Certified technician uses laser to break up tattoo pigments, then soothes the skin with topical ointments.

• Expires Jan 9, 2013
• Limit 5 per person. Valid only for option purchased. Appointment required. 48hr cancellation notice required. Must be 18 or older.
• See the rules that apply to all deals.

• $49 for a laser tattoo-removal session for an area of 1–3 inches (a $99 value)
• $69 for a laser tattoo-removal session for an area of 4–6 inches (a $149 value)
• $109 for a laser tattoo-removal session for an area of 7–9 inches (a $225 value)
• $199 for a laser tattoo-removal session for an area of 10–15 inches (a $400 value)

Wielding a [Q-switched laser] with pen-like precision, a certified technician traces over unwanted ink. Different wavelengths of light break up different pigments, which are then flushed away by the body. Tattoos take time to recede from view, and most require a total of 5–15 sessions.

Working as a laser hair-removal specialist, Carmen Vanderheiden heard a common sentiment from the clients who had tattoos: "Please, hit it. I want it gone." The Tataway founder told the Back Bay Patch that as many as 80% of these tattooed clients asked her not to shield their ink from the hair-zapping laser. Since opening her tattoo-removal parlor, Vanderheiden has found out why, listening keenly to the story beneath each inky regret. Some clients have told her that they're tired of a tattoo's design or its placement on their uvula. Others have confided that the tattoo feels like a stain from some painful time in their life.

These stories make no difference to Tataway's tattoo-removal chart. During free consultations, the clinically published Kirby-Desai scale tells Vanderheiden the number of laser treatments each client can expect based on skin type and the tattoo's pigments, location, and number of spelling errors. After each treatment, topical ointments and sterile dressing help sooth the skin and prevent infection.