Tattoos boldly represent a person’s viewpoint to the outside world. But there come times and circumstances when that statement has to be retracted. With various methods available for tattoo removal, not everyone is looking to spend too much time and money on it. Listed below are few Home Tattoo Removal tips.
Medically Proven
Laser tattoo removal, surgical excision, and dermabrasion are the most effective ways to get a tattoo removed, but they are a bit heavy on the pockets and time and care intensive. A lot of people these days are looking at natural products to help them remove tattoos at home in a more cost effective and less painful manner, and. there are several ways to do this
Salabrasion
This method was developed in from the Middle East and has been popular ever since. In this method, salt is used as an abrasive scrubber which is used to physically rub off the offending tattoo. The concept is to scrub the upper skin off to reach the lower layer of the skin where the tattoo ink particles lie. To remove the tattoo via salabrasion, a person needs to:
- Removing the excess hair by shaving the treatment area. It makes scrubbing less painful and more fruitful.
- Cleanse the area with an antibacterial solution or soap to make the area germ free.
- Get a sponged gauze wet and after removing excess water, roll it in salt.
- Scrub the tattooed area for half an hour or till the area reddens.
- Once the area is dry, apply some bacterial killing cream to stem infections, and bandage it with antiseptic gauze.
- Check for infections, denoted by an increase in pain or redness in the area, after a couple of days.
A different way to use salt for tattoo removal is by moistening the tattooed area using a towel or a cloth and warm water. Apply at least ½ a small bowl of salt above the region and continue to scrub it with the cloth or the towel till the area reddens or it starts to bleed.
Apply hydrogen peroxide after washing the salt with lukewarm water, to prevent infections. Use the contents of a capsule of Vitamin E as a healer and use gauze to cover the wound until it heals.
Once the wound from the salabrasion technique heals, you can see how much the tattoo has faded. In case you want it even lighter, you can repeat the process once the treatment area is completely healed.
Salabrasion helps in lessening the tattoo’s intensity, but it could leave the skin a bit thick or discolored. The area is sensitive to touch and painful. The risk of scarring is pretty high as well.
Creams for Tattoo Removal
Creams containging Trichloroacetic Acid (TCA) are being promoted as an effective home remedy for tattoo removal. Interestingly, they only lighten the tattoo and do not completely remove them. It is a product commonly found in spas to treat acne scars, fine lines, and wrinkles. During the 1990s it showed a mild effect on lightening tattoos and since then has been a primary ingredient in all tattoo removal creams, such as Tattoo-Off and Tat B Gone.
Though these creams are effective in lightening the tattoos, they also exhibit some side effects that affect around 19% of its users, including skin irritation, discoloration, and, in some extreme cases, blisters. The Tattoo Health Organization warns users to first check the suitability of the cream against their skin by applying a small portion and checking for any inverse reactions.
Cover-Up Jobs
This is not necessarily a home tattoo removal option but a more quick-stop remedy.
There are several cosmetically altering tattoo products available in the market that can help hide or reshape the tattoo in times of dire need! They are effectively used by artists to cover up their artwork while making a film or while on stage.
The idea is to get a professional cover-up done and maybe stock the products for a later DIY stage.
Aloe Vera
The aloe vera plant has a range of medicinal benefits that include treatment of burns, relief against dry skin, and the removal of age spots. It is also said to be helpful in lightening tattoos when mixed with Vitamin E and Paederia Tomentosa. The tattoo removal exfoliation mix is made as follows:
- A tablespoonful of aloe vera juice, freshly squeezed, or aloe vera in gel form from a chemist
- A tablespoonful of Paederia Tomentosa
- Contents of two Vitamin E capsules
Stirring these ingredients together converts the mixture into a paste. Apply it onto the tattooed area then rub it continuously for 10 minutes, 3-4 times daily, in a round and round motion. After each application wash with lukewarm water. The process can be repeated as often as required till the desired results are achieved.
Lemon Juice
Another natural therapy to be used for small and light tattoos is lemon juice. To convert simple lemon juice into a tattoo removal tool, mix the juice of one lemon with 100 grams of salt and stir until the salt is dissolved. Apply the solution to the tattoo using a cotton swab and rub for half an hour before washing off with warm water. The process can be repeated until the results that are desired become visible.
Honey
Honey too appears on the list of home tattoo removal remedies, but it only works as a lightening agent and does not completely remove the tattoos. Mix a tablespoonful of honey with a tablespoonful of aloe vera juice, salt, and a tablespoon of yogurt.
Stir it well to create a paste, apply it on the marked area and rub it in continuously. Wash it with lukewarm water after about half an hour. It can be repeated as often as you like, till you feel the remedy is working its magic! The key to these natural methods is patience.
Natural Peel
A big colorful tattoo requires an effective combination of a few more ingredients. Mix aloe vera juice or gel with Vitamin E oil and apricot scrub in equal quantities. Rub the mixture directly on the region in a continuous circular motion till the entire tattoo is covered with it. Allow it to sit for five minutes before washing it off thoroughly with cold water.
