Five years ago, Alyssa Zebrasky made a decision that she would come to regret. While in a toxic relationship with her ex-partner, Alyssa, from Cleveland, Ohio, allowed him to talk her into getting a tattoo on her face. The tattoo, a “Day of the Dead” sugar skull, covered her entire face and was chosen by her ex. Alyssa believes that her ex wanted her to get the tattoo so that no one else would want her.

The relationship was tumultuous and Alyssa ended up in police custody three times in just six months. One of these incidents even involved a police chase, which the couple blamed on her ex needing to use the bathroom. Alyssa’s mugshot, featuring her distinctive tattoos, went viral.

However, Alyssa has since turned her life around and is now focused on removing the tattoos for good. She uses heavy foundation to cover the tattoos and is participating in the charitable program “INK-nitiative” in Austin, Texas. Alyssa documents her journey on social media, with the support of her family and her new partner, with whom she is in a healthy relationship.

While Alyssa has tattoos all over her body, she only wants to remove the ones on her face in order to forget the connection to her ex-partner. The removal process began in October 2019 and was expected to take 12 sessions. Each session takes about 20 minutes and is described as feeling similar to a rubber band snapping against the skin. After the session, the treated area is sore for about 30 minutes.

So far, Alyssa has had her cheeks, forehead, and hands treated, as her body can only heal so much at once. The cheeks were reportedly not too painful, but Alyssa has described the nose as hurting “pretty bad.” Work has not yet begun on the area around the mouth.

Alyssa admits that looking back at pictures from that time in her life fills her with disappointment in herself. However, she also sees the personal growth she has made and is proud of how far she has come. “I like being able to look back and see my personal growth,” she says. “Change is possible and healing and learning new things are possible.”

Alyssa’s story is a powerful reminder that it is never too late to make a change and turn your life around. Despite the challenges and setbacks she faced, Alyssa has persevered and is now on the path to a happier and healthier future.