Option #1: Cryosurgery
Liquid nitrogen is applied to your skin. Your skin then freezes. Then the outer layer of your skin peels off. This is minimally invasive and should be performed by a qualified medical professional.
Option #2: Tattoo Removal Cream
(Disclaimer: This one is the least painful – actually doesn’t hurt at all). You just put the topical tattoo removal cream on your skin and it pulls the ink to the surface. You use an exfoliating pad to fade the ink away. This can take anywhere from 3-6 months depending on how much ink is in your skin. Using a topical cream is definitely much less expensive than any type of surgical options.
Option 3: Intense Pulsed Light Therapy (IPL)
A highly concentrated light beam is focused on the tattoo and it breaks up ink particles. Some irritation can occur (ok – little disclaimer here – this can hurt like crazy!). This kind of treatment usually takes multiple sessions and can cost thousands! You must consult with a physician before going this route.
Option 4: Laser Tattoo Removal
This option utilizes a laser to break up and remove tattoo pigments that have gone deep within the skin. Some (ALOT!) of irritation can occur. This hurts. Just watch some of the videos on youtube. This method usually requires multiple sessions and you must consult a physician.
Option 5: Sal-abrasion Tattoo Removal
This one sounds like it would definitely hurt a little! You basically sand down the skin until the outer layer of your skin is removed. Usually, you would use granules of table salt. This is a very aggressive way to remove a tattoo and can be very hurtful. This is the old way of removing tattoos. I don’t really suggest this method!
Option 6: Surgical Tattoo Removal
A surgeon cuts out the part / layer of your skin where the tattoo ink is. This route might be recommended for people with ’small’ tattoos. This method usually results in scarring. There are many factors that would come into play here. These factors include the skill of the surgeon, the size, and the location of the tattoo.
Like I said, some of these methods I wouldn’t recommend. But I wanted to share the most common tattoo removal options available!
Have a great day!
