CHRISTEL YARDLEY/STUFF
Brendan Price removes inmates' unwanted tattoos so they have better prospects when they get out.
For one Waikeria Prison inmate, the removal of a 30-year-old tattoo is worth the feeling of being splashed with hot fat. The man, who Stuff has agreed not to identify, is having a Mongrel Mob and bulldog facial tattoo removed by laser.
He's the first "customer" of the day for tattoo removalist Brendan Price, who regularly travels to the Waikato prison to remove unwanted tattoos from inmates set on a fresh start.
For this 50-year-old inmate, the pain doesn't lessen, even after six sessions. The once dark tattoo has faded to a light outline.
The inmate has several tattoos, all of them inked on when he first landed in prison in 1989. The other tattoos he can cover with clothing but he wants the ink on his face removed as he's no longer an active member of the gang.
"I think of my mokos and the work I am going to do when I get out, that is what it is about."
CHRISTEL YARDLEY/STUFF
The Waikeria inmate got all of his tattoos in 1989 while in jail.
The difference is clear. He reports that his visitors are quite surprised when they see him without the prominence of the facial tattoo.
The first laser was painful. His face swelled up and blistered. But, he believes it was worth it.
"It is like having little bits of hot fat splashed into your face," he says. "It's more annoying now. The first time was sore but since then it is just an annoying feeling and you just want it to hurry up and finish, but it's all for a good cause."
We are in one of the prison's medical rooms when Price, from HB Laser Clinic, starts unpacking his mobile machine. The inmate is handed protection eye goggles, while observers are also given protective glasses. The light the laser emits is similar to a welding torch, which can cause eye burn if not protected.
CHRISTEL YARDLEY/STUFF
The Waikeria inmate wants to ensure his tattoos don't hinder his job opportunities once he's released.
A former policeman of 18 years, Price was tired of seeing young men coming out of jail with tattoos on their faces. He thought the ink was ruining their opportunities.
"I had one guy in Waikeria who wanted his back patch off because he was sick of going to the beach with his kids and having to leave his shirt on," Price says. "He had been to the beach before and took his shirt off and some other person had seen it and fronted up to him with his kids right there and he was never going to do that again."
In 2017 Oamaru man Mark Cropp made global headlines after his heartfelt plea for someone to help him remove the word 'Devest8' from his face, which he said was preventing him from finding work. He'd been tattooed in prison. Last year Puk Kireka was also in the spotlight after rapper 50 Cent mocked him for having 'notorious' on his face. Kireka, a former Mongrel Mob member, later obtained a job at a gym.
Price's wife also removes tattoos for members of the public at her beauty salon, but Price thinks men would be more comfortable coming to a male Māori to get the procedure. His business was initially set up solely to help former gang members. He'd assumed people would line up after their release, to avoid repercussions in prison, but has been surprised how many inside have jumped at the offer.
Tattoo removal typically costs about $300 a session, Price offers inmates a heavily discounted rate.
TOM LEE/STUFF
Waikeria Prison is one of five prisons where Brendan Price removes tattoos from inmates.
"I have had some which have said if they get the bash, well then so be it. They want to distance themselves from the gangs."
Price is based in Hawke's Bay, but travels to Waikeria and Spring Hill, Mangaroa, Whanganui and Rimutaka prisons.While the interest is high and the cost is fairly minimal it's still a big decision for the inmates. Prisoners' families typically wear the cost but Price believes that having the inmates pay is an incentive to keep it off.
Price continues the offer when the inmates are on probation, outside the wire, to ensure they finish what they started. Some men will try and have their tattoos removed before a parole hearing, so they look better.
CHRISTEL YARDLEY/STUFF
Inmates use anything they can get their hands on to make soot for tattoo ink - like jandal rubber, pen ink, and plastic cutlery.
Despite his time in the police force Price was surprised by the ingenuity of the inmates.
"They're using plastic cutlery, jandal rubber, plastic phone cards, printer cartridge, boot polish, pen ink - anything they can make soot out of they'll use."
That's despite a Department of Corrections ban on inmates tattooing each other, or even having items used for tattooing. It's a disciplinary offence for a prisoner to tattoo another prisoner, consent to receive a tattoo or tattoo themselves.
Once they have made soot they then use the likes of shampoo to help make it into ink and etch it into their bodies.
"What they can make out of nothing, it's incredible. If they could harness their powers and put them to good use they'd make millions.
"I used to be able to think I could tell quite easily the difference between an amateur tattoo and a professional one but nowadays the art is amazing and when you consider sometimes they're doing it by the light of a lighter in the dark."
He's also seen some really horrendous jobs.
CHRISTEL YARDLEY/STUFF
Brendan Price was tied of guys putting tattoos on their faces and damaging their opportunities once they had done their time.
"Like putting it on backwards, doing it in the mirror. Or the wrong spelling. There was one which said original but was spelled Organl. And that's the thing, what they're doing to themselves is going to affect their ability to get jobs, affect their interaction with other people."
Skin that's been tattooed will not go back to its original colour, but can get pretty close.
Price says he can get it to the point where you have to look closely to see there was a tattoo there.
After the laser removal, the inmate is given a spray of liquid bandage, along with some aloe vera gel and ice packs to help with the heat and swelling. Then he's off to his cell to rest for an hour or so.
CHRISTEL YARDLEY/STUFF
Brendan Price does laser removal on inmates at a heavily discounted cost.
Sunday Star Times
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