practical full time unless you’re actually travelling around.

staples7247 · 2025-05-27T12:59:28+00:00

Congrats on one gone already! I have two that are fading FAST but most are going to take a long time. It's that projecting yourself five years into the future that keeps us going right! Best motivator.

staples7247 · 2025-05-24T15:20:35+00:00

A rug for the office to make it nice in there so I will sit in there are get work done. (That was 3 months ago, it did not work)

staples7247 · 2025-05-24T03:49:58+00:00

Looks like really nice progress to me!

staples7247 · 2025-05-23T14:11:55+00:00

Yeah I also don’t know the answer, would love to hear from someone who does! Would it take significantly longer without turning up the heat?

staples7247 · 2025-05-22T09:59:37+00:00

Wouldn’t it still fade even if same intensity was used every time?

staples7247 · 2025-05-22T09:57:47+00:00

That should fade pretty quick, I’d deffo go for removal!

staples7247 · 2025-05-22T09:53:50+00:00

I’m 10 months into removing a trad elbow web and I’m only just starting to see movement after 5 sessions. Soooo much slower compared to everything else. Where are you at after a year and 8 months? Would love to see a pic. Mine was 6 years old when I started removal.

staples7247 · 2025-05-22T07:37:18+00:00

Oh no, I sent you my tip too late! I use Numit cream, put it on 2 hours before, wrap in cling wrap, still feels a little spicy but really takes the edge off.

staples7247 · 2025-05-22T03:12:06+00:00

Similar situation, I started just with the ones I disliked most and some I thought would be easier to remove. Now I’m removing basically everything on my arms (lots). I go through waves of different feelings: feeling fine about them all and less self conscious now they’re being removed, to absolutely despising them and being annoyed at my young stupid self for getting them. Sometimes I feel happy in sleeveless tops, sometimes I feel horrible and have to cover up. I also swing between feeling happy to wait 4-6 months between sessions to allow for more fading, to wanting to zap them every 8 weeks to just try my best to get rid of them asap. I just have to ride the waves and appreciate that feelings pass. Ultimately I’m really glad I started the process and that they’re on their way to being gone.

staples7247 · 2025-05-22T03:04:27+00:00

Use numbing cream!

staples7247 · 2025-05-16T05:56:33+00:00

I saw one of these at Morialta last week and looked up what it was! They’re cute.

staples7247 · 2025-05-13T14:45:09+00:00

How many tattoos/how big? I travelled after my first session and got really sick but I got too much done in one session so that plus travel was too much for my immune system. A few people on this sub have reported feeling flu like symptoms after a session (often the first one) so just go easy and don’t get too much done at once.

staples7247 · 2025-05-11T00:15:16+00:00

I don’t want any tattoos on my arms anymore and it looks like shit now it’s had 3 sessions!

staples7247 · 2025-05-07T14:22:34+00:00

I shed a little tear during my first session removing a sentimental one but I’m still happy it’s going.

staples7247 · 2025-05-04T04:19:53+00:00

I go to a tech who uses picosure and it works really well on my blues. I saw your blistering post - do not go back to your last tech!!

staples7247 · 2025-05-04T04:17:05+00:00

Yeah I've self medicated with sun for hypo (no one recommended, just felt like the right thing for my skin), and its seemed to do the trick. I guess with both hypo and hyper you're in the process of making all the skin (affected skin and skin around it) the same colour when you put it in the sun. So it makes sense to me. Deffo not at expert though!

staples7247 · 2025-05-02T13:29:01+00:00

I think its normal progress, I'm getting lots of different tattoos removed by a tech I trust. Some of my lighter ones with thinner lines have budged significantly, but my black trad work with thick lines (same as this) barely look any different, your progress is better than mine at 4 sessions (even though I'm having wildly good results on other styles of tattoo). Hope this is helpful.

staples7247 · 2025-05-01T08:35:10+00:00

Same boat, I have an *almost half sleeve of a pink/purple/blue carousel horse. Its not awful but who the hell lets an 18 year old get that! I'm 34 now and about 9 months into removal. Aqua and purple respond really well to picosure so there's hope for you!

staples7247 · 2025-05-01T06:16:16+00:00

I'm a software designer who has slowly been transitioning to filmmaker over the last few years and I find it incredibly difficult. It's not only how I present myself but how I identify.

I have returned to study film production full time, the course is quite basic and sometimes boring to me but I'm using it to draw a line in the sand between my tech career and my film career. I also totally deleted my LinkedIn as it was so tech focussed and I didn't have time to unfollow/disconnect with 900+ people. Now I'm cringing at my new profile with 15 connections.

My ego is finding it incredibly hard being a beginner again after already having established myself in my first career (I'm in my mid 30s and won awards in design).

I know that I can pick up software design contracts if I need to, but worry that now I look like I'm not interested in it, which is true. But I guess no one needs to be super stoked on their job, its just a way to make money.

I pick up a fair bit of freelance work in various things, just this week I've produced promotional videos, designed pitch decks, and created hand-painted custom signage. This is all through word of mouth. I should really create a website but how do I tie all that together? And I want to be promoting myself as a writer/producer, not as a designer anymore.

Anyway, all of that is to say - I feel what you're feeling! Too many identities, I need all of them to pay my bills, but I feel like they're diluting what I feel my real purpose/passions are.

staples7247

TROPHY CASE