Questions and Answers About The Tattoo Removal Procedure
and Project New Start

Q. Who can get their tattoos removed in this program?
A. Alameda County residents between the ages of 13 and 25, who have visible gang or drug-related tattoos and are dedicated to avoiding gangs, criminal behaviors or drug use.

Q. What do I have to do to get my tattoos removed, besides the laser treatments?
A. Each youth in the program will have a sponsoring adult or mentor to help him or her develop and follow through with their own personal education, employment and lifestyle goals. You must also complete a minimum of 50 hours of volunteer work in the community at a place you choose.

Q. How are the tattoos removed?
A. The tattoos are removed through laser treatments, rather than by surgery. The light emitted by the laser machine breaks up the pigment in the tattoo ink. Gradually, the body carries away the pigment and the tattoo fades.

Q. Does tattoo removal hurt?
A. Every person has a different level of tolerance to pain. The majority of participants report, however, that the procedure is no more painful than tattooing. The sensation is usually described as that of grease splatters or a rubber band snapping against the skin. In order to minimize discomfort, topical anesthetic cream can be applied to the area approximately 30 to 60 minutes before treatment. After the treatment, the treated area often looks like you got a bad sunburn. In some instances, there may be pinpoint bleeding. Most people are able to work and drive after treatment. The discomfort is mostly gone in a day or two.

Q. How many treatments are required to remove a tattoo?
A. Multiple treatments are required to remove tattoos. The number will depend on the size, color and depth of the tattoos. The average tattoo requires 4 to 10 treatments for complete removal. Treatments are given every 6 to 8 weeks to allow time for the skin to recover and the tattoo to fade before the next treatment.

Q. Will the tattoo disappear completely? Will there be scarring?
A. The blue-black tattoo inks respond the best to laser treatment and are more likely to disappear completely than other colors. Usually there will be no scar and the tattoo will disappear. In some instances, however, you might notice a small scar. This is usually more of a loss of skin pigment rather than an actual scar. Occasionally, scarring does occur. The response to treatment differs from one person to the next depending on their skin, the location of the tattoos and the quality of the tattoo itself.

Q. Where do I start? Who should I call?
A. It depends on where you live. If you live in the south part of Alameda County or the Tri-Valley area, call Project New Start at Community Counseling and Education Center at 510/792-4964; if you live in the city of Hayward, call Project New Start at Eden Youth Center at 510/785-6690; or if you live in northern Alameda County, call Project New Start at 510/208-5926.