Image Source: PS Photography Chloe Dunn | During Naama laser tattoo removal.
The story behind my first tattoo includes a fake ID, a dodgy tattoo shop, a tumblr post and a hot tub. Enough said. Unfortunately, my questionable experience was just the beginning of my tattoo journey and between the ages of 17 and 21, I racked up a total of 22 tattoos, most of which I now “regret”. I say “regret” because it’s dependent on what mood I’m in. Sometimes I’m able to shrug off the feeling and laugh about the decisions I made in my early twenties. Other times, I look down at my arms wishing someone had stepped in before I got Mojo Jojo from The Powerpuff Girls inked on me forever.
Fast forward a couple of years, a few bad cover up tattoos and multiple summers wearing long sleeved tops, I decided to bite the bullet and explore laser tattoo removal. After doing some research into my options, I opted to start my removal journey at a small clinic in south London in early 2022. At the time, my main goal was to find an option which was affordable. This clinic offered laser removal sessions using a Lynton machine at £80 per session.
However, after approximately six sessions over two years, I wasn’t seeing as much progress as I’d had hoped for, so I decided to look at other options. As technology continues to progress at super-speed, I found quite a few new laser removal treatments to choose from – which is how I came across Naama.
Based in central London, Naama offers tattoo removal with a luxury twist. As I headed in for my initial consultation, the modern studio offered a comfortable atmosphere with coffee and fresh juices available while I waited, making it feel like more of a wellness experience than a clinical treatment.
Image Source: PS Photography Chloe Dunn | Chloe’s tattoo before any removal treatment.
I was greeted by treatment consultant Mia and shown downstairs to the treatment rooms. In the consultation I had to fill out a form about my medical history and we discussed the tattoos I wanted to remove, the previous treatments I’d had, how the Naama technology worked and the best package price they could offer. After taking some photos of the tattoos and a quick patch test, I was ready to book my first full appointment. All in all, the consultation took less than 10 minutes.
The tattoos I want to remove are all black ink and cover ups, meaning there’s even more pigment to try and get rid of. After my consultation, Naama explained that I’d be looking at the standard eight to 12 sessions they usually advise, but it could be more for a full removal.
I headed back to the Naama studio a few weeks later, praying that this treatment was finally going to shift my stubborn tattoos. I have a pretty high pain tolerance, that’s probably how I ended up with 22 tattoos in the first place, but I couldn’t go through laser tattoo removal without numbing cream (I use the Emla numbing cream (£6.50) which is available over the counter at most pharmacies).
Image Source: PS Photography Chloe Dunn | During Naama laser tattoo removal.
Numbing cream applied, it was time for my first session. I was in great hands with senior treatment consultant Alexis who calmed my nerves and explained exactly what was going to happen during the session. After a thorough clean of the area, we were ready to begin. Firstly, Alexis took all the heat out of the area with a cold blast of air. Ideally, your skin would reach a cold enough temperature that it starts to hurt a bit. Once my arm was cold enough, she started the laser treatment. The Naama system works on a wavelength frequency of one to eight and we were starting at level one. In terms of pain, I’d give it a three out of 10. Thanks to the numbing cream, I could easily sit through the 10 minute session without stopping for any breaks. However, she did advise that numbing cream could slow down treatment results due to the light reflection – a risk I’m willing to take.
Treatment complete, Alexis applied Aquaphor to the area and applied a dressing which keeps the area free from bacteria for up to 72 hours. She advised me to drink plenty of water, avoid using fragranced body washes and keep hot water to a minimum.
Immediately after the treatment, the area was quite swollen and tender but nothing a few ibuprofen couldn’t help ease. A couple of days later, the area was still slightly sensitive but I had no blisters or bleeding. Overall, I was really impressed with how minimal the recovery was – so minimal in fact that I could return for my next session in just four weeks time. This is one of the main selling points of the Naama technology, the short recovery time between sessions.
The second session was more or less the same story as the first. Still using a level one frequency, the first couple of sessions were all about easing me and my skin into the process. They wanted to see how my body would react to the laser, how likely scarring would occur and how quickly the pigment would start to break down.
Image Source: PS Photography Chloe Dunn | Immediately after laser tattoo removal.
It was on my third session, when they went up a wavelength level, that I really noticed a difference. Unfortunately, that difference was in the pain level during the treatment and the healing afterwards. The actual process remained the same but the burning sensation was more intense. That’s always the question I get asked most about laser tattoo removal: “What does it feel like?” I usually explain that it’s like spitting fat from a frying pan. It’s a short, sharp burning sensation over and over again and yes, it’s more painful than getting the tattoo in the first place.
I still managed to sit through the treatment without any long breaks in between. Maybe that’s a personal preference but I want to just get it over and done with than starting and stopping all the time. It was a few days later when I really noticed the pain increase. Not only did the area look all red and swollen, there was a continuous throbbing pain. Luckily, Naama supplied a few ice packs to take home which really helped ease the pain. However, once the pain subsided, the area became severely itchy. Where it was healing, the skin was dry and flaky and the urge to itch was there for a week or so. I applied tonnes of Aquaphor and kept it out of the sun to help speed up the healing process as much as possible.
So far I’ve had four sessions and you can see my current before and after results photos below.
Image Source: PS Photography Chloe Dunn | Before and after four sessions of Naama laser tattoo removal.
Personally, I’m really happy with the results. Going into this, I knew that tattoo removal is a long process and a lot of commitment. I understand that my tattoo isn’t going to just disappear overnight and I’m really happy to see how much it’s fading after every session. But, it’s also obvious that my tattoo won’t be completely gone in another four sessions. I’ve definitely had to adjust my end goal and I’m probably being more realistic now in terms of final results. You can see I have some clear scarring from the intensity of the first round of laser removal I had with the Lynton machine so to avoid even more scarring, I think I’m now aiming for a light grey, faded finish rather than complete removal. So, while I’ve learnt that tattoo removal is definitely nothing like the before and after pictures you often see on Instagram, I’m definitely glad I switched to the Naama treatment where I’m already seeing the pay off.
Chloe Dunn is a social content producer at PS UK. With more than six years of experience in social media marketing, she is always on the lookout for the latest viral buzz. Working across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Pinterest, Chloe specialises in bringing people together virtually and building global online communities. She has previously worked in the music industry, including at a major record label and for the UK’s biggest group of music venues.
