Oh, the ache of getting de-inked. “Desperate Housewives” starlet Eva Longoria reportedly is removing the “NINE” tattoo from the back of her neck, a not-so-fond farewell to the jersey number of her ex-husband, Spurs point guard Tony Parker.
And she thought divorce hurt. Even with high-tech laser treatment, tattoo removal can be a long and painful process, one that adds up to a lot of office visits and lots of ouch. “I would say it's 10 times more painful than getting the actual tattoo,” said Sylvia Babbitt, esthetician supervisor for Dermatology Associates of San Antonio. And Hollywood suffers for its body art like the rest of us. Consider the cringe-inducing anecdote of tough guy actor Mark Wahlberg.
The “Contraband” star recently said on “Late Show with David Letterman” he's had more than 30 office visits to get his tattoos removed. He called it “the most excruciating thing I've ever experienced” and likened it to “somebody flicking hot bacon grease on you over and over and over again.”The process reportedly was so painful for screen siren Megan Fox that she had to chomp down on a mouth guard while having a Marilyn Monroe tattoo removed from her right forearm.
Another professional who performs laser tattoo removal has a less dramatic assessment.
“I think the snapping of a rubber band (on the skin) is what I probably hear more often,” said Julie Bennett, nurse director for MEDermis Laser Clinic, which offers laser tattoo removal in San Antonio as well as Austin, Dallas, Houston and, soon, Fort Worth. Bennett says that while pain tolerance varies from person to person, discomfort has more to do with a tattoo's age, type of ink and size.
The older the tattoo, the easier it is to remove, Bennett says. And black and red inks are easier to remove, while blue or green inks require a bit more treatment. When it comes to size, Bennett says a tattoo you can cover up with a business card only takes 30 seconds or less to treat, though even that will require several sessions.
TMZ reports Longoria sought the services of the laser tattoo removal clinic called Dr. Tattoff. The clinic's website notes that, on average, between five and 15 treatments are needed to remove most tattoos.
So what is the procedure like? Babbitt says she usually first numbs the area either by lidocaine injection or with cold air.
Then a laser light is directed at the tattooed area. The laser passes harmlessly through the outer layer of skin and breaks up the tattoo ink below, which then is absorbed by the body. Babbitt says most people have to wait four to eight weeks between treatments. And Bennett says those who are darker skinned may be in for a more prolonged process than someone who is fairer. Just don't expect health insurance to zap away that bicep tribal mark or ankle butterfly. Laser tattoo removal is typically an out-of-pocket expense, one Bennett says usually costs $50 to $100 per square inch.
Babbitt says stick with black ink if you want a tattoo that's easier to remove, while Bennett recommends a soluble ink that's more accommodating for laser removal. And if you must have that special someone inked on your skin, go with someone who always will be your baby. “Do not get anybody's name,” Babbitt said, “unless it's your child's.”