You can choose from among several methods to have a tattoo removed. According to the Mayo Clinic, the most common tattoo removal procedures are laser removal, surgical removal and dermabrasion. Each one is painful and should be performed by a medical professional. You can opt for an alternative that is less physically intense and less expensive, but those choices are not as effective.
Laser Removal
Perhaps the most effective way to remove a tattoo, laser removal involves burning away the tattoo with a high intensity beam of light--a laser. According to the Tattoo Health Organization, laser removal works by breaking up the pigment molecules, which are then cleared away by your immune system. Unfortunately, the laser also burns your skin, causing pain and potential scarring. Laser removal treatment usually requires multiple sessions to be effective, as doing too much in one session can cause irreparable damage. Laser tattoo removal should only be performed by a trained professional.
Surgical Removal
A dermatologist can surgically remove a tattoo. She may do this by excising--or cutting out--the section of skin infused with the tattoo pigments. Depending on how deep she had to cut, she will then suture the remaining skin back together or apply a skin graft to fill in the gap. This procedure is effective, but it is expensive and often leaves scarring. The Tattoo Health Organization states that surgical removal is usually reserved for large tattoos that other methods have failed to remove.
Dermabrasion and Chemical Peels
These two procedures remove the top layers of skin and require multiple treatments to be effective. According to the Tattoo Removal Institute, dermabrasion is usually performed using a local anesthetic or oral/IV sedation. Even so, the treatment is considered mildly painful and can cause scarring. During dermabrasion, the tattoo removal specialist rubs the skin with a wire brush or sanding disc to abrade away the first few layers. A chemical peel accomplishes the same thing using a caustic chemical instead. Both procedures are of limited value for tattoo removal and aren't commonly used today.
Camouflaging, Salabrasion and Creams
These tattoo removal alternatives are the least effective, but they are also less expensive and painful. At best, they will fade the tattoo. Camouflaging involves trying to fill in the tattoo with different pigments that will mix with the ones already there. The goal is to alter the color of the tattoo so that it matches your skin. Salabrasion involves soaking the tattoo in a concentrated salt solution, followed by light dermabrasion. Lastly, a variety of creams and ointments claim to be able to get rid of a tattoo. These substances, according to the Tattoo Removal Institute, essentially speed up your body's natural process of ridding your body of the ink. At best, they will cause your tattoos to fade slightly faster than they normally would.
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