Older generations used to warn that people shouldn’t get tattoos because they’re permanent and someone may one day regret getting them. However, these days tattoo removal is an option. Although painful, it works after a few sessions but can leave behind some scarring. Either way, 35-year-old Leandro De Souza has decided to undergo laser treatments to remove almost 2 decades worth of ink.
Leandro De Souza is a native of Brazil and a proud father. However, his divorce almost a decade ago proved to be almost more than he could handle. As a result, De Souza went down a path of partying. During this time he accumulated more than 170 tattoos but his first ink was at just 13 years old. “I did the first one when I was 13,” De Souza explained. “The first ones were very much about the idolatry of the time.” However, he’s recently set out on a religious path of Evangelicalism. As a result, he’s decided to undergo the laser tattoo removal process.
Facing Heartbreak
Leandro’s first tattoos were inspired by his favorite bands, such as Nirvana, Guns N’ Roses, and Metallica. However, the majority of his tattoos were from a decade-long binge following his divorce. During that time, Leandro admittedly experimented with drugs like LSD, alcohol, and ecstasy.
Finding Motivation for Tattoo Removal
“I couldn’t stand the life I was living anymore. I was an attraction at (events I attended) and it felt like a circus animal.” He said regarding his decision for tattoo removal. De Souza was visiting a shelter almost a decade after his difficult divorce. This visit would change the course of his life. “The first step in everything in life is to accept that you can’t do it alone, that you are an addict, that you are a drug addict,” de Souza said. “And I managed to do that, I entered the municipal shelter in Bagé. Within a week, there was a lady who referred me and started to evangelize me.“
Turning a New Leaf
It’s been 2 years since De Souza changed his life and opted for tattoo removal. However, it’s a long process that will be more so for De Souza’s 170 tattoos. Moreover, he now spends his time speaking with “parents and children in homes that are in prisons.”
Leandro began the tattoo removal process with the help of a tattoo studio in Franco da Rocha, São Paulo, which heard about the exciting changes Leandro was making to turn his life around. He’s now been clean from alcohol for 3 years, and free of tobacco and other substances for a year. De Souza still has 6 more tattoo removal sessions before his ink is gone and his transformation, so far, is astonishing and awe-inspiring.
Tattoo Removal is a Modern Possibility
For many, getting a tattoo is inspired by the desire to express one’s creativity, treating their body like a canvas. However, others may regret their ink choices as they mature or their interests and relationship status change. Fortunately, tattoo removal is possible with advancing technology but there are a few side effects like tenderness, skin irritability, and even scarring.
Tattoo Removal Methods
Interestingly, tattoo removal comes with options. De Souza’s treatment, laser tattoo removal, uses lasers to “heat the ink particles,” breaking them down and making it “easier for your immune system to remove,” according to Cleveland Clinic. Laser tattoo removal sessions are scheduled about 3 months apart and can last anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour depending on the size of the ink. This method does come with side effects that range from mild skin irritation to painful blisters, but each person responds differently to treatment.
Skin Removal for Tattoo Removal
Another option for tattoo removal is surgical excision. The medical procedure requires a surgeon, who will “cut out the skin that contains a tattoo.” Then they will “stitch your remaining skin together.” The procedure probably sounds intimidating but it’s only used for small tattoos, as cutting an entire back tattoo and then stitching it up would be unpleasant, dangerous, and seemingly impossible.
Meanwhile, dermabrasion and chemical peels are used to remove the outer layers of skin. Unfortunately, both can cause severe skin sensitivity, especially in sunlight. Therefore, understanding the risks and how to treat the skin properly as it heals is essential to your skin’s health and physical comfort.
Not Recommended by Professionals
Lastly, and possibly least popular and effective, are tattoo removal creams. They can be used at home and often take months or years to yield results. Furthermore, they contain acids that “irritate or damage your skin.” As such, they’re usually advised against by medical professionals.
