A new Fife clinic is offering the removal of offensive tattoos for free.
Smooth Clinic, run by Karla Rae, also offers customers a range of laser hair removal treatments.
Karla opened her first clinic in Cowdenbeath in 2021 having initially set up the business from home during the Covid pandemic.
The Fife mum has now opened a second clinic on Bonnygate in Cupar.
As well as hair removal sessions that range in cost from £35 to £192 a time, the business also carries out laser tattoo removal procedures.
Offensive tattoo removal for free
Karla offers to remove any offensive tattoos free of charge.
She said: “You might think it’s funny to get a certain tattoo, but maybe as you get older you are embarrassed by it. Styles change and people change.
“We don’t want people to be stuck with these tattoos forever.
“We wouldn’t get rid of a football club badge for example, but we would be happy to get rid of anything that is offensive or having a negative impact on someone’s life.”
She said a number of clients have visited recently with an anti-police tattoo, which she has removed for free.
That is just a small part of the business she set up in 2020.
She was prompted to set up the business after discovering she had to go to Edinburgh or Glasgow for her own laser hair removal.
“I realised there was a gap in the market and I spent my life savings buying my first machine and doing the training.
“Initially I was working from home but during Covid we opened the clinic in Cowdenbeath when the first lockdown ended.”
The ‘devastating’ impact of unwanted hair
One of her aims is to use the business to help women who suffer due to unwanted body hair.
A number of medical conditions, including Polycystic Ovary Syndrome can cause hirsutism, which is excess facial and body hair.
“Unwanted hair can have a devastating impact on ladies in many ways,” she said.
“I didn’t realise when I started that there are people out there really affected by having excess hair.
“When they come in, they are really embarrassed. We just want to do our best to help them and give their confidence back.”
Hopes to continue growth of Fife business
To help anyone affected, Karla has launched a membership programme where clients pay for their first six visits.
Thereafter they can take out a £30-a-month membership and can return as often as they need.
“It makes it more affordable to people,” Karla said.
Since its launch in 2020, Smooth Clinic has grown to a team of four across its sites in Cowdenbeath and Cupar.
Karla hopes to continue growing the business.
She added: “I’ve built up a good clientele and it’s just kept growing.
“Now we have people coming from all over Fife for treatments. That is why we wanted to open the second clinic.”
Conversation