Older generations used to warn that people shouldn’t get tattoos because they’re permanent and someone may one day regret getting them. However, these days tattoo removal is an option. Although painful, it works after a few sessions but can leave behind some scarring. Either way, 35-year-old Leandro De Souza has decided to undergo laser treatments to remove almost 2 decades worth of ink.
Leandro De Souza is a native of Brazil and a proud father. However, his divorce almost a decade ago proved to be almost more than he could handle. As a result, De Souza went down a path of partying. During this time he accumulated more than 170 tattoos but his first ink was at just 13 years old. “I did the first one when I was 13,” De Souza explained. “The first ones were very much about the idolatry of the time.” However, he’s recently set out on a religious path of Evangelicalism. As a result, he’s decided to undergo the laser tattoo removal process.
Facing Heartbreak
Leandro’s first tattoos were inspired by his favorite bands, such as Nirvana, Guns N’ Roses, and Metallica. However, the majority of his tattoos were from a decade-long binge following his divorce. During that time, Leandro admittedly experimented with drugs like LSD, alcohol, and ecstasy.
Finding Motivation for Tattoo Removal
“I couldn’t stand the life I was living anymore. I was an attraction at (events I attended) and it felt like a circus animal.” He said regarding his decision for tattoo removal. De Souza was visiting a shelter almost a decade after his difficult divorce. This visit would change the course of his life. “The first step in everything in life is to accept that you can’t do it alone, that you are an addict, that you are a drug addict,” de Souza said. “And I managed to do that, I entered the municipal shelter in Bagé. Within a week, there was a lady who referred me and started to evangelize me.“
Turning a New Leaf
It’s been 2 years since De Souza changed his life and opted for tattoo removal. However, it’s a long process that will be more so for De Souza’s 170 tattoos. Moreover, he now spends his time speaking with “parents and children in homes that are in prisons.”
Leandro began the tattoo removal process with the help of a tattoo studio in Franco da Rocha, São Paulo, which heard about the exciting changes Leandro was making to turn his life around. He’s now been clean from alcohol for 3 years, and free of tobacco and other substances for a year. De Souza still has 6 more tattoo removal sessions before his ink is gone and his transformation, so far, is astonishing and awe-inspiring.
Tattoo Removal is a Modern Possibility
For many, getting a tattoo is inspired by the desire to express one’s creativity, treating their body like a canvas. However, others may regret their ink choices as they mature or their interests and relationship status change. Fortunately, tattoo removal is possible with advancing technology but there are a few side effects like tenderness, skin irritability, and even scarring.
Tattoo Removal Methods
Interestingly, tattoo removal comes with options. De Souza’s treatment, laser tattoo removal, uses lasers to “heat the ink particles,” breaking them down and making it “easier for your immune system to remove,” according to Cleveland Clinic. Laser tattoo removal sessions are scheduled about 3 months apart and can last anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour depending on the size of the ink. This method does come with side effects that range from mild skin irritation to painful blisters, but each person responds differently to treatment.
Skin Removal for Tattoo Removal
Another option for tattoo removal is surgical excision. The medical procedure requires a surgeon, who will “cut out the skin that contains a tattoo.” Then they will “stitch your remaining skin together.” The procedure probably sounds intimidating but it’s only used for small tattoos, as cutting an entire back tattoo and then stitching it up would be unpleasant, dangerous, and seemingly impossible.
Meanwhile, dermabrasion and chemical peels are used to remove the outer layers of skin. Unfortunately, both can cause severe skin sensitivity, especially in sunlight. Therefore, understanding the risks and how to treat the skin properly as it heals is essential to your skin’s health and physical comfort.
Not Recommended by Professionals
Lastly, and possibly least popular and effective, are tattoo removal creams. They can be used at home and often take months or years to yield results. Furthermore, they contain acids that “irritate or damage your skin.” As such, they’re usually advised against by medical professionals.
Can Anyone Get Tattoo Removal
In short, yes. However, some things are worth noting when considering tattoo removal. Firstly, tattoo removal takes time and similar or repetitive steps to be effective, regardless of your chosen tattoo removal method. The reason for this is that a tattoo artist applies ink in layers of the skin, so layers have to be broken down which can’t happen in one sitting, otherwise you’ll suffer severe and irreversible skin damage. Ultimately, that would put your overall health and immunity at risk. Additionally, your skin needs time between sessions to “flush out the ink” so, it’s recommended to wait a few weeks or months between most tattoo removal options listed above.
Secondly, certain ink colors are easier to remove than others. For example, blue and black are easy to remove during laser tattoo removal because “they’re better at absorbing light.” Meanwhile, colors like red are difficult to remove because their “molecular composition” is more resistant to the treatment options.