Can Anyone Get Tattoo Removal
In short, yes. However, some things are worth noting when considering tattoo removal. Firstly, tattoo removal takes time and similar or repetitive steps to be effective, regardless of your chosen tattoo removal method. The reason for this is that a tattoo artist applies ink in layers of the skin, so layers have to be broken down which can’t happen in one sitting, otherwise you’ll suffer severe and irreversible skin damage. Ultimately, that would put your overall health and immunity at risk. Additionally, your skin needs time between sessions to “flush out the ink” so, it’s recommended to wait a few weeks or months between most tattoo removal options listed above.
Secondly, certain ink colors are easier to remove than others. For example, blue and black are easy to remove during laser tattoo removal because “they’re better at absorbing light.” Meanwhile, colors like red are difficult to remove because their “molecular composition” is more resistant to the treatment options.
An Alternative
Consider having them turned into something else, rather than removed. For instance, if you’re considering tattoo removal and the reason has nothing to do with necessity, for work, or because, like De Souza, you’re on a new path. Instead, you don’t like how it looks anymore, have separated from the person who inspired the tattoo, or have other interests. In this case, you might consider another visit to the tattoo shop to have them create something else by covering the existing tattoo. For many, this option may be more satisfying and less time-consuming.
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My Girlfriend Received a Rose Bouquet Delivery, but It Was Not from Me – The Truth behind It Turned My Life Upside Down – LoveAnimals
My world flipped upside down when my longtime girlfriend received a present that had me believing she was cheating. Looking back now, I jumped to the conclusion of infidelity because of my past trauma. In the end, my girlfriend’s gift set me on a journey of healing.
What I thought was a normal day turned into something quite unexpected. At one point, I thought my relationship with my girlfriend was over. Let me introduce myself, my name is Garry, 30, and I have been dating my partner for four wonderful years.
I truly believed our relationship was over when on a typical Thursday afternoon at the office my phone buzzed with a text from my girlfriend, Emily. I glanced at the phone, expecting a quick chat about dinner plans, but the text was filled with excitement.
Confused, I opened the message and was left in shock when I read it! “Thank you for the flowers, sweetheart! They’re so beautiful and thoughtful,” she wrote. Attached was the picture – her and a huge bouquet of red roses.
I froze. “Flowers? I hadn’t sent any flowers,” I thought to myself as my mind started racing, but I managed to keep it calm. “I’m glad you loved them,” I wrote back, trying to mask my confusion. “I’ll see you at home tonight.”
Needless to say, the rest of my workday was a mess! I was FLOODED with suspicion. “Who had sent Emily those flowers?” I wondered to myself. I couldn’t shake the gnawing thought that she might be seeing someone else.
But I decided not to confront her over the phone. I needed to see those flowers and find out more. The workday dragged on painfully slow. My imagination ran wild with scenarios, each more distressing than the last! By the time I finally left the office and got home, I was a bundle of nerves!
When I walked through the door of our apartment, the first thing I saw was the bouquet of red roses on the dining table. They were stunning, arranged perfectly in a crystal vase. Emily greeted me with a kiss and a smile, but I was too distracted to fully respond.
I walked over to the flowers, pretending to admire them. “They really are beautiful,” I said, looking closely at the bouquet, my heart pounding. Then, I saw the note sticking out tucked between the flowers. My hands were shaking as I reached for it, expecting the truth about Emily’s cheating to come out.
I pulled it out and read the words that made my blood run cold and a chill run down my spine. The note read: “Your mother died. These were her favorite flowers. If you can, please come to the funeral.”
I felt the room spin, and I gripped the table to steady myself. Emily noticed my reaction and her face filled with concern. “Are you okay?” I shook my head, barely able to process the information. “These flowers…they’re from my mother’s husband. She’s…she’s dead.”
Emily looked shocked. “I didn’t know you were in touch with her,” she asked softly, coming over to embrace me. “I wasn’t,” I said, my voice hollow. “I haven’t spoken to her in years. She left my father and me for another man when I was a kid.”
