Tattoo Removal Solutions

There are several removal methods available today for those who regret their decision to get a tattoo. It is important to note, however, that none of these methods are perfect. Tattoo removal can be a painful and expensive process. Some trace of the tattoo may remain after removal. Permanent scarring is also possible with some tattoo removal methods.

Light

• Laser and IPL treatments are the most popular tattoo removal methods. With laser removal, laser light is beamed at the tattoo. The tattoo's ink absorbs the laser light and breaks down into pieces small enough to be removed by the body's immune system. Some pain and scabbing are normal with laser tattoo removal and a local anesthetic is sometimes applied to the skin before treatments. IPL, or intense pulsed light, is similar to laser treatment and combines the use of gel and a light wand to remove ink. This method is much more expensive than laser removal. Light treatments work best on dark blue, red and black inks; green, teal, light blue and yellow are the hardest ink colors to remove.

Abrasion

• Dermabrasion and salabrasion are two similar tattoo removal techniques that are not often used today but may be necessary when light methods fail. With dermabrasion the skin is numbed and then scratched off with a wire brush or special sanding tool. The top layers of skin are actually removed during this procedure. Dermabrasion requires several treatments, is somewhat painful and can result in infection. Salabrasion is essentially the same process as dermabrasion except that the tattoo is soaked in a salt solution prior to the scratching procedure. Soaking alone always leaves a faded image and does not work well with deeply inked tattoos.

Camouflage

• An unwanted tattoo can often be covered by another tattoo. If the location of a tattoo is acceptable but the image is not, a tattoo artist may be able to tattoo a new image over the old one. If the tattoo needs to be removed completely, a tattoo or cosmetic artist can inject the skin with dyes and pigments that are similar in color to the surrounding skin. Covering a tattoo with skin-toned dyes and pigments often works very well, but the area may look slightly different because ink is not translucent, as skin is.

Excision

• Excision is another name for surgical removal of a tattoo. With this procedure, a local anesthetic is used to numb the area, and the skin that contains the tattoo is cut off of the body. The wound is stitched closed if the tattoo was small. If the tattoo was large, a skin graft is necessary to close the wound. Because excision is a surgical procedure, there is a risk of infection with this method of tattoo removal. The procedure will also leave a scar where the tattoo was, and on any part of the body from which skin grafts were taken.

Scarification

• Scarification is a method of tattoo removal that is not used often today. With scarification, a 25 percent trichloroacetic acid solution is applied to the skin. The acid damages the skin and causes several layers to peel away, revealing new, tender skin. The new skin must be protected and kept free from infection until it toughens up.