Tattoo Removal

There may be a time when you may want to have your tattoos removed. Desires and lifestyles change and what was once thought cool may become an embarrassment. Can you get tattoos removed? Are they "forever" as some think? The most honest answer is yes and no. You can remove your tattoos, but the options are limited -- and expensive -- save for one. I learned years ago of a home remedy that may work. I personally don't have any tattoos so I have not tested this out on myself obviously. (This home remedy I will give in a moment.)

Methods of Tattoo Removal

The traditional route of tattoo removal consists of a couple of options. The option or method the doctor utilizes will depend upon the size of the tattoo and its location. In addition, the length of time it has actually been on your skin will be a determing factor as well. The last criteria is how fast the patient heals. This is, of course, a judgment call on the part of the physician. The methods used in tattoo removal are:

• Excision
• Laser
• Dermabrasion
• Salabrasion

Each has their pluses and minuses. Let's explore those here now.
Excision tattoo removal is as it infers -- the removal of the dyed area by excision of a physicians scapel. In other words, it is removed surgically. The obvious and clear advantage of this method is that your entire tattoo can be removed at once. With larger tattoos like "sleeves", however, it may be necessary to remove or excise in planned stages, thus removing the center of the tattoo initially and the sides at a later, specified time.

Another popular method is removal by laser. This method is growing in popularity as well. The most popular lasters used for the removal are the Q-switched Nd:Yag, Q-switched Ruby, and the Q-switched Alexandrite. Obviously, they are all utilized in a very similar manner. Sometimes, a cream is employed in order to numb the skin.

Fundamentally, the laser emits pulses of light that are directed onto the tattoo and thus began to break up the tattoo pigment. Once this is done, over the next few weeks the body's scavenger cells will then go to work removingtreated pigmented areas. You should expect and plan on for more then one treatment to remove the tattoo -- especially with large tattoos.

Dermabrasion is fast gaining in popularity. Dermabrasion works by having a small portion of the tattoo sprayed with a solution that numbs the area. The tattoo is then sanded with an abrasive instrument, which in turns causes the skin to peel. Some bleeding is normal and after the dermabrasion treatment, the area is cleaned and a dressing is applied to the tattooed area.

The last one to discuss here is salabrasion. Salabrasion has actually been used for years and is quite popular. Like the other methods, a local anesthetic is used around the tattooed area. Then, a solution of water dipped in table salt is applied. An abrading apparatus similar to the one used in dermabrasion is employed.

Sometimes, even a "device" like a wooden block wrapped in gauze is utilized to vigorously work the area. When the area becomes deep red in color, the area is cleaned and a a dressing is applied.

Costs vary as to all of these techniques. Which one is best? It's a matter of the size of the tattoo, your budget, and time. For most, budgetary concerns are most important.

Unknown Tattoo Removal Trick

While in college in 1988, I came across my roommate's old bodybuilding magazine stash. He had an old version of Muscle Builder, the precursor to today's Muscle & Fitness. In it, there was an article or commentary on how to remove tattoos. The speaker was famed bodybuilding legend Larry Scott, the only man to ever win Mr. America, Mr. Universe, and Mr. Olympia.

He said if you take a large quantity of salt with bacon grease and apply it over a tattoo, it will in time remove it. This makes sense as the salt would give a dermabrasion-like quality to the removal.

Try it and see. It's certainly less expensive than the excision, laser, dermabrasion, and salabrasion methods. I hope this how to remove tattoos page has been useful to you.