Post: #1

Hi guys, basically in north america tattoos are now mainstream, and loads of people regret the tattoos they have or want to remove them. I m willing to bet that in the below 35y old crowd in Canada, 1 in 3 have a tattoo.

Removing a palm sized tattoo takes 10-12 sessions of 10-15 min laser therapy for an average of 300$ a session...that's a lot of dough right there!

Furthermore, there is no licencing i.e. the market is not regulated, what you have to do, from what I understood, is to rent a tattoo removal laser machine and you are good to go.

do you guys think this is a good business venture?

Please discuss.

Post: #2

It's something I've been looking into. The initial costs, in the US at least are considerably expensive.

Post: #3

Will 2013 be the great Tattoo crash? Will the fad/bubble finally burst?

Nobody wants to admit because so many people are inked but the shit is a trend like pogo sticks and Pokemon was and will see the same flop they did.

You will soon see the trend of women whom are completely cleaned skin and pale all over on runways and in magazines, then maybe next (or prior whom knows) the trend for women to wear long sleeves and such to cover them in the fall. It will happen, and when that does that is when the pendulum will shift from now clothing that shows off as much skin as possible to clothing that hides as much... to hide the tattoos. That pendulum shift will start the tattoos becoming not ideal in the mainstream. One that happens celebrities will start to cover up, and once that start you best be in the industry with machines waiting.

You can see in Europe them starting to mock the trend. They will take super pale (or really dark) women and "paint" on them, and sometimes throw them in heavy prints. To me from a visual guy whom looks at trends I think they are mocking the "ink" culture of the west:

Post: #4

(02-25-2013 07:29 PM)MaleDefined Wrote:  It's something I've been looking into. The initial costs, in the US at least are considerably expensive.

Out of curiosity, are there any specific costs you're referring to? Just a quick search on Amazon shows machines available for $1500 - $3000, which doesn't seem bad at all for $300 a session.

Barring my apparent ignorance on the subject, this sounds like a really solid idea for someone who's settled into one place. Obviously not the best idea for someone in SEAsia or some other low-cost destination as it comes cheaper in those places from locals, but in America this could be lucrative.

Beyond All Seas

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling

Post: #5

who makes the tattoo removal machines?

WIA

Post: #6

I wonder, could this be done at the clients own homes?

Post: #7

(02-25-2013 07:12 PM)metalhaze Wrote:  Removing a palm sized tattoo takes 10-12 sessions of 10-15 min laser therapy for an average of 300$ a session...that's a lot of dough right there!

Are you sure that is correct?

3k to remove a tattoo?

I loosely know a girl that opened a place in California when the economy crashed. It is still open, so that tells you something.

The best thing to do (like with all biz) is to work at a place for a year or two.

See if you like it or hate it and learn the biz before you start signing leases for machines and storefronts.

Marketing I am sure is a huge part of this biz ie traditional, social media, web and I am certain will either make or break it.

Along with a good location of course.

Post: #8

You can't get rid of a tattoo in its entirety. The laser breaks up the ink and let's your body absorb the smaller particles. You can lighten it up significantly though. Enough to do another one on top as a cover up.

I've worked in many tattoo shops and I've built custom lasers. I know a lot about both subjects.

The color of the ink determines how much of the laser energy is absorbed.

From Wikipedia:

Quote:Tattoo removal by laser was performed with continuous-wave lasers initially, and later with Q-switched lasers, which became commercially available in the early 1990s. Today, "laser tattoo removal" usually refers to the non-invasive removal of tattoo pigments using Q-switched lasers. Typically, black and darker colored inks can be removed more completely.

Q-Switched laser generate pulses of laser instead of an always on beam. It's more controllable and more powerful.

When they say black and darker colors are easier to remove that is true. Reason being ...the lasers generate 1064 nanometer (infra-red, actually it's in the invisible part of the spectrum) light. It's easiest and most powerful to produce with a solid state diode-pumped laser.

Darker ink absorbs red laser light better and allows the ink to break up easier.

Red ink is the hardest to remove because it transmits (allows to pass through) the red laser energy.

Note: Tattoo ink is translucent. It's kinda like water colors.

When a laser hits the skin, some of the light is reflected, some is absorbed by the ink and some passes through the ink and is absorbed by the skin.

Post: #9

Genius business venture.

Should be very easy to pinpoint demographics/target market as well via social media.

Run an experiment 'who wants free laser tattoo ink removal - contact me for details' and see how much interest you generate.

Post: #10

I talked to gmanifesto about this last year. I don't think the tattoo trend is done yet. Give it another 5 or 10 years before idiots start realizing what it means to have a tattoo where everyone can see. Girls are the worst ones.

