What about getting it covered with something else? It's alot less painful than having it removed.

I don't have first hand knowledge of laser removal. I know that it's quite expensive and from what I hear, is EXTREMELY painful. Most laser removal require several sessions over several weeks, depending on the size/colors of the piece being removed. I don't know much about excision, but the sound of it makes my skin crawl.

I know that you have job concerns but a coverup and/or three quarter sleeve blouses sound like the easiest way to go.

yes, excision is an option, but a painful and scarring one usually. But quick. I had a poorly done flying horse on my upper shoulder, it was visible if I wore a top with no sleeves. So, laser it was. Very expensive. Quite painful. Very loud zapping sound. Depending on the depth of the tat and sometimes certain colours (except green-green is bad), you may have a great result like me and someone would only notice there was something there if you pointed the spot out exactly. Like a very minor bruise. There is an over-the-counter cream (emla? I think) that does a WORLD of difference for the pain (besides the pain in your pocket-book). Many visits were required for the horse and when you pick a doctor, there's no guarantees at all. Just like a tat artist, look for before and after photos. Without the emla, it is extreamly painfull. The laser, which is held off of your skin at the exact right distance (in my case the ruby q switched laser) looks like it is 'boiling' your very skin with each zap. Each "zap" is small, maybe 1/3 inch round, so you have to get lots each visit. You heal for a few weeks and then go back quite a few times. If the doctor goes over the same spot too many times, a permanent black outline of a circle starts to develop. I also have a butterfly/flower vine on my leg that looks very unsightly. I scratched it and got it wet when I first got it and there was green in it. I plan on getting a coverup for it when I can afford it. That was my aim until recently I thought , wow, why not get a tat you like first?! So, I felt a lot happier about a new tat instead of trying to come up with something to cover the old tat. Whatever you do, do NOT try the old fashioned way of rubbing salt onto the tat. Your tat will still show and you will get terrible, unsightly scars over your skin. Well, I hope this helps. b <>< ~ ~ ~ . . .