The traditional tattoos in the shape of a cross on her chin and forehead tell a story. It is not much of a leap to guess from the intricate markings that Feleku Kassa, 29, was raised in rural Ethiopia.

She was sitting in a medical recliner, wearing a rather uncomfortable expression, as she listened to a nurse, Selam Hailemichael. Feleku was attentive, receiving an orientation about a treatment she would get that day. She was anxious about what would happen afterwards. The nurse was preparing her for a rather unusual medical treatment at the Marcia Surgical Centre, in the Olympia area behind Dember City Centre.

Feleku was to undergo a laser tattoo removal procedure.

"It'll all be over in a few minutes," Selam, a nurse for seven years, told Feleku.

It was apparent from her tone she meant to have comforting words for her patient.

Donning a pair of glasses to protect her eyes from radiation, Selam began the removal process by focusing on Feleku's skin with highly concentrated light waves that heat the ink particles. It causes them to fragment into smaller pieces. Usually, patients' immune system does the rest, removing the remaining particles on its own.

The markings on Feleku's face are prints from a past Feleku wish to distance herself from. She was raised in the southwestern part of the country, in the vicinity of Jimma. She lived there until she moved to Addis Abeba 15 years ago. Blending into urban life has not been easy for her. The tattoos have been a big reason why. For a rural woman, tattoos could send a message to urban society: "I am not one of you."

Until recently, Feleku did not doubt her tattoos were a permanent feature she would have to live with for the rest of her life. She had no inkling that laser technologies have evolved to make tattoo removal a relatively quick and simple procedure. The treatment has been available in Ethiopia for some time now.

When Tewodros Messele (MD) established ICON Clinic in Addis Abeba after returning from the United States in 2006, where he practised plastic and reconstructive surgery, he hoped to offer an option to people like Feleku. They face an enduring sense of isolation from the community around them.

Tewodros, a Stanford University graduate, had been practising general and vascular surgery for nearly a decade before opening Marcia Surgical Centre six years ago. He began offering tattoo removal procedures with the help of two nurses trained for the job. The team has since expanded to comprise four nurses. Selam is one performing the procedure since 2018. Marcia Surgical Centre has since grown to include hair transplant and restoration procedures on its list of services.

Business is booming, according to the clinic’s administration.

The number of people who come to Marcia for tattoo removal has jumped from less than 50 a month in the early days to more than 200. Removing a tattoo takes about a year, with appointments every six to eight weeks. The procedure takes no longer than a quarter of an hour, often less, depending on the tattoo's size and depth. In most cases, tattoos require between five and 10 treatments for complete removal, with the ink fading with every appointment.

Marcia Surgical Centre charges between 200 and 5,000 Br for each appointment. A patient like Feleku would have to pay 10,000 Br throughout the treatment. The burden is not light on her. She earns a 3,000 Br monthly income working as a cook at a small eatery. However, she is determined to spend what she saves to see her tattoos removed completely.

The growing demand has spurred others to join the industry.

Incorporated in 2005, Rank Specialised Dermatology Clinic began offering tattoo removal treatment last year at its facility in the Lebu area. The growing number of people booking the procedure led the clinic's administration to recently open a second branch in Wello Sefer. On average, 75 people visit the clinic each month, disclosed Anise Befekadu (MD), a dermatologist at Rank Specialised Clinic.

The clinic charges an average 600 Br for a single session, with the entire procedure costing up to 10,000 Br.

Women from rural Ethiopia with plans to travel to the Middle East are the clinic's leading clients. Yet, the growing popularity of tattoo removal clinics matches the high prevalence of “tattoo regret”, a phenomenon that arises from ageing and changes in lifestyle and attitude.

Tattooing has grown increasingly popular, particularly among the youth, over the past decade. Traditional practice and religious marks restricted to women, tattoos have become part of the mainstream popular culture in the capital. It is no longer uncommon to see young men and women with ink on their arms, legs, and chests. Traditional crosses and dotted lines have been replaced with images, and the practice has shed the taboo it had initially been greeted with.