While there are plenty of home remedies touted across the internet with regards, however, they all come with a high risk of scarring.
The most popular is using salt, while this may prove effective for some… it can lead to severe scarring and damaged skin.
The safest and most effective option to remove a tattoo is through laser tattoo removal. This can be done by a doctor, or an aesthetician and involves highly concentrated pulses of light being shot at the ink. It can help to shatter the ink and leads to a notable reduction in visible ink.
There are potential side effects with laser treatment, and while they are rare- some people suffer from scarring, blisters, and scabbing. A local anesthetic is generally given to a patient before the laser treatment begins.
The cost is dependent on the size of the tattoo, and can cost anywhere from $100 up to $1,000. Though, for heavier work, it could take a number of sessions over a large space of time, as the treatment can only be repeated again after 4-8 weeks or so. This still leaves it as one of the most cost-effective tattoo removal procedures available.
You can also talk to an aesthetician regarding dermabrasion. A trained professional essentially sands down the layers of skin in order to break up the ink. This is a more painful procedure, in fact, it might even hurt more than getting the tattoo did. It also leaves you with ink that is still slightly visible. Cost wise it might set you back up to $2,000.
There are other options, too. Cryosurgery freezes the skin and uses liquid nitrogen to burn the ink off. While chemical peels cause the skin to blister, which means when they peel off they take the tattoo ink with them. There aren’t popular options because they are as painful as they are expensive.
The final professional option is surgery. A doctor can remove the skin where the tattoo is located and then cinch the old skin around it. You will be left with a new scar and healing time will be required. This is probably only an option if you’re absolutely desperate, and only if you have a small tattoo. For those with larger tattoos who want to opt for surgery, it’s very possible that a skin graft would be necessary.
There are creams to choose from, too. Obviously this method will be the cheapest and the least painful method, however in order to be effective you must purchase the correct type and use it diligently. The Tattoo Removal Institute recommends two creams that are effective. TatBGone and Tattoo-OFF. These particular creams can be expensive, particularly because it can take up to 9 months for the tattoo to fade. No cream will be as efficient at removing a tattoo as seeking professional help. So, if you have a tattoo that you want to get rid of, your best bet is to save up for laser tattoo removal.
