Permanently Scarred

Hi guys. I have decided to share my traumatic experience with a bad tattoo removal so that others can make a very careful decision on whether to go with this medical practitioner or not. About 1 and a half year ago, I found Andri Richter online when looking for a qualified medical practitioner to remove my tattoo with the 123-tattoo-free method. Andri Richter was on the list of practitioners qualified to perform this method. She seems to specialize mainly in permanent makeup applications. I paid her R3000 to remove my tattoo on my shoulder, which she told me will buy me up to 4 sessions. She mentioned that for most clients the tattoo is gone by the 2nd session with no scarring. Each tattoo removal session was quite painful, as the top layer of skin needs to be removed with a derma-pen, after which the 123-tattoo-free formula is app**** to help irritate the ink towards the surface so that it will fall off in a scab. The first time was fine and resulted in a slightly lighter tattoo without scarring. The second time I went back, she decided to ditch the derma-pen and manually sc**** my arm open with a set of needles. There is no way of telling how deep she went, but it was definitely more painful and bled more than the first time. After this, I started to scar. I was very upset and insisted that next time she uses the derma-pen, which can be set not to go too deep, in the hope that it will penetrate through the scar and somehow eliminate it. She told me not to worry, she can remove the scar and all will be normal when she is done. She said she has removed many scars before. On my third session, while she was applying the formula, I randomly asked her if she is still using the 123-tattoo-free solution that I paid for and she rep****, "No, I am using my own mix. I know my PH's." I was shocked. I did not know what that meant, but she seemed so confident in what she does, that I decided to trust her. After all, it was already too late by then - the procedure was already finished. After this, my scars got way worse. The one I had grew bigger and bulkier and even more scars were added where I had none before. I sent her a photograph of the scar and she did her best to convince me that it is not a scar, but just a negative reaction of the skin and that it will go away. I proceeded for a 3rd session. After this, it became harder to communicate with Andri. She avoided my messages for quite a while, still arguing that the now huge permanent scars on my arm were not scars. I contemplated suing her for the damage, but then realized that with our current justice system surrounding civil matters, it will cause me more emotional pain and financial destruction and in the end I will still have the scar. Months later, I begged her to please at least fix the scar, as she mentioned multiple times that her practice offers scar removal. I told her I know that my skin will never look the same again, but if she can at least bring the scar down level to the rest of my skin, I can get a cover-up tattoo. (Which I would have to get anyway, since the ink was STILL in my skin, mixed with the scarring.) She then out of the blue admitted that it is a hypertrophic scar and that she will gladly help me free-of-charge. Another 3 sessions later, there was no improvement at all. Upon booking my 4th session, still in the hope of a miracle, Andri insisted that I pay R800 per session from then onward, since she had already given me so many free sessions and, in her own words: "it is not my fault that your skin reacted the way it did." She agreed to do one more session free of charge, after which I must pay. I went for the last session. After it had healed, I noticed extra scars on patches of skin that did not have scars before. The main scars were still just as bad as before and were not healing. After this, I did not return to Andri. I then decided to consult other dermatologists in my area for help with removing the scars and providing me with second opinions. To my shock and dismay, none of the dermatologists could offer me any solution for successful scar removal. They said there is no such thing at all. I was told that I am very heavily scarred and all there is to do is wait for the scars to heal on their own until they become white. When asked who had done this to me, I did not mention Andri's name, I just used the term "medical practitioner". One of the dermatologists asked me out of her own: "Is her name Andri?" I said, "Yes! Do you know about her?" And she rep**** that they had heard quite a few stories from their clients. I then went online and was confused to find that no one had reported any incidents - not that I could find. So, I decided to write this review on what had happened to me in the hope that it will prevent someone else from befalling the same fate.

Before considering Andri Richter for tattoo removal, please be extra cautious and bear in mind the seriousness of what had happened to me - my upper arm is scarred for the rest of my life. I cannot wear tank tops anymore. I permanently have to cover my arm to keep people from staring, pulling their faces and asking me lots of questions. My self-esteem has been damaged very badly, possibly for the rest of my life.