As we wrap up 2022, what better way to close out the year than with a client feature? At the heart of Astanza are the amazing client relationships we’ve built along the way. One of the best things about the Astanza family is being able to share the same mission of #changinglives with our clients and their businesses.
We recently sat down with Brieanna Calandrella, owner, and Paul Wallis, manager, of Panacea Tattoo Removal in Grand Junction, CO, for an exclusive Show Off Your Shop interview. Keep reading to learn more about the amazing work Panacea Tattoo Removal is doing while getting an inside look at their practice.
Tell us about yourselves and Panacea Tattoo Removal’s history.
Brieanna: “I’m the owner of Panacea Tattoo Removal. I’m a master esthetician with a pretty extensive laser background. I started Panacea tattoo removal because I’ve had a love for tattoo removal for many years. I kept finding myself in an environment at medspas where I would be managing the medspa and be really excited about tattoo removal. And the doctors would be excited, too, because I talk them up on it, and it always came down to the same thing. ‘We don’t want that type of people here.’ And I was always shocked because I’m a fully tattooed person, and I didn’t take offense to it, but I just kind of was confused by their outlook on why they wouldn’t bring in such an amazing service to their shop that would give people another aesthetic that could change their life. So I created Panacea Tattoo Removal during the pandemic after I lost my job due to COVID and my medspa shutdown. I noticed Grand Junction was in need of tattoo removal. All we do is tattoo removal and medical facials. I like that we are a specialty. [We get clients] from hours and hours away just because we have great ratings, and that’s all we do. Opening the shop was tricky, but I have Astanza to thank for that. They were really on my side and saw my dream and helped me create that dream.”
Paul: “I work with Brieanna and have been an esthetician for a little over a year and a certified laser specialist as well. I met Brieanna a few years ago, and she and I teamed up to get Panacea started together. She really just sparked an interest in me for lasers and skin care and everything above and beyond that. And here I am doing tattoo removal.”
It’s been two years since Panacea Tattoo Removal was founded and filled a need in Grand Junction. Brieanna saw a vision for not just serving those with tattoo regret but ensuring this advanced service was available to every demographic. Be sure to check out Brieanna and Paul’s in-depth answers in the full interview below:
What led you to want to offer a laser tattoo removal-focused business?
Brieanna: “I actually owned tattoo shops for nine years, and in owning them, I can’t tell you how many times we would have people come in with blobs they wanted to cover up. How great would it be if we could have offered that back before I knew about tattoo removal and the advancements they’ve made in the technology to give them, you know, two, four, six treatments to help lighten to get a better tattoo. So that’s kind of where it started. When I became an esthetician, I had already had tattoo shops. Which, yes, that means I have lots of tattoos, and I just fell in love with the fact that I could remove them. It was almost like a full circle, you know, it’s like at one point I did all tattoos, and now I’m taking them off. But for many multiple reasons. To get a better tattoo or to better them and [my clients] personal journeys.”
Paul: “I’ve been through the process and then a great cover-up over it. So yeah, it is a full-circle kind of endeavor. I love the fact that we can give somebody a new opportunity to get a cover-up or to get something new or just to get plain rid of tattoos in general. If the person is just over it and they don’t want to have that reminder or regret, we can give them that opportunity to start fresh. Since I’ve been through the laser removal process as well, it’s really great to see that sigh of relief in the sense that [clients] can relate to me, and they know that I can relate to them as well. It gives them a little sense of comfort.”
Tattoos and tattoo removal are better together. This is a phrase that Astanza firmly believes in and is epitomized by Brieanna and Paul’s personal experiences. More customers, tattoo removal business owners, and tattoo artists are seeing the numerous benefits of laser treatment in improving, modifying, and transforming existing artwork. While laser tattoo removal is mostly tied to erasing unwanted or regrettable tattoos, the tattoo industry has taken this revolutionary treatment to repair original artwork instead or fade tattoos to remove cover-up barriers such as size and color limitations.
What is your shop’s aesthetic? What can customers expect about your shop when they visit?
Brieanna: “My whole idea was to have something that was super crisp and clean and almost a mirror a doctor-esque type feeling in the actual treatment room. So it felt like, okay, this is sterile. Then to have somebody greet you in a very professional way, but also have all these tattoos. We both are clean-cut, but we have a little funky side, but we’re also very educated. So the whole motto is educated, professional, and educated in skin and lasers. And then also have a huge enthusiast for tattoos and the knowledge of what it takes to get a tattoo, what it takes for the healing process, getting bad tattoos, getting great tattoos, and helping these people not only try to start over but guide them. So, you know, it’s just having that, again, full circle and a clean environment.”