If this scrub is applied four times a day for a month, the tattoo’s shine visibly declines, though the time period for visible results will vary depending on the size, colors used, and age of the tattoo. Daily and continuous application would yield favorable results over time.
Tattoo Removal Lights
IPL or Intense Pulsed Light Therapy is used at tattoo spas. It uses the same principles involved in the laser light tattoo removal procedure. In this case, though, skin is enhanced using high-intensity lights.
A gel is applied to the tattoo area, and it is then exposed to high-intensity lights from ‘wands’.
It is quoted as being less painful and much more effective than laser treatment though it is also very expensive.
Grinding Stone and Sand Powder
This is another abrasive technique to remove tattoos at home, though it is less effective than other methods. Mix rough grinding stone and sand powder with aloe vera gel and apply it on the selected region. Scrub it gently. As with other abrasive techniques, this aims to remove the upper skin and reach the lower skin dyed with tattoo ink. It is a painful process that could lead to infections and scars.
Lavender Oil
Essential oils from lavender are helpful in treating sunburns and wounds. It is effective in soothing the skin during acne outbreaks smoothing it, and as an aid during keloid treatments. As a home tattoo removal remedy, all you have to do is apply lavender essential oil on the tattoo, twice a day, morning and evening.
Apricot Scrub
Another exfoliation method a combination scrub using salt and apricot. This is effective in lightening the tattoos rather than removing them completely.
Sandpaper
Another abrasive technique is to use sandpaper mixed with aloe vera gel. Using sandpaper in isolation will cause severe bleeding, infections, pain, and scars. Also, the sandpaper will not reach the lower skin where the ink particles reside.
Home Tattoo Removal Using Creams
Using an antibiotic cream to remove an unwanted tattoo is an irreversible procedure. A person needs to be very sure of his choices before proceeding with this. You would require:
- A clean gauze or bandage
- An antibiotic cream
- Two tablespoons of salt
- A gauze sponge
- An antibacterial soap, unscented
- A bowl of water
- A hand towel
- A razor
Shave the tattooed area first for this effective and painless tattoo removal procedure. Use the antibacterial soap to clean the area thoroughly, disinfect it, then wash it with warm water and dry it with a clean hand towel. Boil water and pour it in a separate bowl. Wet the cloth in the boiling water and use it to slightly wet the tattooed area.
Dip the sponge gauze in the hot water and then roll it in the salt. Keep rubbing the salt till it dissolves completely in the sponge. Scrub the tattooed area with the salted sponge for a maximum of 40 minutes or until the area reddens. You will have to wait up to two hours for the scrubbed region to dry off completely before you can wash it in cold water.
You will be able to see the ink pellets washing off with the dry, dead skin. In case the area is bleeding a dab of hydrogen peroxide and a bit of Vitamin E would help in healing up the area quickly and reduces the chances of scarring considerably. After drying out the marked area, apply an antibiotic cream and bind the area with sterile gauze to prevent infections.
Check for infections continuously. Repeat the process once the wound is healed until the tattoo is completely gone or considerably lightened.
Benefits of Home Tattoo Removal Methods
Besides the cost factor, there are other parameters involved that make removing tattoos at home using natural or store bought remedies more attractive. The first factor is of course time. Laser treatment is done through multiple sessions, and it takes a minimum of a month and a half break between each session, thus dragging the procedure on for months.
And for more elaborate tattoos, the time span increases drastically. Colors play a huge part in the tattoo removal process. Dark colors like blue, black, and red lose their shine faster than lighter shades and greens and violets. Placement of the tattoo also plays an important role in the removal time, as sensitive areas require a longer period between treatments.
Scrubbing and exfoliation methods are slow and a bit painful, but can be done at home with minimum expenditure and yield desired results much sooner. The healing time between the procedures is also shorter.
Though laser tattoo removal is done by targeting the dyed cells specifically, it does cause damage to surrounding cells. Dehydration and premature cell death are just one of the few issues faced by previously healthy cells. The laser also affects the new cells below the dyed ones. The killing of healthy cells leads to scarring and skin hardening and pigmentation issues as well as weakening the tissues and making them susceptible to infections.
One of the scariest side effects of laser treatment is the rise of keloid scars. They are raised, textured, and in most cases not temporary. Laser treatments on a multi-hued tattoo could also be uneven, depending on the color and the energy intensity your skin can handle.
Concluding Thoughts
Choosing a method to remove tattoos is all dependent on an individual. How much time and money one is willing to spend on a tattoo you no longer want is an individual decision. Going for a tattoo removal option that requires medical intervention and supervision or not is also dependent on the type of tattoo, its placement, and other health concerns.
Natural, home remedies do not affect a person’s health in any way, and are a way to avoid the side effects that lab-induced tattoo removal treatments can cause. Even so, a person should be careful about the products they apply to their skin, and the method adopted to scrub off the tattoo. Also, patience is the key to using home remedies for removing tattoos. It cannot be achieved quickly and increasing the frequency of the process can only lead to injury and further skin damage.
Therefore, before opting for a method, a person should do thorough research on all available methods and compare the pros and cons before making an informed decision regarding getting his tattoo removed.
