Zap Zap Tattoo Removal in Tacoma offers free laser tattoo removal for trafficking survivors, former gang members and people leaving hate groups through a program called Project Un-Inked.
The shop, at 5406B South Tacoma Way above the Airport Tavern, is one of several Washington providers helping people erase what the industry calls "job stoppers" — visible tattoos on the face, neck or hands that can block employment and carry painful memories.
The Seattle Times first reported on the program Oct. 25.
Co-owner Scott Clemons, a family nurse practitioner, operates the laser. In the Times profile, a trafficking survivor identified only as Domonique described having a man's image and name removed from her face.
"This is 10 times scarier than a tattoo gun," she said, gesturing to the machine from a pink chair in the second-floor office.
Domonique was referred to Project Un-Inked through an organization that works with sex trafficking survivors, the Times reported. She had already completed multiple sessions.
Side-by-side photos from March and October showed her tattoos far lighter, with the outline of the man's eye nearly gone.
The work is slow. Removing a single tattoo can require sessions stretching beyond a year, and one session can cost $200 to $500 at market rates, according to removal providers quoted by the Times.
Project Un-Inked charges qualifying participants nothing.
Not every client finishes. Providers told the Times that some participants attend two or three sessions and then disappear, lacking reliable transportation or a phone to schedule appointments.
Co-founder Marshall Glass told the Times he wants to grow the program so Zap Zap can connect clients with other community services.
"The removal is great, but they may not have a GED, they may have unstable housing, they may need mental health and substance use supports," Glass said.
Zap Zap is part of a broader network of Washington providers.
Ink-Out, a Walla Walla program founded in 2013, has helped about 65 people complete removal using a grant-funded laser and volunteer staff.
The state Department of Corrections partners with LISSÈ Medical Aesthetics in Gig Harbor to offer removal for women incarcerated at the Washington Corrections Center for Women.
That partnership, about a year old, has six participants, and more than 100 other incarcerated women have expressed interest, according to associate superintendent Kari Figueira.
Zap Zap operates by appointment only. Residents can reach the shop at [email protected] or visit the Project Un-Inked page on the business's website for details on qualifying.