Paul: “Definitely the clean, sterile environment and the comfort with that as well. You’re not walking into a space that is just blank walls, and there’s this big looming treatment chair in the center of it. It’s comfortable to come into, and it’s in a building that has several salon areas in it; it’s nice and quiet. It’s calming. We decorate for the seasons. Then you come into our treatment space, and you have a little sanctity of being one on one with somebody, and there’s not a lot of outside noise. There’s nice mellow music playing and the comfort and ease and ability to either fill out forms before you come in or you have the ability to come in and fill out your forms for consultation while you’re there and get a same-day treatment. There’s nobody in this valley or near us that is offering the ease of coming in and having a same-day treatment. That’s really unheard of in any of the practices even close to us. The free consultations are a big deal to have somebody be able to come in and get a free consultation and follow it up with treatment the same day. It’s very user-friendly for clients to be able to do that.”
Why did you choose the Astanza Duality laser, and what have you enjoyed most about this partnership?
Brieanna: “I did a lot of research, and I’ve worked with quite a few different tattoo removal machines in the past. So when I was searching, I found that there are machines out there that are exactly the same but triple the cost. But I don’t think that the quality of the maintenance and the quality of people, like the team getting back to me, matched. It’s been amazing working with the Astanza. Like I said in the beginning, they allowed me to open up when nobody else saw my view of how amazing the Grand Junction business would take off. I’m grateful to Astanza for seeing that in me and really pushing forward and making that possibility an actual reality. And I mean, the Duality works amazingly. It’s a workhorse, you know, when it’s on top of its toes, it is on top of its toes. And I have worked with different laser machines that have not. So I can say the Duality is great to work with.”
The Duality is a flagship laser at Astanza that is perfect for starting a laser tattoo removal business. This Q-switched Nd:YAG laser produces two wavelengths, 1064 nm and 532 nm, and is safe to use on all skin types. The Duality laser delivers high fluence capabilities with a large 5 x 5 mm square spot size, allowing the beam to penetrate deep into the skin and shatter more ink particles with minimized light scattering for optimal fading during each treatment. Furthermore, the Duality features a flat-top homogenized beam that distributes power evenly and minimizes the risk of hot spots and thermal injury.
What is a #changinglives moment you’ve experienced since opening Envision Laser Removal? Can you share about Panacea Tattoo Removal’s Second Chance Program?
Brieanna: “I have a program for prison, gang-related, hate crime, and [similar types of tattoos] that qualify for free removal. We give back to the community in a way that can give them a second chance to start over in the sense of, you know, human trafficking, you’re in prison, or you’re in jail. You decided to get some gang tattoos, but you’re still young. You’re out, you’ve redone your life. You don’t have money because you’ve been locked up for years. But you have a new family, and you want to you want a second chance. So those types of qualifications, especially if you have symbols of hate crime [and the like], I just feel like it’s such a reward to be able to gift somebody the freedom of not having that on their body than it is for them to have to come in and pay. We do really well at the shop, we make enough that this is our way of giving back to the community.”
Paul: “Each client we offer the service to, and that takes part in it, they’re all so super special in their own way. I can’t really put one before the other. Each one of them has a story. And you know, we’re not just changing one person’s life, we’re changing lives for many people. I have a client now who’s got a baby on the way, he’s 22 years old. He spent the last four years in prison. He’s got tattoos on his face that made his employer want to let him go. He does really well at work, but he’s not able to move up and excel in his job because he’s got barriers. To be able to offer that for him, this kid came in hard as stone and didn’t really want to open up. We got to talking, and he comes in for a second treatment he’s a whole different kid, with a smile on his face. He’s willing to talk to me through an interview process, and that’s really special. The people that we’re offering services to, for them to trust that and open up to us and give you a hug and tell you thank you. It’s not a turn-and-burn-out kind of thing. We have a really tight connection with all of our clients. And it’s the family and family atmosphere. And it’s just great.”
To celebrate the end of 2022 and welcome in the New Year, Panacea Tattoo Removal is offering the first treatment free when you buy an XS, S, M, or L treatment package. Visit https://www.panaceatattooremoval.com/, call (970) 361-5166, email panaceatattooremoval@gmail.com, or follow them on Instagram and Facebook for more information. Panacea Tattoo Removal is located at 624 Rae Lynn St. #B STE 102, Grand Junction, CO 81505.
Astanza is ecstatic to partner with clients like Panacea Tattoo Removal and be a part of the positive change they’re making in Grand Junction, CO. The amazing work they’re doing for residents in the area and surrounding neighborhoods through their Second Lives Program makes us all the more proud this holiday season.
If you’re interested in entering the laser tattoo removal industry, getting laser tattoo removal certified at New Look Laser College, or learning more about our products, contact us for more information! Already a laser business owner? Download our FREE 2023 calendar to help plan your marketing strategies. Also, be sure to check out our webinar series, Inside the Laser, for an inside scoop on Astanza’s industry-leading product line.
