
(Photo by Joeff Davis)
Dermatologist Dr. Scott Karempelis has been a tattoo-removal specialist at Dermatology Associates of Atlanta for 20 years. He uses a laser that breaks tattoo pigment into little pieces that are absorbed by skin.
How would you describe your job?
It’s very diverse and exciting without doing the same thing everyday. Each day I can work with skin cancer, wrinkles, liposuction or eyelids with people choosing to make the changes.
Who is your youngest client?
Thirteen years old, with a homemade knuckle tattoo. A lot of underage kids get tattoos from homemade ways, or by lying, or some unscrupulous person. The parents drag them in to get them removed.
What are some reasons for tattoo removal?
Gravel tattoos are when asphalt gets stuck in the skin from motorcycle accidents. We also remove the powder burns from a firecracker or black speckles from gun shots. These people are really happy that they can have these things removed.
Jewish people who were in Nazi prison camps like Auschwitz have come in for their prison tattoos to be removed. It is like removing a stigma from their body.
Has a tattoo artist ever gotten mad at you for desecrating his work?
Tattoo artists come in, not interested in removing their tattoos, but to change one area of a tattoo with mistakes. Many times we’ll knock out hearts with the name of the lover.
What is the most interesting tattoo you’ve removed?
This girl has the pink panther on her underwear line and it was the cutest tattoo. If you notice some of the African ladies have full ornaments tattooed on their neck and face from African tribes who come in to get them removed.
I removed the word “hot” and “cold” from a lady’s breasts.
What is the weirdest tattoo?
A guy with a gothic look had the devil outline tattooed to his face with the horns on the forehead.
If you could stand outside a tattoo parlor and give advice to someone about what they’re going to get, what would it be?
Don’t get it in the first place. But if you do, get a regular Indian ink outline without making it too deep. If you do get it, at least hide it on your butt or groin.
If you ever got a tattoo, what would it be?
Probably something artsy and small with some family emblem to it.