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Blou Tattoo Removal.The laser reduces the ink to tiny particles that the body absorbs and then removes. Marilú Báez
The cost of second thoughts: tattoo removal thrives in Malaga
Business

The cost of second thoughts: tattoo removal thrives in Malaga

When someone gets a tattoo then regrets it there is a solution, but it comes with pain, a couple of years of recovery and hundreds of euros

Cristina Vallejo

Madrid

Monday, 3 February 2025, 20:00

Something is happening. Two tattoo removal businesses, just a few metres apart, have sprung up at the same time in Malaga's Cruz del Humilladero district. Perhaps the craze for body art is giving over to the fashion of leaving your skin unblemished because that's what these two salons promise. While the removal process hurts even more than getting a tattoo, if it's done well, it should leave no marks or scars. But more about that later.

First, let's talk about the two companies, because Ray Studios, on Calle Horacio Lengo, and Blou Tattoo Removal, on Paseo de los Tilos, have a near identical past. The former, as Víctor de Quadras, its managing director, explained, emerged in Paris three years ago courtesy of its Spanish-French founder, David Rodríguez. Two years ago, they opened a branch in Barcelona, and after expanding in France and Belgium, they made a more determined commitment to Spain. So, in Madrid they opened premises in May 2024, and in the last few weeks, as well as in Malaga, they have launched in Seville and Valencia.

In the case of Blou, the founders are two siblings from Seville, Aarón and Lara Gil. "My sister had her laser hair removal company and I was working in technology, and after some discussion, we decided to start this business," said Aarón Gil. They began in Seville and have now opened franchises in Madrid, Barcelona and, of course, in Malaga.

Why does this city feature among the first destinations for these companies' expansions? For Victor de Quadras, the high percentage of people with tattoos and the people's general concern for their appearance made it an attractive prospect. De Quadras said the proximity to the train and bus stations was a key factor in his choice of Cruz del Humilladero. Gil pointed out that his company has been working for clients in this city for a long time, bringing the machinery from their centre in Seville. He said that, like De Quadras, they wanted a busy neighbourhood, not right in the centre, but with good transport links.

The technique they both employ is the picosecond laser - so called because of the speed at which it operates. Despite the establishments' similarities, there seems to be an active rivalry emerging. Ray Studios say that although this is not considered a medical activity, they offer qualified health professionals. While at Blou, they emphasise that for their consultations they provide specialists in tattoo erasure, known for their efficiency.

Why remove a tattoo?

So who decides to have their tattoos removed and why? According to De Quadras, their clients are more often women, typically between 30 and 35 years old. They are people who may have got tattoos ten years ago and no longer feel like having them. "One of the things we see most is that people change their minds. You got a tattoo and now you don't like it. An example is if it carries a political message."

However, there are also those who decide to remove their tattoos for work, for example if they are joining the police or becoming a steward on an airline. Aarón Gil explained, "People remove them for aesthetics, because the tattoo may have gone out of fashion or because of changes in their way of thinking, because they have tattooed the name of their ex-partner. Or sometimes they just want to change the drawings they have for new ones, as they are now of a higher quality. If an artist wants to monetise their work, the easiest way is to dedicate themselves to tattooing."

Are there any particular ones that have gone out of fashion? Gil says that stars, vines, fairies and the oldest tribal designs are the types that are often erased. De Quadras added that they are mainly removed from the places where people tattoo the most, namely the arms and legs. "It has nothing to do with whether they are in more visible places," he said. "We don't see people who are full of regret, only that they have changed their minds," he added.

Time and financial cost

But it doesn't come cheap, neither in time nor money. The process takes about a year and a half and usually involves eight or ten sessions. The easiest ones though could be gone in four sessions.

"But what's two years compared to the rest of your life," said Gil. "If the process takes so long, it is not because it causes injury. Rather the technique used, which consists of the laser breaking up the ink into fragments small enough to be eliminated by the lymphatic system, means that the pace of the sessions is dictated by the body." He explained, "At the beginning it is difficult to calculate how many sessions it will take to remove the tattoo, but, as time goes on, you begin to see the changes. There are also people who have half as many sessions as they would otherwise need, as they don't need to remove the tattoo completely because they are going to get another one on top of it."

Experts point out that the difficulty of erasing a tattoo depends on many factors. These include the age of the tattoo, the amount of ink, its depth and whether scars have been made during the drawing process. Exposure to the sun, the colours and whether the patient is sporty or sedentary, as this will influence the speed of their lymphatic system, are also relevant. De Quadras added, "Prison tattoos are the easiest to erase."

As for prices, De Quadras said that most tattoo removals range from 700 to 2,800 euros, though he remembers one that cost 9,000 euros, as the tattoo extended over the torso, arm and leg. At Blou they give prices per session, ranging from 50 to 300 euros, depending on the surface area of the tattoo.

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