Based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Qcknd is an alternative lifestyle content creator on YouTube and Twitch. Short for “Quiet Kid, No Doubt,” Qcknd creates long-form video content surrounding outfit inspiration, makeup, and home renovations.
Amongst these plentiful topics, her social channels have been dominated by her love for tattoos; and now, her experience(s) with laser tattoo removal at Removery.
After nearly 5 years of the process, Qcknd is sharing the stories behind removing two of her oldest tattoos and how documenting the journey online has inspired countless others to do the same.
Qcknd’s rise to fame was entirely unintentional; however, the journey to that point was simply what felt right in the moment.
In 2011, Qcknd started posting simple Q&A-style videos on YouTube, giving advice and opinions on various topics that were relevant online. “I found that I was blogging and answering the same questions all the time. So, I started filming myself while answering [them].” She would upload these videos immediately after filming them, using an “instant upload” feature available on the iPod Touch at the time. Because of this, many of her earlier videos did not have titles or descriptions.
That did not deter people from clicking on her videos, and her audience grew exponentially throughout the following years. Soon, she was invited to YouTube’s coveted Partnership Program, allowing her to monetize her content.
Being a tattoo collector herself, the subject of tattoos naturally became an integral part of her online content. “Having a lifestyle channel, I get to talk about my life, and tattoos are a big part of that,” she says. “Instead of having a diary, I have a YouTube channel to document things I’m excited about, things I regret, and the times that were tough.”
With her tattoo advice, Qcknd has inspired many of her fans to get tattoos of their own; and more recently, get tattoos removed if they no longer feel connected to them.
Qcknd was always drawn to tattoos, even at an early age. So, it was no surprise that she got her first tattoo at just 16 years old. Though the idea might sound crazy, some states allow minors to get tattooed with a parent or guardian’s consent.
With her mom’s blessing, Qcknd went to a nearby tattoo studio that offered walk-in appointments. Qcknd just wanted a tattoo; it didn’t matter its significance, if anything at all. She got a black and grey realism tattoo that depicted two manatees, placed on her shoulder blade. “[The placement] was a very popular 90s location for a tattoo,” Qcknd explains. “My mom took me, and she felt [that area] would look good.”
As her personal interests and style evolved, Qcknd felt her manatee tattoo no longer suited her. She had newly formed visions of a full, cohesive back piece that couldn’t be completed with the larger, black and grey piece currently on her shoulder. She didn’t necessarily hate the tattoo; she just wanted something more meaningful to her present self.
Qcknd was unsure about laser tattoo removal for a while, but not for the reasons we commonly hear about today. Nearly 5 years ago, removing a tattoo was looked at differently – especially in the tattoo community. Many people believed if you got a tattoo, it should stay on your body forever, even if you hate it.
At first, Qcknd felt the same way about removing a tattoo. She believed it was disrespecting her punk values that she held onto tightly as a young adult. With much pondering, Qcknd decided that it was more important to do whatever made her happy. So, she started researching local laser tattoo removal clinics.
Eager to start the tattoo removal process, Qcknd traveled to Allentown, Pennsylvania to meet with Mike from GO Tattoo Removal (now Removery). It was an exciting, yet scary journey at first; but Qcknd knew it was something that would make her happier in the long run.
Knowing the pains of getting a tattoo, Qcknd was worried laser treatments would feel the same and take the same amount of time.
“Laser tattoo removal happens so fast. It’s like 90 seconds [total]. I get so scared [about treatments] that the anticipation builds up and it ends up not hurting as much.”
Recently, Qcknd has started removing another tattoo from her teenage years: a colorful skull on her hip. The tattoo was a homage to a close friend that was moving away, but the ink simply no longer felt like an accurate representation of Qcknd today.
“I don’t think it’s great to live with something I don’t really love. The answer [was] so obvious, get it removed.”
We’re on a mission to give you the most straightforward, easy and efficient laser tattoo removal experience. Your estimate will be entirely bespoke to your tattoo; the size, the colors, the ink. It won’t take long and afterwards you’ll have a plan to finally get rid of your unwanted tattoo and get back to being you.
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