A Man Tried to Remove His Tattoo by Himself—Experts Warn It’s Self-Harm

Self-removal as an option

Tattoos are now recognized by many young people as a part of fashion. Still, even in the Reiwa era, there are many who feel discomfort toward them.

Kenichi Yabe (56, pseudonym), who runs a beauty salon in Wakayama Prefecture, is a veteran stylist who has won numerous hair-cutting competitions in the U.S. Decades ago, in a moment of youthful impulse, he tattooed himself. Recently, however, the tattoo has begun to fade, and he found himself growing uneasy about it.

So he decided to look into tattoo removal and consulted a cosmetic surgeon.

“To remove it to a satisfying level would cost about one million yen in total,”

Yabe laments.

It didn’t take long for him to decide he would try removing it himself.

Determined, Yabe thoroughly analyzed laser devices used in beauty treatments. In November last year, he personally imported a pico laser — a laser used overseas for tattoo and blemish removal.

Note: Tattoo removal is a medical procedure, and performing it on yourself is entirely at your own risk. This article does not recommend self-removal.

“To protect the skin after laser exposure, I personally imported a topical medication that normally requires a prescription in Japan. Even if a drug requires a prescription domestically, it can sometimes be imported for personal use.

Next, I conducted various experiments with the pico laser. By changing the attachments, you can adjust the laser’s wavelength, so I used colored paper to collect data on how each wavelength reacts. Based on these experiments, I identified which wavelength matched my own skin.

After trial and error with different wavelength and output combinations, I irradiated it once a month. After the third session, I started to see the tattoo fading. By the fourth session, perhaps because my body had gotten used to it, I developed a few small blisters, but the pain was minimal. It was tolerable even without anesthetic cream.”

Imported ointments as well

Even if tattoo removal goes well, neglecting aftercare will only increase skin damage. A cosmetic surgeon who says he was consulted by Yabe spoke to FRIDAY Digital:

“Depending on the patient’s condition, laser treatment inevitably makes the skin more prone to pigmentation. Post-treatment ultraviolet exposure is especially dangerous, and in a clinic we manage it through topical medications and regular follow-ups.”

Compared with medications prescribed by a doctor, over-the-counter ointments often have limited effectiveness.

Yabe explains: “I imported a topical local anesthetic and an external cream containing gentamicin sulfate and the antifungal agent miconazole nitrate. The first is applied before laser irradiation; the second is used afterward when blisters form and the skin becomes weepy.”

After about six months and a total of six pico-laser sessions, Yabe says he has had no pain, tightness, or health problems so far, and is fairly satisfied with the results.

Once his tattoo removal reaches a passing level, he plans to try removing dark spots next. His days of trial and error continue.

We asked Dr. Takafumi Oshiro, director of Oshiro Clinic — the world’s first comprehensive laser-specialty hospital — for his view on this unprecedented self-removal.

“While we provide thorough burn management for patients treated at our clinic based on extensive experience and expert knowledge, applying laser to yourself for tattoo removal — even if done at your own risk — is not treatment but self-harm. I absolutely cannot recommend it!”

Predictably, Yabe’s approach was firmly rejected. Even so, he says he has no intention of stopping his self-removal.