Tattoos are often seen as permanent symbols of personal expression, but for many, they can become painful reminders of a past they wish to forget. While tattoos can hold sentimental value or be cherished as pieces of art, for some, they represent a chapter in their lives they’d rather leave behind. To provide a solution, Jon Wolfe, owner of Eraserhead Tattoo Removal, has been offering free tattoo removal services to individuals seeking a fresh start—particularly those with tattoos linked to demonic or occult imagery, gang affiliations, or prison markings.
Wolfe’s initiative aims to help people shed tattoos that have become unwanted symbols of their past, allowing them to move forward with their lives without the burden of a permanent mark. “It’s all about giving people a chance at a new life,” said Wolfe, whose services are geared towards individuals seeking to break free from tattoos that no longer reflect their identity.
One such person is Michael Lenois, a Brattleboro resident who spent ten years in prison for assault and robbery. Lenois’ journey through the correctional system saw him transferred between multiple prisons, including stints in Springfield, Newport, Camp Hill, Pa., and Lilah, Miss. While incarcerated, Lenois made the decision to get a swastika tattoo—a choice he made for “survivability” within the prison system. “It made things a little bit easier to navigate through there,” Lenois explained. “Vermont’s not so racial, but you do have people that stick together, and it could be challenging because of that.”
Now out of prison and having grown beyond the person he once was, Lenois has decided to take Wolfe up on his offer to remove the swastika tattoo. “I have kids. Going out to the beach during the summer, I get a lot of stares, and people grabbing their kids and clearing out… It’s just not a good look,” Lenois said. “It’s not something I personally really believe in anymore.”
Reflecting on his past, Lenois admitted that he initially didn’t care about the reactions of others, but the impact it had on his family eventually changed his perspective. “I wasn’t very receptive to people’s opinions. I didn’t care the way people felt before I was released from prison; something kind of clicked and changed,” he said. “Some of my family members are not real thrilled about it, and they want to see it gone. Before, I didn’t care. I didn’t listen. It’s my body, it is what it is, and seeing the way it affects them daily is a big part.”
Lenois also offered advice to anyone considering a swastika tattoo. “It’s permanent, unless you go through this process, or want to spend about $1,000 to cover it up. It’s just not a good look,” he said. “Have your beliefs, sure, but you don’t have to throw it in people’s faces. It’s going to affect your everyday life, your family, your children. I don’t want to go pick up my daughter from school and have teachers think negatively of me—or, by happenstance, negatively of my daughter because of it.”
Jon Wolfe, who founded Eraserhead Tattoo Removal in April 2024, is dedicated to helping people like Lenois reclaim control over their bodies and their lives. Wolfe’s passion for tattoo removal stems from his own experience with regrettable ink. “I got a ridiculous tattoo when I was a punk rock kid in the 80s, on the side of my head, and as I got older, it was still there. I couldn’t wear my hair short because it would bleed through,” he recalled. “That tattoo inspired me to get a license to help other people remove theirs.”
Wolfe began his journey in tattoo removal while a student, using his own tattoo as a test case for his skills. “I realized that there are so many other people in the world who make dumb mistakes as teenagers, and they’re living with this shame. Some people are suicidal over this,” he said. “I just opened this up in April of 2024, and it’s all about helping people. It has nothing to do with money.”
Although tattoo removal is currently a side job for Wolfe, who has a Monday-to-Friday job to pay the bills, he finds great satisfaction in helping others. “It feels wonderful to help people feel normal again,” he said. Wolfe’s work continues to change lives, offering individuals like Lenois a second chance at a future free from the burden of a past they no longer wish to carry.
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