Continuing my tale, I added, “She didn’t want children, so she abandoned me.” I could see how torn up Emily was to hear how I’d suffered growing up. I hadn’t been willing to share my whole background with her until now. Luckily, she was as supportive as ever.
The next few days were a blur of emotions. I couldn’t decide if I should go to the funeral. Part of me wanted to ignore the message, to pretend it had never arrived. But another part of me felt a pull, a need to find closure.
Emily was there for me through it all, though clearly confused by the sudden upheaval in my life. “Whatever you decide, I’ll be here for you,” she vowed. The day before the funeral, I received a phone call that changed everything. It was my father.
He surprised me by saying, “I’m going to the funeral,” his voice strained but resolute. I was stunned. “Dad, after everything she did to you, to us?” He sighed. “I’ve had years to think about it, and I’ve realized that holding on to all that anger has only hurt me more,” adding:
“I need to let it go, for my own sake. And I think you need to do the same.”
We drove to the funeral together, the car ride filled with an uneasy silence. When we arrived, I saw faces I didn’t recognize, people who had become part of my mother’s new life. I felt like an outsider, but having my father there made it bearable.
The service was somber. As I looked at the casket, I realized how much time had been wasted in anger and resentment. My mother had made her choices, and they had hurt me deeply, but she was still my parent.
After the service, I approached my mother’s new husband. He looked tired and grief-stricken. “I’m sorry for your loss,” I said as I placed a hand on his shoulder, and I meant it. He nodded gratefully, tears in his eyes.
Then he told me something I didn’t know I needed to hear. “She spoke of you often, you know. She regretted leaving you.” Between trying to hold back tears, he shared, “She always hoped you might forgive her someday.”
I thanked him for sharing that information with me before walking away. The ride home was quiet but less tense. My father and I had both faced our past and while it didn’t erase the pain, it felt like a step towards healing.
My sweet Emily was waiting for us when we returned. Her presence was a comforting reminder of the love and stability I had now. “I’m proud of you,” she said, hugging me tightly. As I held her, I made a deep realization.
It dawned on me that while the flowers had brought back painful memories, they had also given me a chance to confront and let go of the past. My life had turned upside down, but in a way that allowed me to start anew. This time with a heart a little lighter and a future a little brighter.
Weeks later, Emily and I were having dinner when she looked at me thoughtfully. “What are you thinking about?” she asked. “I’ve been thinking about my mother,” I admitted. “I never expected to feel this way, but her death has made me realize how important it is to let go of the past.”
Emily reached across the table and took my hand. “I’m here for you, whatever you need.” I squeezed her hand, grateful for her support. “I know. Thank you for being here through all this.” That night, as we sat together, I thought about the journey ahead.
There would be more difficult moments and more painful memories to confront, but I wasn’t alone. I had Emily, my father, and a renewed sense of hope. My life had changed, but had also been set on a new, promising path.
A few months later, I received another unexpected message. This time, it was from one of my mother’s old friends. She wanted to meet and share some memories of my mother. I hesitated, but Emily encouraged me to go.
When I met with her, she handed me a box filled with letters and photos. “Your mother kept these all these years,” she said. “She always hoped you would read them someday.” As I read through the letters, I felt a mix of emotions.
There were apologies, explanations, and expressions of love. It was overwhelming, but it also brought a sense of closure. Returning home that evening, I shared the letters with Emily. “It’s strange,” I said, “but I feel like I understand her a little better now.”
Emily hugged me. “That’s important. Healing takes time, but you’re doing it.” Looking back, I realized that the bouquet of roses had been the catalyst for a journey I never expected to take.
It had brought back painful memories but had also opened the door to healing and forgiveness. Being brought back into my mother’s life even though it was in her death had also set me on a new, hopeful path. I was even finally ready to propose to Emily!
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