An Alternative
Consider having them turned into something else, rather than removed. For instance, if you’re considering tattoo removal and the reason has nothing to do with necessity, for work, or because, like De Souza, you’re on a new path. Instead, you don’t like how it looks anymore, have separated from the person who inspired the tattoo, or have other interests. In this case, you might consider another visit to the tattoo shop to have them create something else by covering the existing tattoo. For many, this option may be more satisfying and less time-consuming.
My Ex-MIL Sent Me a Generous Gift After My Divorce, but Her Clause Made Me Say No — Two Years Later, I Saw Her Crying in the Park
After a messy divorce, a mysterious package from her ex-mother-in-law offers Emilia a chance to escape her struggles, but at a shocking price. Years later, she’s thriving in a new life when a chance encounter reveals the cost of arrogance, leaving her to decide if forgiveness can outweigh the past.
When I married Wyatt, it felt like I was stepping into a whirlwind romance with a man who was so unlike anyone I’d ever met.
At least, that’s what I told myself.
A woman sitting in an armchair | Source: Midjourney
He was charming and unpredictable, always full of big dreams and bigger promises. But charm doesn’t keep a marriage afloat, does it? A year later, that whirlwind turned into a storm, and I found myself alone, betrayed, and shattered after discovering his infidelity.
Our divorce was swift and sterile. There were no kids. No shared assets to fight over. But emotionally?
It left me gutted. Financially, it was even worse. Wyatt left me drowning in legal bills, trying to rebuild a life from the wreckage he caused.
A woman holding her head | Source: Midjourney
I moved into a tiny apartment on the outskirts of the city, took on a second job at my lawyer’s firm. To be honest, I think the man just felt sorry for me when he offered me the job. I canceled every unnecessary expense. It was exhausting.
Lonely.
Every day felt like an uphill climb. But I pushed through.
A woman sitting at a desk | Source: Midjourney
Then, one cold afternoon, a package arrived at my door.
No name. No return address.
It was just a set of keys and a note with an address, a date, and a time. The courier had disappeared before I could ask questions.
A set of keys and a note | Source: Midjourney
I held the keys and note to my chest, my heart racing. Was it Wyatt? Had he come to his senses and wanted to apologize? I wasn’t naïve enough to think we could get back together, but closure?
That, I desperately wanted.
Maybe this was his peace offering.
A smiling man | Source: Midjourney
The address led me to a sleek apartment downtown, the kind of place I used to dream about when I was younger. The key turned smoothly in the lock, and when I stepped inside, I found someone waiting for me, but it wasn’t Wyatt.
It was Jill, my ex-mother-in-law, perched on a plush white sofa. Her pearls glinted under the soft light, and her smile felt more like a performance than a welcome.
“I’m glad you came,” she said, motioning for me to sit.
A woman sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney
“What is this?” I asked, holding up the keys.
“This apartment is my gift to you,” she said smoothly. “Of all the women my son has been with, you were the best. The most deserving.”
My stomach twisted.
The apartment could change everything, no more scraping by, no more endless nights worrying about rent. But Jill’s generosity wasn’t exactly her signature trait.
A lavish apartment | Source: Midjourney
I didn’t trust this, and I didn’t trust her.
“On one condition,” she added.
Of course.
“A grandson,” she said, as if it were the most reasonable request in the world.
A woman sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney
My jaw dropped.
“What do you mean?”
Jill tilted her head, calm and businesslike.
“Wyatt is my only child, and I doubt he’ll ever become a family man. We need a grandchild to carry on the family name. You deserve this, darling. You’ve been through so much with Wyatt. Let me make it easier.”
A shocked woman | Source: Midjourney
“But we broke up!” I said, my voice rising. “We don’t even talk anymore! I don’t think he knows where I live, Jill!”
Jill rolled her eyes, waving off my concerns like they were trivial.
“Oh, please, Emilia!” she said. “Just call him, tell him you miss him, invite him here for a romantic dinner. He’ll come. I know he will. I’m not asking for anything complicated. Once my grandson arrives, I’ll provide everything you need. And more.”
“And what if it’s a granddaughter? Then what, Jill?” I pressed, curious to see how far her arrogance stretched.
A romantic dinner setup | Source: Midjourney
Her expression didn’t even flicker.
“Then, Emilia,” she said. “You will try again, darling. No one else will offer you what I’m offering. A comfortable life, all the amenities, all the luxuries. Heck, you wouldn’t even need to work.”
Her words sank in.
A woman holding her head | Source: Midjourney
This woman thought I was desperate. She thought I was incapable of standing on my own. She didn’t see me as a person. She just saw me as a means to an end.
The thought of being with Wyatt… being intimate with Wyatt… it put me off. I felt sick.
“No,” I said finally.
