In 2019, LaserTat’s director Amanda McKinnon launched The Fresh Start Program with a powerful mission: to help individuals move on from painful or traumatic reminders tattooed on their skin and embrace a more hopeful future.
Through free and discounted laser tattoo removal, this initiative supports people committed to personal growth but lacking the financial means to take that first step. Since its inception, the program has helped numerous individuals remove their tattoos, many of them overcoming addiction, incarceration, trauma or personal hardship. LaserTat has supported more than 50 clients in their tattoo removal journey through this initiative and we continue to do so today. Many of the clients in our program cannot be publicly identified due to privacy, confidentiality and in some cases their personal safety - matters we take extremely seriously. All clients featured in this blog have given explicit permission for us to share their images, results and the personal circumstances behind their tattoos. Continue reading for firsthand stories of our client’s strength, courage and healing made possible by through The Fresh Start Program.
Kieren’s first step to change
The Fresh Start Program was originally piloted on Kieren, a 25-year-old male who was on home detention after completing a prison sentence at a South Australian correctional facility. He had a strong desire to turn his life around and he felt that the key to this change was to bid farewell to his face tattoos.
“In my youth, I went down the wrong path and made some bad choices. I got face tattoos that I now regret, I ended up in jail and now I want to turn my life around and get these face tattoos removed. I now want to get my life back on track, gain employment, and [ultimately] move forward with my life and put my past behind me. I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of this program." - Kieren
Lainy’s confidence restored
Lainy applied for the Fresh Start Program, seeking help after an iron infusion that left her with staining on her arm. This profoundly affected Lainy, causing her to experience daily looming self-consciousness. Determined to take her bodily autonomy back, she took the leap and applied to participate in the program.
“The Fresh Start Program has changed my life in so many ways. The stain has faded almost completely in a big patch on my arm, and the rest of the fading is so significant that I rarely get comments or questions anymore. So not only has the fresh start program helped me cosmetically, but financially it has been a lifesaver. I am so grateful to LaserTat for their generosity and compassion, because if not for that, I never would have been able to have this treatment or have the results I’ve gotten.” - Lainy
CLICK HERE to learn more about Lainy’s story which was featured on channel Ten’s The Project.
Joseph’s journey and growth
Joseph sought a fresh start through the program to rid himself of his gang-affiliated tattoos, which had become a barrier in moving on from his past. Closing the last chapter of his old life became Joseph's priority, and he was determined to create a new, positive image for himself. He didn't want his children to be affected by his tattoos. Joseph had stayed true to his goal of complete rehabilitation and has achieved amazing results.
“The program is one of a kind giving people like myself the opportunity to rehabilitate and integrate back into society while removing the remnants of a past life. Throughout the last 12 months of my tattoo removal journey, I have felt nothing but supported by Amanda and the team at LaserTat. They make you feel like a human and not judged by your past.
In my youth I made some poor choices, which found me a place in prison. Being out of prison and creating a new life for myself and my family, I knew it was important to remove some of my tattoos to keep moving forward. This wouldn’t have been possible if I didn’t have access to a program like this. Coming from the prison system, having access to a program like this would be so beneficial to hundreds of people registered with OARS or other foundations supporting people in the community who are survivors of domestic violence, ex-gang members, or have simply made poor choices. As someone who has been given a fresh start, I can not commend and thank Amanda & her team enough.” - Joseph
Bradley’s Path to Fatherhood and Freedom
Bradley joined the Fresh Start program for a chance at a better life. With a strong desire to make a positive impact in his community, he decided to remove his face tattoos. This represented his dedication to personal growth, redemption, and leaving his past behind. Bradley knew that real change comes from within, and he was ready to embrace a fresh start.
“If it wasn't for LaserTat I wouldn't be able to move on from my old life. I served 8 years in prison after making some really bad choices. In prison I made a change, I didn't want that life anymore and in order to make my move I had to get my face tattoos removed”.
“I didn't want to look like a monster anymore, I wanted a quiet life with a family and to have fun and now I have been out for nearly a year and I'm soaring. I can now pick my daughter up from school without her getting embarrassed about my face and I feel like a new person. LaserTat gave me an opportunity to get my life back and I'll be forever grateful for them #bestlasertat around.” - Bradley
CLICK HERE to learn more about Brad’s story which was featured on channel Ten’s The Project.
Curt’s determination for a new career
Curt began the removal process to pursue a career in the Australian Defence Force. He first applied for the ADF in April 2019 and was advised that their policy was that they would not accept any visible tattoos from the collar up. Curt was heavily tattooed on his neck, head and face as he had been a tattoo artist for 10+ years. Curt’s journey to remove all his visible tattoos was no easy ride, in fact it was probably one of the toughest we have seen within the Fresh Start program.
Curt also undertook many other tasks to better his chances of acceptance including completing an ADF preparation Maths course at TAFE SA, bringing his health and fitness up to speed and he also had his stretched ear lobes surgically stitched up.
”For the past 12 years I have worked in the tattoo industry and as a result of that I gathered quite a few tattoos along the way! After getting married and having 2 children I felt the need for a bit of stability and consistency both in work hours and financially, so the thought of a defence force career popped up again and my long….long journey of tattoo removal began. Amanda and the girls at LaserTat are amazing, have helped me, and encouraged me the whole way through the process even on the days that I didn't want to deal with another session they made it as comfortable and friendly as possible and without that I may have not made it all this way. I cannot recommend LaserTat enough to anyone wanting to remove a little old tattoo or to help completely change your life like they have in my instance.” – Curt
CLICK HERE to learn more about Curt’s journey.
