In any case, while there are those who know exactly why they have tattoos on their bodies, there are also individuals out there who deeply regret having ink done. Which one are you?
The Stats Don’t Lie
Although having ink under your skin is a fairly common thing nowadays, many people still shun tattooed folk. Still, that’s not as much of a problem as scenarios when one regrets having a tattoo so badly that he or she wants to remove it.
A survey conducted back in 2014 by beauty retailer Escentual.com concluded that four in ten people who have multiple tattoos regret sporting at least one of them, while one in six have so much hate for their tattoos that they would rather undergo laser surgery to have them wiped off than carry them around for the rest of their lives.
If this doesn’t sound intimidating enough, let’s take a look at some examples of celebrities who’ve had a change of heart about their ink.
Boston-born actor Mark Wahlberg didn’t only remove his tattoo, but also made sure his children knew how big of a mistake getting one can be. While speaking to the press during his treatment in 2012, Wahlberg said: “I’ve taken my two older kids to the procedure so they see how painful it is and what I have to go through. I don’t want my kids getting tattoos.” The Hollywood actor took his eldest two children – who were 9 and 6-years-old at the time – to observe the painfulness of getting a tattoo removed.
Another case of a celeb regretting a tattoo involves Swiss model Heidi Klum, who decided to get rid of the ink on her forearm in 2012. She got it four years earlier while she was married to the famous singer Seal, but once they had split, her mind about her tattoo quickly changed.
Fear the Laser
So, what exactly happens when you regret a tattoo so much you want to erase it completely? Well, the most common thing most people go for is the laser removal surgery.
You can’t exactly avoid pain with this process. The only thing that varies is the amount of physical suffering you’ll go through, as it depends on the size and age of the tattoo, as well as the intensity of its color. Most people start seeing changes after the second treatment, but it can take a lot more than that if your ink is particularly strong and old.
Furthermore, The Body Clinic also warns that you may get blisters after the treatment. Yikes! But don’t worry, as they usually go away in a few days, and once they do, the treated skin gets to shine for a few weeks, only to go under the laser again… and again… and again.
