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Culture
‘Lazer Erazer’ isn’t your ordinary tattoo removal service. Upon entering the Collingwood studio you won’t be greeted by a bored receptionist and a technician in a white coat. Instead you’ll get a friendly, “Hey, what’s up?” by founder Jade Louise and her colleagues—who aren’t just laser removal technicians but body-mod enthusiasts that are well versed in tattoo culture.
They’re not the kind of medical technicians that freak you out but are the kind you could see yourself hanging out. After a dull experience at a laser removal clinic herself, Jade was determined to create a more inviting space for people to get their tatts altered. Lazer Erazer is that place. There’s artwork on the walls, indoor plants, plush toys, and all sorts of colourful, sparkly paraphernalia. Laser removal is a serious medical procedure, but why not kick back and get it done in a fun and welcoming environment? For Jade Lazer Erazer is all about allowing people to remove unwanted tatts in a relaxed place surrounded by people who know and care about tattoos.
What kind of personal experiences made you want to set up Lazer Erazer?
Basically having shit tattoos. That was kind of how I found out about laser, just being like “Oh cool, all these things aren’t so permanent anymore.” I had garbage tatts that I’d gotten on drunken nights out with friends, so yeah.
I was always kind of against laser. I used to think, “If you get a tattoo—you wear it,” sort of thing. But I got this garbage tatt on my knee, so I thought ‘I want to get something way better than that’. So I went into the city and got some laser… and hated the experience.
What was so bad about it?
Just boring, you know? You’re getting laser from someone that’s never even gotten a tattoo before. It’s like that saying “don’t trust a skinny chef.” Why would I get laser from someone that doesn’t even know anything about tattoos? So yeah I was getting that done, and thinking I could do this way better.
It’s weird because tattoo shops have such a cool vibe, but if you want to get them removed you have to go to a sterile clinic environment.
Yeah well it makes sense, because laser is pretty gnarly. I mean you probably shouldn’t just go anywhere to get laser. But yeah, that’s kind of how it all started. I thought I could probably make it fun and so I did.
Are there any funny, weird or cringe sort of tattoos that you’ve removed here? I can imagine there’d be some good ones.
Oh all the time! I do a lot of Pinterest white girl tatts.
Like butterflies and feathers and all that?
Yeah! And infinity symbols and the dandelion… which is always fun. I’ve done some pretty hilarious tatts. Also heaps of tribal ones and the ‘Aussie Swazzie’… you know, like the southern cross tatt. But yeah the majority of the time I’m actually doing really good tatts and it’s just a shame lasering them.
What are the reasons people give you for wanting to remove their tatt?
Work, usually. Or they just don’t like it anymore, so they’re fixated on something that they hate that’s not even that bad… but people change. It’s like they have a bad memory associated with that tattoo. So it can be an emotional time sometimes, which is pretty cool.
You’ve created such a cool space here, it’s so colourful and unique. I’ve never heard of a laser tattoo removal place that has this sort of concept.
Thankyou! Yeah I think when I started people just didn’t really get it. I mean I’m not everyone’s demographic, that’s for sure. But I think it’s just a more chilled environment here… laser is a serious business, but it doesn’t have to be fucking boring, it can be fun.
Why do you think this kind of cool, creative, and fun environment is important?
I think it makes you feel more comfortable. Laser’s scary, so you don’t want to be even more petrified than you already have to be, so here it’s more of a chilled environment and I guess it’s fun. It’s not as scary and the more relaxed you are means the less nervous you are.
Do you get a certain type of people that come here?
I get everyone! It’s great. Like yesterday I lasered a 54-year-old… he’s a legend. Also 19-year-olds. My oldest client was 68 or 69. He had a swazzie on his hand, that was pretty cool to remove. I’ve done a guy who was 57 that had swastikas on his knuckles. He was like, “Yeah I was just a punk when I was younger so I got it done… whoops”. I think he didn’t really know what it meant at the time.
Have you been enjoying it so far?
Yeah, I’ve been here for three and a half years. Before that I was a piercer. Body piercing is something I did when I was really young, and I kind of outgrew it … as you can see I don’t even have any piercings now. I’m done with that kind of life, which is cool. Laser’s fun and I love my job and I love the body mod industry… I’ve always been into that, changing people’s aesthetics and whatnot. Laser’s fricken painful, but the outcome’s pretty positive and I really like that part of the job.
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- By: Maki Morita
