Ikhsan's Story: Erasing a 'Gang' Tattoo from the 80s That Lasted 30 Years
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – A look of relief was visible on Ikhsan’s face as he participated in the tattoo removal program held by the National Amil Zakat Agency (Baznas) of DKI Jakarta at the South Jakarta City Hall, on Thursday (26/2/2026).
The butterfly tattoo on his right leg, which had been there for more than three decades, was now slowly fading through a laser process.
Ikhsan, a resident of Pesanggrahan, recounted that the tattoo was made shortly after he graduated from high school in the late 1980s.
According to him, the butterfly image was not just a personal choice, but a symbol of the togetherness of his group of friends at that time.
“So, all of us had this symbol, we were friends back then, school friends from the 80s,” he said.
However, over time, especially after he got married, Ikhsan felt that the tattoo was no longer relevant to his current life. His wife had also encouraged him to remove the tattoo since 2023.
A new opportunity came in 2025 when he got a slot in the free tattoo removal program held by the National Amil Zakat Agency of DKI Jakarta.
This year, he participated in the same program again because the tattoo removal process cannot be done in just one laser treatment.
“In fact, I thought that with the laser treatment, it would be gone in one go, but it turns out it has to be done several times. It may take about 5-6 times if you want it to fade completely,” he said.
Another participant, Mega (38), also had a similar reason. She said she was encouraged by her family to remove the tattoo she got when she was in school because she was just following her friends.
She admitted that she often felt uncomfortable because the tattoo was still there, especially when she was performing religious rituals.
“I might as well erase the memories and sins. So that I can start fresh,” she said when met separately.
This free tattoo removal program only lasted one day at the South Jakarta City Hall. Next, a similar activity is scheduled to be held at the East Jakarta City Hall on Tuesday (3/3/2026).
Through this program, Baznas DKI Jakarta provides tattoo removal services for residents who want to improve themselves, with a gradual medical process using laser technology.
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