Kelli Jones, a 32-year-old former navy servicewoman turned actress, has opened up about her decade-long journey to remove six large tattoos. Starting in 2013, the process has cost her $10,000 so far, and only one tattoo remains.
Jones began getting tattoos at 18 while serving in the military, saying it gave her a sense of control over her body. 'I didn't feel like I had control of my body – it allowed me to have some control,' she explained. However, by 2013, she started laser removal, initially to avoid being typecast in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles.
Over time, the motivation shifted. 'It became this mission for me to reclaim my body,' she said. Jones described the pain as 'someone taking a rubber band and slapping it over and over again on your skin in the same spot, but also include heat.' She added that black ink was easier to remove than coloured tattoos.
Jones decided to share her story publicly to help others struggling with tattoo regret. 'I realised how so many people were struggling with the same thing. Some of them even had suicidal ideations,' she told Express.co.uk. She hopes to show that removal is possible and that people 'are not alone.'
Despite the ordeal, Jones still believes 'tattoos are beautiful' but hasn't ruled out getting another meaningful one in the future.
