Tattoos are works of art displayed on the body, and most folks who love tattoos may sit back and wonder, “Why would a tattoo collector want laser tattoo removal?” But, believe it or not, tattoo artists and tattoo wearers worldwide are seeing the benefits of laser tattoo removal. Tattoo artists want to provide a full-service experience for clients by fading down tattoos in preparation for a cover up. Tattoos with heavy, dark ink are difficult to conceal, so tattoo artists use laser tattoo removal to create a cleaner canvas to work on and ultimately deliver a better cover up tattoo.
As for those seeking tattoo removal, their motivations are many. Whether a tattoo is a painful memory of the past, no longer fits their style, or they simply just want something new – people continue to seek laser tattoo removal. Complete removal of a tattoo takes on average between six to 12 sessions, depending on the depth of the ink and skin type.
Astanza recently sat down with Monica Zamora, an internationally published model well known in the tattoo industry, who’s been featured in publications such as Inked Magazine and hosted dozens of tattoo shows and conventions across the country.
(Left to right: David Murrell, President/CEO of Astanza Laser, Monica Zamora, tattoo model and entrepreneur, Hannah Barling, Content Marketing Manager at Astanza Laser)
Zamora was first immersed in the industry working as an assistant at a tattoo shop in Georgia. She always wanted to be a model, but she didn’t quite fit the commercial world at 5’2 and with a body covered in tattoos. So Zamora went the alternative modeling route, working with Ladies of Metal, seeking out other similar opportunities, and focusing on networking. With this level of exposure, working music festivals and meeting folks in both the tattoo and music industry, she was invited to host her first tattoo show at the Dallas Expo. “It skyrocketed everything. I met so many awesome people,” Zamora said.
Zamora is in the process of fading down a few different tattoos to get some new artwork that better fits her current style. She says she was about 15 years old when she got her first tattoo and has had more than 270+ hours of tattooing on her body.
“I never really thought it would come full circle from working at a tattoo shop to going the music industry route, modeling, and then coming back to the tattoo world. I didn’t think that would happen, but honestly, it’s so amazing and inspiring to see so many amazing artists when I go to these shows,” Zamora said.
She shared she’s proud of her journey thus far and is excited to continue being even more involved in the tattoo world as her business ventures grow.
Tattoo Artists and Tattoo Models Partner in Removal Process
(Left: Monica Zamora, right: Josh Hall, owner of Lamar Street Tattoo Club)
Zamora visited Lamar Street Tattoo Club in Dallas, TX, to start her laser tattoo removal process on some hand tattoos and a larger piece on her right thigh.
Josh Hall, owner of Lamar Street Tattoo Club, has been offering laser tattoo removal with the Astanza Duality laser for about eight years now. He decided to invest in a laser tattoo removal device because he was tired of sending clients elsewhere to get their tattoos faded and decided to add that service to his shop.
“Back in the day, I used to send my cover-up clients elsewhere to get their tattoos faded. There are lots of tattoos that you can’t easily slap a cover-up over. Laser tattoo removal helps fade down those really dark, heavily pigmented tattoos, so it’s easier for us tattoo artists to apply a cover-up while giving the client exactly what they want. One day I got sick of sending thousands of dollars a month out of the shop to some other guy. It didn’t make sense for me to send my own clients away instead of lasering them myself. So I invested in a laser and started offering tattoo removal services,” Hall said.
As Josh shared, some tattoos are simply too complicated to cover up, no matter how talented a tattoo artist is. With laser tattoo removal, tattoo artists can create a cleaner canvas to work and eliminate limitations like size and colors within just a few treatments using advanced laser technology.
Seeking complete tattoo removal is also extremely popular; it just takes more sessions than fading down for a cover up.
This is the exact reason Zamora has begun the laser tattoo removal process; she has a couple of tattoos she isn’t a huge fan of anymore and wants to fade them down to give a new artist plenty of creative freedom to work with. She says she wants her knuckle tattoos completely removed but is looking forward to adding a new piece of artwork to her thigh.
How to Get Started in the Laser Tattoo Removal Business
Astanza is the leading laser provider for tattoo shops and tattoo studios around the world. Like Hall shared, more and more tattoo artists are adding laser tattoo removal to their list of services to provide the complete tattoo experience in the convenience of their own shop and ultimately increase revenue for their business.
And like Zamora has shown, even tattoo models and connoisseurs seek laser tattoo removal to upgrade the existing art on their bodies. So when you think about it, it makes total sense why tattoo artists and tattoo lovers alike are diving into laser tattoo removal.
The tattoo removal industry is booming and will only continue to climb. Nearly 30% of Americans have tattoos, and of that group, about 23% end up experiencing some type of tattoo regret. With tattoos becoming less taboo as the years go on, the tattoo removal industry will only become more significant.
Ready to get your laser tattoo removal business going? See Astanza’s line of industry-leading laser tattoo removal technology.
Or check out our on-demand webinar: Under the Ink, an inside look at laser tattoo removal from tattoo shops.
