According to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, about half of people who get tattoos later regret the action. Tattoos are designed to be permanent, and removal can be difficult. You can elect to have the tattoo cut out or excised, rubbed out with dermabrasion or erased with a laser. Removing a tattoo may require more than one attempt. All of these methods carry certain risks.
Scarring
Tattoo removal inflicts trauma on the skin, which can result in scarring. Different methods of removal carry different risks of scarring. Having the tattoo cut out is very likely to leave a scar, as is dermabrasion. According to Dr. Christopher Arpey of the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, the risk of scarring from laser tattoo removal is only 1 to 2 percent.
Infection
The wound made by tattoo removal can become infected. According to CosmeticSurgery.com, you run the greatest risk of infection with excision. Keeping the site clean and applying antibiotic ointment, if recommended by your doctor, can lower the risk of infection.
Failure to Remove Tattoo
Not all tattoos can be removed. Some colors of ink may remain even after treatment with lasers. According to Dr. Arpey, professional tattoos are tougher to remove than amateur efforts.
Pigment Changes
Lasers can remove skin pigmentation along with the tattoo ink pigments, leaving you with patches of discolored skin. Dermabrasion, which uses an abrasive substance to erase the tattoo, can also cause changes in skin pigment.
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