A Story of Survival and Strength
LaserTat was approached by this client who was burdened with a face tattoo that had been forcibly tattooed without her consent. As a result she has faced hardship with employment opportunities and has had to face the judgemental views of others within her community. We are honoured to have helped her remove this traumatic reminder of her past, and move on to a better, brighter future.
“I basically had this giant reminder on my face of the worst possible time in my life. It’s all I saw when I looked in the mirror. To be honest it’s all anyone saw when they looked at me. I wanted to make progress towards a better life for myself and my family I couldn't get anyone to take me seriously because of the tattoo. I was never going to be able to move forward with the tattoo on my face. And financially it was something so totally out of the realm of possibilities for me”.
“Every now and then I catch myself in the mirror and I remember almost a whole different world that I have come from. I have confidence and I no longer think the worst about people. It has impacted my life from simple conversations with strangers, interacting with medical staff and things like job opportunities. I can now feel optimistic about the future” - Anonymous
More success stories of healing and hope
Kyle joined the Fresh Start Program aiming to remove multiple tattoos from his past, which he got during a period of his life that was coloured by heavy substance addiction. Nowadays Kyle has left that life behind him and has a bright future ahead, having completed his course of treatments through the Fresh Start Program.
Tiandra reached out to us with stains on her arm because of an iron infusion gone wrong. She had been told prior by her doctors that these stains would be permanent, and that there were no viable treatment options for her to remove the stains. The stains became a significant insecurity for her and she would try to cover them with clothing daily.
Our laser technicians were able to achieve these incredible results in 6 treatments by assessing her skin’s response after each treatment and employing the appropriate wavelengths and settings at each of her appointments.
Once a member of an outlaw motorcycle club, Dean’s prominent face tattoos made it nearly impossible to secure steady employment. Now, he’s committed to rewriting his story and building a new life beyond his past.
Adam’s face tattoos were acquired during a long battle with addiction. Now on the other side of his recovery, he found these tattoos created barriers not only to employment but also strained his relationship with his family. Today, he is working hard to turn things around for himself and for his daughter’s future.
This tattoo once symbolised healing after surviving a sexual assault, but over time, its meaning evolved into a painful and visible reminder of this client’s trauma. Now that the tattoo is almost completely faded, she’s on a journey to find peace, self-acceptance, and comfort in her own skin again.
CLICK HERE to learn more about this client’s story and her journey in the program.
Tattooed and labelled during one of the darkest chapters of her life, our client still faces judgment and limited job opportunities because of her visible ink. She’s now focused on reclaiming her confidence and redefining how the world sees her.
“My experience has been amazing. All the staff are kind, friendly, very welcoming and non-judgemental. The removal of my tattoo has made a huge impact on my mental health and my self confidence, before getting laser removal done I was always hiding my hand and scared of the impacts the tattoo would have on my career pathway. My mental health was very bad due to the impact the tattoo was having everytime I would see it, my self confidence was gone due to having something so horrible on my hand. Even knowing the tattoo hasn't completely been removed yet but because of how faded it now is i'm not hiding my hand as much i feel confident and my mental health isn't as bad anymore”.
“I would definitely recommend the Fresh Start program it is a life changer for anyone who needs a bad tattoo removed, to help with recovering from trauma or just bad life experiences or job rejections this program will honestly help with all that and so will the ladies at Laser Tat they are all amazing this program has changed my life I couldn't recommend it enough” – Anonymous
This program participant was forced into getting her tattoo under traumatic circumstances where she was unable to consent. Now that it’s significantly faded, she’s reclaiming ownership of her body and rewriting her narrative on her own terms.
After years of cycling through the prison system, Robert is determined to become a social worker and help others break free from similar cycles. His tattoos, however, have been a barrier to that goal. The Fresh Start program is helping him align his outward appearance with the man he’s worked hard to become.
Clean for almost a year and engaged in court-ordered treatment, Shane is taking powerful steps forward. By removing prison tattoos that no longer reflect who he is, he’s working toward building a stable future for himself.
CLICK HERE to learn about how we achieved this client’s incredible results.
After battling addiction and incarceration, Jakob is finding peace through the program.
”Great I've had four sessions so far and the girls there are lovely and friendly somewhere I can relax and be treated with respect” – Jakob
With the program proving so successful, LaserTat has teamed up with other reputable clinics across Australia to expand the program beyond just South Australia, making tattoo removal services more accessible to those in need.
We are proud to offer The Fresh Start Program through these trusted clinics:
SW Tattoo Removal – Western Australia
White Rabbit Tattoo Removal – Tasmania
Swift Tattoo Removal – Victoria
Paramount Tattoo Removal – New South Wales
LaserTat’s Fresh Start Program isn’t just about removing tattoos - it’s about helping people move forward. Whether someone is leaving behind a difficult past, recovering from addiction or simply ready to make a change, the program offers more than just a procedure. It provides practical support, a sense of acceptance and the opportunity to start fresh.
Know someone who might benefit? Visit https://www.lasertat.com.au/lasertat-fresh-start-program to learn more or find participating clinics.