Methods of Removing Tattoos
Methods of Removing Tattoos
If you have decided to remove your tattoo you need to realize that no methods of removal are exact. Here are your four options that you have for removing your tattoo:
1. You can cover it up
2. You can have an excision
3. You can have dermabrasion
4. You can use a laser
You can cover up the tattoo that you don’t want any longer with a new tattoo that you are smitten with. The new tattoo that you want will need to be bigger than the one you want covered. Be sure and think carefully about the new tattoo because you don’t want to have to be covering it down the road some. To cover your old tattoo, you can also find a new tattoo that incorporates the old one but that is harder to do. Ask your tattoo artist’s opinion.
A cover-up tattoo should cost you a bit more because there is custom work involved. It likely will take longer, too, because all of the work is so careful.
Excision
To have an excision, you visit your Doctor. This is a cutting procedure and you literally cut your tattoo right out of your skin. The Doctor then sutures the two sides of your skin together. This works well for smaller tattoos but not so well with larger tattoos. It does not cost too much so that is good but expect to wear a noticeable scar for the rest of your life.
Dermabrasion
This is a rough way to go. The skin is scraped or “sandpapered” off or, alternatively, chemicals are applied, after which the skin is peeled off. This is time-consuming, but it scars less than excision and it costs less than lasers.
Lasers
This is likely the best method, as laser technology has come a long way. It doesn’t hurt and it has a really good success rate. However, it costs a lot and it can still cause scarring or discoloration of the skin. A laser removal session usually costs about $300 and it can take five or more sessions to remove a tattoo. Lasers are less effective at removing lighter colors such as green or yellow, so if your tattoo contains those you could be looking at a lot of money and a lot of hours in the chair. Most laser removal specialists will provide you with a free initial consultation, in which they will tell you how much the removal is likely to cost.