St-Eustache women claim tattoo-removal treatment resulted in 2nd-degree burns

Magalie Courtemanche says she ended up with second-degree burns on her forearm after she visited "Bye-Bye Tattoo" in St-Eustache, Que.

Magalie Courtemanche wanted to remove a large tattoo on her arm, but says she instead ended up with painful second-degree burns after visiting a Quebec tattoo-removal business.

Courtemanche says she was told the tattoo-removal treatment wouldn't hurt or leave a scar when she visited "Bye-Bye Tattoo" in St-Eustache, about 40 kilometres north of Montreal.

But a horrified Courtemanche now has a forearm covered with vines of swollen scar tissue that perfectly match the tattoo she wanted removed.

Courtemanche says she is now considering a lawsuit, telling CTV Montreal that she is worried that she will be scarred for life.

Melanie Cote -- another woman who visited the salon -- shared a similar story with CTV Montreal. She says the faint blue outline of a dolphin tattoo can still be seen under strips of scar tissue that she says are the result of a visit to the company.

The company's television ads promise a very different experience.

"Bye Bye Tattoo will make your tattoos disappear without pain or scars, thanks to its revolutionary laser-free technology," is the main sales pitch in one recent ad.

But according to the "Bye-Bye Tattoo" Facebook page, after-care skin treatment is important and that there is always a riskof scarring, depending on each client's skin type and lifestyle.

Dermatologist Andree Mathieu-Serra says while tattoo removal is becoming more and more popular, she warns that proper tattoo removal is still a medical procedure– even if getting a tattoo isn't considered a big deal to many.

"People wanting to remove their tattoo have to search for a laser centre under medical supervision. Because even if it is a laser, it could have some issue after the treatment," she said.

"Bye-Bye Tattoo" did not respond CTVMontreal's telephone and e-mail interview requests.

The Quebec-based College of Physicians is now investigating the complaints.