Jill’s polished exterior cracked, surprise flashing across her face.
A smiling man | Source: Midjourney
“Think carefully, girl,” she warned. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
“I have thought carefully,” I replied, meeting her gaze. “And I’d rather struggle than sell my soul and my child over to you.”
I left the keys on the table and walked out, ignoring her protests.
A woman standing in a doorway | Source: Midjourney
The two years that followed were the hardest, and the most rewarding of my life. I poured myself into my job at the law firm, staying late, volunteering for extra projects, and building connections.
One of the senior partners noticed my dedication and started mentoring me.
It wasn’t easy at all, and there were nights when I cried from the exhaustion, but I refused to give up. With every promotion, I felt like I was proving to myself that I didn’t need Wyatt or anyone else to succeed.
A woman lying in her bed | Source: Midjourney
Eventually, I was offered the role of head of client relations. It came with a solid paycheck, a corner office, and something I hadn’t felt in a long time:
Pride.
It was at the firm that I met Daniel.
He was an associate attorney, and he was kind, empathetic, and quietly funny in a way that made bad days seem lighter. He knew all about my messy marriage to Wyatt, and he never pitied me for it.
A smiling man | Source: Midjourney
Instead, he admired how I’d clawed my way out of the wreckage.
“And I’m not just saying it, Emilia,” he said, handing me a bottle of water. “I mean it. I saw that kind of relationship first-hand. But my mother couldn’t get away from my father, no matter how hard she tried. I guess she wanted to believe in some fantasy that he would change.”
“I get that,” I replied. “At first, a part of me thought that Wyatt would come back with some sense of remorse. But then one day, I opened my eyes. And they stayed open.”
A bottle of water on a desk | Source: Midjourney
Our first date was a simple coffee after work. And by our third, I knew he was the real deal. Daniel wasn’t flashy or unpredictable. He was steady. Honest.
A man I could build a life with.
We got married a year later in a small ceremony with close friends and family. A year after that, we welcomed our son, Ethan.
An intimate wedding | Source: Midjourney
“Finally,” I said to Daniel as I looked at our son. “I’ve waited for this little boy for decades. I always knew I wanted to be a mom. But I also knew that I wasn’t going to be a mom with Wyatt.”
Immediately, that bright-eyed, giggling baby boy became the center of our world.
One morning, I was walking through the park, pushing Ethan’s stroller while Daniel jogged ahead. The air smelled of snow, and the bare trees cast long shadows on the path.
A baby boy in a stroller | Source: Midjourney
As I paused by a bench to adjust Ethan’s blanket, I spotted a woman sitting a few feet away.
It was Jill.
She was crying, her face buried in her hands. She looked older, wearier somehow. Her hair was unkempt, her clothes plain, and her signature pearls were nowhere in sight. A stack of papers had fallen from her lap, scattering at her feet.
I hesitated, but then instinct took over. I reached into the diaper bag, grabbed some napkins, and walked up to her.
A woman sitting on a park bench | Source: Midjourney
“Here,” I said softly, holding out the napkins. “Is there anything I can do for you?”
Jill looked up, startled.
Her eyes flickered to the stroller, landing on Ethan’s smiling face. Something between longing and bitterness passed across her expression.
“Thank you,” she said, taking the napkins. I bent down to gather the papers she’d dropped and handed them back to her.
A woman holding a stack of paper | Source: Midjourney
“For hours,” Jill muttered, her voice thin. “I’ve been sitting here for hours. Sometimes, it’s the only place I can think. Your child is beautiful.”
I didn’t know what to say, so I stayed silent.
“Wyatt married again,” she blurted out, her voice dripping with bitterness. “It didn’t last, of course. He married her after only three months, thought she was the perfect trophy wife. But she was just as cunning as he was. Took him for everything.”
A crowd at a wedding | Source: Midjourney
Her shoulders shook as she cried again.
“He lost a fortune in the divorce. And now? There’s nothing left. He came crawling back to me. I’ve spent every penny trying to keep him afloat.”
“I’m sorry,” I said quietly.
Despite everything Jill had put me through, I meant it.
A woman sitting on a bench | Source: Midjourney
We talked a little more, about Ethan, about life, before Jill gathered her things and stood.
“You could have given me a grandson after all. He’s lovely,” she said. “Goodbye, Emilia.”
I watched her walk away, her back hunched against the cold.
A smiling baby boy | Source: Midjourney
A few minutes later, Daniel jogged up to me, his cheeks flushed. He leaned down, kissed me, and scooped Ethan out of the stroller, making him laugh.
“Ready to head home?” he asked.
“Yeah, always,” I said, smiling as I slipped my arm through his.
Together, we strolled away, leaving the past where it belonged.
A smiling woman in a park | Source: Midjourney
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