I've never heard of a tattoo removal costing $300 a session but you're in Canada which has retarded prices. I just asked a girl how much she paid and it was $1,000 broken up into 8 sessions to get a 5 inch piece removed. I doubt most people who get them removed are getting huge pieces done because you're gonna put a lot more thought into a 10 hr piece vs. some stupid lyric verse.

Post: #11

Websites in my area are quoting $98 per session. Still nothing to sneeze at though.

Beyond All Seas

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling

Post: #12

(02-26-2013 12:29 AM)houston Wrote:  I talked to gmanifesto about this last year. I don't think the tattoo trend is done yet. Give it another 5 or 10 years before idiots start realizing what it means to have a tattoo where everyone can see. Girls are the worst ones.

I've never heard of a tattoo removal costing $300 a session but you're in Canada which has retarded prices. I just asked a girl how much she paid and it was $1,000 broken up into 8 sessions to get a 5 inch piece removed. I doubt most people who get them removed are getting huge pieces done because you're gonna put a lot more thought into a 10 hr piece vs. some stupid lyric verse.

That seems more doable.

I didn't think too many monkeys could pay 3k to have a tat removed.

Quote:some stupid lyric verse.

I was talking about this with a friend the other day.

When did it become so popular to have "text message tattoos"?

I missed that one.

I mean I had some friends that had some scripture or something done back in the 90's, but nowadays everyone has these lyrics or text on their bodies.

What gives?

These "text message tattoos" are this decades version of the 90's Tribal Tattoo.

Post: #13

Selling on eBay for $1000-$3500. Not a bad deal.
You'll make that up real quick.

Post: #14

Ha gmanifesto you wouldn't believe the tattoo trends I see. Bible verses with at least 40 words in a 6 inch space, song lyrics, stars, chinese letters, dia de los muertos skulls by white girls who have no idea where it comes, mustaches on the inside of a finger that people hold up their mustache area for pictures, zombies. I've already decided I'll never get sleeves even if I win the lottery. I would of never let my homeboy give me one in high school if I would of known how mainstream they were gonna be in a few years.


Parlay - do you need a license or anything to legally use a machine? How hard is it to remove them? It would be a good idea to work WITH tattoo shops. Tell them you'll only remove tattoos for people if they're gonna get something else in the area so that they'll let you leave your business card at shops. Bounce customers off of each other.

Post: #15

(02-26-2013 12:29 AM)houston Wrote:  I talked to gmanifesto about this last year. I don't think the tattoo trend is done yet. Give it another 5 or 10 years before idiots start realizing what it means to have a tattoo where everyone can see. Girls are the worst ones.

I've never heard of a tattoo removal costing $300 a session but you're in Canada which has retarded prices. I just asked a girl how much she paid and it was $1,000 broken up into 8 sessions to get a 5 inch piece removed. I doubt most people who get them removed are getting huge pieces done because you're gonna put a lot more thought into a 10 hr piece vs. some stupid lyric verse.

I think once we start seeing some of the older chics and celebs whom have gotten them on the peak of the trend (28-32) age into wrinkly bats that will probably be the start of the crash. There is only so much you can do to keep a trend going. the "Skrillex" cut is like a sick dying Horse right now because Girls don't want to go through the awkward faze when it has to grow back in and they look ugly, so now you shit like turbans and head wraps becoming "cool" so girls can hide the growth, or they are just hacking all their hair off also . This will probably be similar with tats but I agree its hard to gauge how long this ride will last.

For me personally even though I have always wanted tats they become uncool to me when evreybody got them but became even more uncool to me when I realized the majority of humanity does not think odd and random ink is cool. If your trying to be international nobody will take you seriously with a body full of ink. Even in places where its culturally accepted and deep whiten tribal traditions there are steps you have to take to attain those marks. In Somoa the "Pe'a" is linked to the steps you take in becoming a full Man, you can't short cut the shit because you have to go through the steps to attain more and more ink.

The price point on the machines are decent and people are saying that regulations are fairly lax for this? Location wise Williamsburg, Brooklyn would probably be the most ideal spot to set up shop. Right across from the most infamous/famous tattoo shop open up your removal business - both will have lineups.

Post: #16

(02-26-2013 12:45 AM)houston Wrote:  Ha gmanifesto you wouldn't believe the tattoo trends I see. Bible verses with at least 40 words in a 6 inch space, song lyrics, stars, chinese letters, dia de los muertos skulls by white girls who have no idea where it comes, mustaches on the inside of a finger that people hold up their mustache area for pictures, zombies. I've already decided I'll never get sleeves even if I win the lottery. I would of never let my homeboy give me one in high school if I would of known how mainstream they were gonna be in a few years.


