Why I Decided to Remove 12 Tattoos I Once Loved

Over the years, I’ve amassed 12 tattoos. And now, I’m removing every single one of them. Like lots of people flexing their newfound independence, I got my first tattoo – a tiny cross on my hip bone – the day I turned 18. The rest are dotted all over my body, a mural of my life over the years: palm trees from a trip to Hawaii, an olive branch on my forearm to celebrate my family lineage, a bunch of cherries on my ankle simply because I thought they were cute, and the list goes on. But in the last two years, I’ve had a major mind shift about my tattoos. For starters, I stopped getting them, a marked change as I’d normally jump at every chance to receive new ink.

More importantly, I realized that my tattoos didn’t quite fit me anymore. While I still love the artwork, they no longer align with my personality or style. It may sound silly, but they even interfere with how I wear certain outfits, and as someone who expresses myself through what I wear, this was a substantial indicator that something was off. I’d find myself getting self-conscious about baring my arms in sleeveless dresses because of my tattoos. Looking back, I may have chosen some of them to be smaller or placed differently, but I was young and, sure I’ll say it, a bit naive. Do I have regrets? Not at all. Every tattoo represents a fun, special time in my life, and I was lucky to work with amazing, talented artists. I’ll always appreciate the memories tied to them, but I’m simply ready for a fresh start.

Experts Featured In This Story

Josh Weitz, MD, is the chief medical officer at Removery.

Evan Rieder, MD, is a psychiatrist and dermatologist at 36 North Moore Dermatology in New York City.

Roy G. Geronemus, MD, is the director at Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York.

Why We Change Our Minds About Our Tattoos

I’m not alone in my feelings. “We’re seeing demand for tattoo removal grow at a remarkable pace as the process becomes increasingly demystified,” says Removery chief medical officer Josh Weitz, MD. “As of this writing, we’ve completed 1,441,215 successful treatments, and have seen about a 25 percent increase in new clients starting treatment in the last year.”

Two things are likely driving the increase in removals. “With tattoos gaining popularity and becoming ever more prevalent – for instance, Americans will ink over 11 million new tattoos this year alone – we are seeing a commensurate increase in tattoo regret or, in people who have multiple tattoos, a desire to create space for a new piece of artwork by a favorite artist,” he says.

For something that feels so permanent, it’s hard to not eye-roll at someone like me, whose main driver behind removing my tattoos is a change of heart and shift in aesthetic preferences. But after speaking with dermatologist and psychiatrist Evan Rieder, MD, there’s a lot of validity to that. “Just as our tastes in other facets of our lives develop and mature, so can our tastes for tattoos. A tattoo is an art form, and we know that our views of beauty and art are not static, and change according to a multitude of factors, including our surroundings, the people in our social sphere, and our time in life,” he says. “It’s not hard to see why a decision to have a romantic partner’s name tattooed on the skin in the teenage years might be viewed in a different light 20 years later, especially if that partner is no longer in the picture. Similarly, thematic material that might have been top of mind earlier in life might not resonate the same way years later.”

Of course, beyond simply not favoring tattoos anymore, there are some other more obvious reasons someone may choose to remove theirs, like the fact that tattoos can fade and look weathered over time. “They can also represent a time in life that we’d rather not be reminded of on a daily basis, or may, in retrospect, be ill-advised decisions that we regret quickly after receiving them,” says Dr. Rieder. “Remember that while we traditionally view tattoos as desired artistic adornments of the skin, not all tattooing occurs voluntarily, and there are certainly cases when people remove tattoos that they were pressured or forced into receiving.” Or, in my case, it could be just someone growing up, moving on, and wanting a clean slate, whether it’s for a personal or professional reason, or both.

My Experience With Tattoo Removal

To start my tattoo removal process, I consulted Roy G. Geronemus, MD, director at Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York – the doctor who treats Pete Davidson for his tattoo removal. We reviewed the process, which goes like this: upon consultation, each tattoo’s color and size are evaluated, as these determine the type of laser and correct wavelength of light to use. A local anesthetic is given to eliminate pain, although Dr. Geronemus caveats that some medispas do not or cannot use local anesthesia, which imparts the perception that the procedure is painful.

“With a local anesthetic, removal is not painful,” Dr. Geronemus says. “The concept is that the lasers target and eliminate the tattoo ink while sparing normal skin. This is why multiple lasers are required for tattoos with different color inks,” he says. “After each procedure, there is crusting for a week or so, which is shortened with subsequent visits as the tattoo gets lighter.”

The Emotions I Felt Removing My Tattoos

I’ve officially begun the removal process. In terms of pain level, I’d say each session is not pleasant but manageable; it’s not as bad as you’d expect. But I’m feeling all of the emotions. My first reaction was relief – I felt instantly lighter, like I was finally taking a big first step into a journey I’d been contemplating for a while. I was excited to begin the process, but there was also a tinge of sadness, knowing I was erasing memories tied to fun and meaningful times of my life. “For many of our clients, tattoo removal is a deeply transformative process – one that symbolizes personal growth and a chance for renewal. For some, it’s about letting go of the past, and for others, an opportunity to embrace new beginnings,” says Dr. Weitz.

My journey with tattoos has taught me to be more intentional about long-lasting decisions. Tattoos are such a unique way of expressing yourself – but they’re also permanent, and it’s OK to admit you’ve outgrown them. Overall, though, I feel so grateful for the chance to start anew. Who knows – maybe I’ll get new ink down the road. For now, this feels like the right move for me.

Victoria (Tori) Oliva is a New York-based public relations professional with over eight years of experience in the beauty and wellness industries. She brings her strategic communications expertise to her writing, leveraging her deep understanding of brand storytelling to craft compelling narratives that offer insider perspectives on wellness trends and industry developments.