Gabriella Ellyse Abutbol got a tattoo at 18 with some friends, thinking it would be a fun decision. She chose an owl design with dreamcatcher-style eyes that she had seen online and paid around $500 for it.
Over time, she started to hate it. Her husband told her it looked like the Hooters logo, and her father, who had always been against tattoos, stopped speaking to her for months when he saw it. That family reaction ended up weighing heavily on her decision to remove it.
The problem is that removing it has been much more expensive than getting it. Gabriella has had around 32 laser sessions and has already spent about $15,000. The final bill could reach $18,000. Her father now takes it with humor, but he still calls it the worst investment she ever made.
