Ink be gone! Pics of Victoria Beckham on the red carpet show the once saturated color of the back tattoo dedicated to her husband, David Beckham, has now faded, indicating she’s just the latest celeb (following Khloe Kardashian and Iggy Azalea — bye, A$AP Rocky!) to get rid of her ink.
The fashion designer’s body art is Hebrew for “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.” Victoria and David got matching black versions of this phrase on their sixth wedding anniversary in 2005. David’s version is on his arm.
Jeremy B. Green, M.D., and board-certified Miami cosmetic dermatologist tells Us Weekly that more often than not, tattoos are removed because “it just [doesn’t represent the person] anymore. Whether song lyrics, or a symbol resonated with them many years ago, it does not represent the current-day them. People evolve, but the tattoo ink does not.”
The most common type of tattoo removed? “Ex spouses or significant others’ names definitely get the boot, oftentimes with the current love interest in the room witnessing the laser work its magic!” Dr. Green explains to Us.
And the most common location people regret? Unsurprisingly, the lower back, otherwise known as the “tramp stamp.” Most recently, Kardashian, 34, has undergone sessions to remove her lower-back ink, documenting the process along the way.
Just because the blonde reality star’s video makes it look easy doesn’t mean it’s painless. “Most patients tell me it is about as painful as getting a tattoo. That said, we have ways of making it comfortable with topical numbing cream prior to treatment,” he says.
On top of the physical pain, laser removal will set you back in the cost department, too. “It’s definitely more expensive to remove a tattoo than to have one placed. A single treatment could range from $200 to much more depending on the size and number of colors in the tattoo,” Dr. Green tells Us, noting that it usually takes more than one session, and how many sessions depends on how big the tattoo is and how many colors it contains.
One alternative to having it removed is having the ink redesigned. Angelina Jolie famously altered her Billy Bob Thorton art with her children’s birth coordinates rather than going through the removing process.
And if you’re considering getting a tattoo removed, just remember that some places will be more painful than others. “Probably the most painful areas are the face and near or on the genitalia (yes people are tatted there!)” Dr. Green says, jokingly.
Would you ever get a tattoo removed? Tweet with @UsWeekly using the hashtag #stylebyUs!