Parlay - do you need a license or anything to legally use a machine? How hard is it to remove them? It would be a good idea to work WITH tattoo shops. Tell them you'll only remove tattoos for people if they're gonna get something else in the area so that they'll let you leave your business card at shops. Bounce customers off of each other.

Check with your town or state regarding permits or whatever.

I used to work in tattoo shops making body jewelry and doing piercings. That's how I worked through college. I learned a lot from those guys. How to make tattoo needles. How tattoo machines work. All about inks. Lotsa shit.

I ended up working for laser manufacturer for a while and as a laser optical technician in a clean room lab. High tech stuff.

I'm probably more qualified to work these lasers than any doctor out there Honestly though I've never used a laser to remove a tattoo. I understand the process and technology very well though. I've been around it long enough.

Here's what I found online:

Quote:Specific states that are unusual in requiring a certain background to perform laser tattoo removal:

California: Only Nurses/Physician Assistants/Nurse Practitioners/Physicians can fire a laser

Florida: Only Physician Assistants/Nurse Practitioners/Physicians can fire a laser

Illinois: A Physician/their delegate must conduct an evaluation of the patient in person before a laser technician can perform a laser procedure

New Jersey: Only Physicians can fire a laser

Ohio: Only Physicians can fire a laser

Post: #17

If you really want to make bank, invent a better way to remove the hideous fucking things.

Post: #18

(02-26-2013 01:16 AM)BurnFirst Wrote:  If you really want to make bank, invent a better way to remove the hideous fucking things.

It's tough. Tattoos are deep in your skin. You have to burn then out or take away layers of skin to get rid of them.

Post: #19

(02-26-2013 01:29 AM)Parlay44 Wrote:  

(02-26-2013 01:16 AM)BurnFirst Wrote:  If you really want to make bank, invent a better way to remove the hideous fucking things.

It's tough. Tattoos are deep in your skin. You have to burn then out or take away layers of skin to get rid of them.

The way you do that is by striking the ink with electromagnetism (light) that excites the ink particles. This excitation causes them to burn away. You are not trying to burn through the skin, but rather to burn the ink where it sits. This is why dark black ink is very easy to remove, and red ink is among the most difficult colors to remove.

I think a good way to remove them would be to make inks that consist of bio-destructible pigments encased in a laser-destructible polymer. When you want to remove the tattoo, just burn the polymer and let the body carry away the pigment.

Post: #20

There's more to it than that Polymath. Anything bio-degradable like that is not going to come out as brightly colored when the tattoo is finished. Tattoos are put in under the premise of being there long term and not fading. Any ink that has those properties is pretty hard to destroy.

I can't give you the full chemical breakdown of what's in them but certain inks will irritate your skin if you expose your fully healed tattoo to the sun. I've heard tattoo guys say its pretty close to what's in car paint. Who the hell knows?!!

Post: #21

(02-26-2013 12:35 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  I mean I had some friends that had some scripture or something done back in the 90's, but nowadays everyone has these lyrics or text on their bodies.

What gives?

These "text message tattoos" are this decades version of the 90's Tribal Tattoo.

I've been seeing people doing this in Latin, which makes even less sense to me

Post: #22

This was a surprising side effect of taking the red pill for me.

When I was about 6 I thought tattoos were badass. Pirates have them, yakuza have them, outlaw bikers have them. Awesome sign me up!

Fast forward to the last 10-15 years and football (soccer for all y'all yanks), dinner lady's and every other person in between.

28 and a red pill overdose and I detest the things. I can't even watch porn if the bitch has tattoos, which is a majority of them.

Post: #23

I'd pay big money for tattoo removal. I got drunk and had "IL" tattooed on my cock and it's fucking embarrassing.

Post: #24

(02-26-2013 06:22 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  I'd pay big money for tattoo removal. I got drunk and had "IL" tattooed on my cock and it's fucking embarrassing.

Aren't you gonna tell us what "IL" stands for?

Post: #25

(02-26-2013 08:02 PM)FretDancer Wrote:  

(02-26-2013 06:22 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  I'd pay big money for tattoo removal. I got drunk and had "IL" tattooed on my cock and it's fucking embarrassing.

Aren't you gonna tell us what "IL" stands for?

It says "IL", but I get hard it reads:

I pledge Allegiance to the flag
of the United States of America
and to the Republic for which it stands,
one nation under God, indivisible,
with Liberty and Justice for all.