Excuses for not getting an unwanted tattoo removed may be a thing of the past with the opening of the Valley’s first free-standing tattoo removal salon.
Delete Tattoo Removal and Laser Salon, which opened Nov. 8, uses three-wavelength technology combined with Alex TriVantage laser treatment that is safe, effective and affordable.
Owner and founder Marci Zimmerman got the idea for her business while at a spring training baseball game two years ago.
“There were a lot of bad tattoos out there and I said to my friends, ‘That’s going to be a huge business,’” she says. “It was just one of those things that stuck in my head and I couldn’t let it go.”
Zimmerman, two doctors, and three trained technicians are helping clients take the next step in removing unwanted body ink.
The process begins with a complimentary consultation where patients sit down with a doctor to discuss treatments, costs, risk factors and pain reduction options.
Next, a photo is taken to track the removal progress. Patients are given protective eyewear that is worn throughout the laser procedure and are asked to choose from a variety of pain-numbing options.
“We can either do cold air, ice, a topical numbing or an anesthetic numbing injection that goes under the surface of the skin,” says Dr. Julie Keiffer, medical director and supervisor for Delete. “Most clients choose the anesthetic. They feel a little needle stick and slight discomfort and then they don’t feel anything.”
After each session, patients wait four to six weeks before coming back for another round. The number of treatments and cost both depend on the amount of ink, colors and the location of the tattoo.
Zimmerman says that Delete specifically targets 29- to 45-year-olds who are going through a change in life, whether it is marriage, children or a new job. Clients also include those who never liked their tattoo to begin with and want it removed.
“It’s a need out there and no one deserves to live with something permanently if there’s the technology out there to remove it,” she says.
Samya Cochran, 35, a mother of two, says she felt that it was time to remove two of her tattoos after being overlooked several times for modeling jobs because of her body art.
“It just wasn’t my style anymore,” she says. “I wanted my skin back and I’m just over-the-moon thrilled that this is getting done.”
In addition to its tattoo removal services, Delete also removes unwanted pigment spots on the body such as freckles or birthmarks.
As a sponsor of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, the company launched All Clear, a complimentary removal service for breast cancer survivors that removes the small mark left from the radiation site.
The removal salon is the company’s first location, but Zimmerman says she hopes to expand and eventually franchise Delete nationally.
“The more salons we have the bigger our messaging can be,” she says. “It’s a huge gamble but I really believe if we provide a superior product at a superior price, great results and great costumer service, then we’ve got a winner.”
