Tattoos are very easy to get. All it takes is one impulsive decision at a tattoo parlor and you are literally scarred for life. The ink will remain imprinted under your skin forever, and though it may fade as a result of time or sun exposure, the mark will never fully disappear. You are now faced with the problem of how to remove your regretful tattoo. So what is the best method of tattoo removal? Here is a list of the various methods of tattoo removal, from professional removal to home remedies.
Most Effective Methods of Tattoo Removal
1. Laser Therapy – Lasers focus heat energy under the skin in concentrated bursts. In this process, the laser beam forces the ink particles under the skin to separate. Once the ink is extricated from the skin tissue, the body naturally expels the dead skin and the ink. The laser is able to selectively target color pigments (this would be the color of the tattoo) so that the healthy, ink-free skin tissue is minimally affected. This process can be quite painful and has a long recovery process. Laser Therapy Treatments can cost between $2000-$3000 and may require multiple treatments depending on the size, location, color scheme, and the healing process of the patient.
2. Pulse Light Therapy – A special glass prism is set upon the skin of the tattoo and light is sent through the glass, which focuses the light energy. The light breaks up the particles in the same way it does using laser therapy but it is less painful since the process uses light beams instead of laser beams. However, there is still a lengthy healing process and it is often a painful recovery. Special gels are used to soothe the burning feeling on the treated area. The price is often greater than that of laser therapy treatments because they charge for each pulse, sometimes as much as $10/pulse in a treatment that may require many pulses depending on the size of the tattoo.
Safe Tattoo Removal Home Remedies
1. Tattoo Removal Cream – apply daily as is instructed by the manufacturers, after tattoo fades, you can sand off the area (only the top layers of skin), make sure to use antibacterial products afterwards. These creams have a varying degree of success and often times it is dependent upon the amount of treatments done by the user and how hard they sand the area. Creams can cost between $20-$150.
2. Laser Removal – burn the tattoo off with at-home laser removal technology; these kits are usually very inexpensive compared to the professional therapy. However, this low price also means that the therapy may not be as effective. Home Laser Tattoo Removal kits can cost anywhere between $40-$200.
DO NOT USE
1. Salabrasion – The tattoo is removed through rubbing saltwater onto the tattoo until the area bleeds, this will leave a scar. If the tattoo has deep color tones or was done recently, this method won’t have any effect on the tattoo with the exception of mild fading and scarring around the area.
2. Dermabrasion – The skin in the tattoo is frozen and then sanded away until the skin is completely gone. This is not only ineffective, but it is extremely painful and will cause massive scarring.
3. Tattoo Removal Bleach – This involves rubbing bleach onto the tattoo area to burn off the skin. Bleach is extremely damaging and there’s no way to ensure that it will burn only the select area where the tattoo is. Most likely, bleaching will leave a scar on the entire area on and around the tattoo and the effectiveness of the removal is questionable at best.
