Tattoos are the way some people express emotions and thoughts to the world. These symbols hold immense value to the tattoo holder which may or may not be reflected in the views of an external observer.
The same tattoo can hold a different meaning for different people. It is also possible that the same tattoo may lose its significance to the person carrying it. Usually young people, in a rush of adolescence, tend to get permanent body modifications through tattoos.
In some cases, at a later stage of life, they regret their decision. This is because tattoos come with a social stigma attached to them. Despite increasing acceptance of tattoos in Western nations, they can be associated with some form of criminality as biker and mobster gangs use tattoos as a way to brand their members.
When an evident tattoo starts affecting the social life of a person, they may regret their decision to get the tattoo in the first place. Regret stems from the fact that their mistake is one which cannot be easily reversed and that they may have to carry its burden for all their lives. Now the solution to a safe removal of tattoos may lie within the same system that makes it permanent, the human immune system.
A Ph.D. student has now claimed to have invent a product with the potential to wipe out the tattoo laser removal industry completely. This product, the tattoo removal cream, is available at a fraction of the cost of a laser or a surgical method. Also, the traditional methods require frequent visits to the clinic and doctors, which can also be avoided by using these creams.
Various Methods Available To Remove Tattoos
This is where technology becomes prominent. There are a number of tattoo removal methods available in the world today, including:
- Tattoo removal laser treatment, which burns the epidermis of the skin deep enough to remove the cells laced with the tattoo ink
- Dermabrasion techniques, in which the upper and middle layer of the skin is surgically removed in a controlled manner. This removes to the deep-seated cells glazed with the tattoo ink
- Tattoo removal cream, which can be simply applied to the tattooed area and which then removes the tattoo ink. This method holds the most promise amongst the three.
Tattoo removal laser and surgical methods are quite expensive by nature. Both of these also require regular appointments and follow up appointments which have to be borne by the patient in addition to the cost.
The surgical method involves meticulous removal of the layers of skin which contain the ink and allowing the new skin to heal over time. Once the skin heals, this process is repeated until the tattoo is erased. Laser removal involves the burning of the layer of the skin with the ink pigment and is also a repetitive process.
Hence, these methods require multiple visits to the clinic or doctor and can be very painful, requiring pain medications which can have their own side effects.
Current tattoo removal sessions cost around $75 to upwards of £100 dollars per session. Given that the complete removal of a tattoo requires a series of sessions, this can become an expensive affair. Additionally, these methods can leave a nasty scar as permanent as the tattoo itself.
These problems can be avoided by using the tattoo removal creams.
Tattoo Removal Cream Benefits and Advantages
Using tattoo removal creams is the cheapest way to remove the tattoos from one’s body. This method does not leave a permanent scar on the body and also requires few or no visits to the doctor.
These creams can cost anywhere between $40 and $199. This translates to around $4 per treatment session. The price of such creams is determined by the quality of the products and the brand value of the company manufacturing it.
Furthermore, these creams are quite easy to use and do not require any special preparations. This saves a lot of time and money for people looking forward to getting tattoos removed.
Working of Tattoo Removal Creams
This technique was developed by a Pathology Ph.D. student from Dalhousie University and is being termed as revolutionary in the body modification industry. Alec Falkerman says that this technique involves the use of a cream that taps into the body’s own defense mechanism. Ironically, the student himself has four tattoos; he is not against them.
The technology has been patented by the student with the assistance of his university’s Industry Liaison and Innovation office. The concept is that the cream works on the white blood cells which act as our natural defense system. Upon receiving a tattoo, a two-fold natural process occurs to as the white blood cells try to destroy the ink pigments.
First, the they eat the ink pigment to protect tissue from it, causing the tattoo to slowly fade Second, a different variety of white blood cell works on removing the pigment from the skin to the lymph nodes, from where it is flushed out of the area.
Though these processes are continuous and occur naturally, they are very slow. The tattoo removal cream augments this natural fading process and speeds it up.
Application Process of Tattoo Removal Creams
The tattoo removal cream is usually applied in a three-fold process and can be used without the assistance of your doctor. First, a handheld device, which has been approved by the FDA, is used to gently erode the upper layers of the dermis or skin.
Second, the chemicals present in the cream enter into the deepest layers of the skin in order to break the ink at a cellular level. Last, the natural regeneration process of the body kicks in to replace these damaged cells with new ones and hence remove the tattoo completely.
If left by itself, the natural regeneration process takes more a lifetime to complete. With the help of the cream, the tattoo can be removed in as little as two months.
Effectiveness of Tattoo Removal Creams
Traditional tattoo removal creams may not be able to achieve the results that they are promoted as being capable of achieving and the scientific community is still torn between the effectiveness of these creams.
The doubt about these creams lies in the fact that most conventional chemical skin treatments have failed to reach the second layer of the skin where the ink pigments are located. Some people claim that, at best, the tattoo removal creams can only fade the tattoo and not remove it completely.
Despite these reservations, tattoo removal creams remain the most popular option of tattoo removal. This is mainly because their disadvantages are outweighed by the advantages.
These creams are cheap compared to the traditional laser and surgical options for tattoo removal making them attractive to most people who cannot afford the expensive options.
Safety Concerns with Tattoo Removal Creams
The active ingredient in these creams is a chemical acid which is more commonly known as TCA. TCA accelerates the process of peeling of the upper layer of the skin. This peeled off skin is then replaced over time through healing. This process, repeated over a long period of time, fades the tattoo and eventually removes it.
Caution should be taken while using the cream with regard to the amount applied to the skin. As this is an acidic compound, excessive use can lead to skin irritation, pain, and discoloration. In addition to this, other side effects include irritability and blisters.
These effects can lead to permanent scarring, which is less desirable than the tattoo itself. It has to be noted, however, that these side effects tend to be evident only when the product is abused and used in greater quantities than recommended.
Availability of Tattoo Removal Creams
The tattoo removal creams are readily available to the consumer over numerous channels including over the counter in most pharmaceuticals and superstores, including Walgreens and Walmart,and from online retailers such as eBay and Amazon. Some of the links which lead to these creams can be obtained by clicking here.
Profade Tattoo Removal Cream is a three-step process which claims to be 100% natural without any side effects or pain. This is the most expensive cream in the segment.
Tattoo-Off Tattoo Removal Cream provides a one month supply of cream with instructions to its users and is priced between both the other creams.
Inked Up Tattoo Removal Cream claims to a be fast working tattoo removal cream. This is cheaper than both the other creams.
