| The phenomenon of "tattoo regret" has been | | | | tattoos in an effort to avoid expense. Salt rubs |
| around as long as tattoos have. This alone, if I | | | | remove the skin, and thus the tattoo, leaving |
| had to venture a guess, would be a good reason | | | | individuals open to all sorts of infections and |
| that just tattoo removal options alone are | | | | scarring. Home remedies are considered |
| numerous. Common reasons for tatto removal | | | | dangerous. |
| include the breakup of a romantic relationship | | | | In the 1980s laser tattoo removal became |
| (otherwise referred to as "you got dumped"), | | | | popular. Due to the risks involved with other |
| embarrassment over a design chosen at a | | | | methods, laser removal has been the preferred |
| younger age (what was cool then makes you hot | | | | method for many years. The procedure often |
| under the collar every time you look at it now), | | | | requires only local or topical anesthesia, if any. |
| and simply disliking the tattoo (you let the guy | | | | While there is no blood loss and the risk of |
| doing "$10 Tats" out of the back of his pickup | | | | infection is minimal, laser is expensive and has |
| truck ink you during a weekend drunken spell). | | | | several limitations. Large tattoos often require |
| Fortunately, over the last decade or so, exciting | | | | many sessions for total tatto removal. The |
| new methods of tattoo removal have developed. | | | | success of the laser method highly depends on |
| The nasty side effects of yesterday are no | | | | the tattoo's colors. Black and blue inks are easier |
| longer an issue. Understanding the skin's | | | | to remove than green and yellow, which can not |
| relationship with tattoos will help you see the | | | | be removed completely with current laser |
| benefits of new tatto removal methods more | | | | technology. |
| easily. | | | | Another type of removal is the manual, or |
| The Epidermis and Dermis | | | | machine method which uses a specialized gel, |
| Tattoos are created by injecting ink deeply into | | | | commonly mixed with saline. This "goop" is |
| the skin, which is why tattoo removal is tricky. | | | | tattooed over the art work and causes the ink in |
| The machine needle delivers ink through the | | | | the dermis to bond with, or be displaced by it and |
| epidermis (outer layer of skin), and into the | | | | migrate to the surface of the epidermis where it |
| second layer of skin or dermis. This needle | | | | is trapped in the scab tissue and eventually |
| punctures the dermis anywhere from 50 to 3,000 | | | | sloughed off by the body. Skin renewal usually |
| times within a minute. Since the needle goes | | | | takes from 4 to 6 weeks; one full regeneration |
| approximately a millimeter into the skin to deliver | | | | cycle is completed within this time. This process |
| the ink, the dermis receives the majority of the | | | | can be repeated as many times as necessary to |
| ink, resulting in permanent pigmentation. | | | | completely remove tattoo evidence. While similar |
| Cells in the dermis are much firmer than those in | | | | to laser removal, this method can and does |
| the epidermis, allowing the ink to reside in its new | | | | remove all colors typically in less time (3-5 |
| home with minimal fading. Since the dawn of | | | | treatments) without disintegrating everything |
| tattoos, these results have been considered | | | | (including the moths) in your wallet. Side effects |
| permanent. However, in the last few years the | | | | are minimal and generally temporary. Another |
| development of new techniques has made it | | | | benefit is less toxicity to the body than found |
| possible to remove tattoo evidence from the skin | | | | with laser tatto removal. |
| of remorseful individuals. | | | | Tattoo removal creams are also an option, but do |
| Removal Methods | | | | not be fooled. There are some good creams out |
| Methods prior to laser tattoo removal were quite | | | | there, (reports from consumers seem to favor |
| expensive and painful. The methods used often | | | | Wrecking Balm, with Tat-B-Gone coming in |
| required either surgery or sanding the skin like an | | | | second), but even the best home tattoo removal |
| unfinished board. | | | | kits are only suitable for some tattoos. New |
| Dermabrasion or sanding removed the epidermis, | | | | tattoos (usually less than 2 years, and possibly |
| the dermis, and often worked even deeper into | | | | others that are extremely well maintained), and |
| sensitive tissues; leaving the possibility for risk of | | | | those located very close to the dermis' surface |
| infection, pain, bleeding and almost always, | | | | may be candidates. With creams you can possibly |
| scarring. | | | | save some money and in most cases avoid |
| Cryosurgery is another method used. By freezing | | | | infection. If the skin becomes irritated, merely |
| the skin like a Popsicle, bleeding is reduced. This | | | | decrease application frequency. |
| procedure increases the risk of infection and | | | | ***NOTE: If your tattoo is more than 2 or 3 |
| almost always results in scarring. | | | | years old, shows any signs of fading or has the |
| Excision is even more traumatic as it involves | | | | tell-tale marks of a tattoo that has been inked |
| going to a dermatologic surgeon who will actually | | | | too deep within the dermis (excessive scar tissue, |
| cut the tattoo off and stitch up the surrounding | | | | "ink blowout" which will look like a hazy but lighter |
| skin. Personally this could only be worse if you | | | | shadow of the ink outside or all around a line or |
| were actually force fed through a huge sewing | | | | lines looking too thick and uneven) creams are not |
| machine and mangled in the process. Of course, | | | | for you and will only leave you broke, busted and |
| this method renders its opponents subject to | | | | disgusted. If you fit into any of these categories, |
| infection as well as bleeding. | | | | your best option is Machine removal. |
| Some people try home remedies for removing | | | | |