Tattoo Removal or Cover-Up
There's a saying about getting a tattoo, "Think before you ink!" Getting a tattoo is meant to be a life commitment. However, if you find yourself with a piece of tattoo art that you need to get rid of, don't panic. Many people decide to get their tattoos removed or covered because they need to for work, or because the tattoo is no longer meaningful.
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Considerations
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It is not cheap or easy to have a tattoo removed. Laser surgery often leaves scarring. Other medical options are pricey and potentially painful. Tattoo fade cream regimens may or may not be effective in completely removing the tattoo and take a lot of time and patience. If you need to cover up your tattoo temporarily for a special event, like a wedding, you can buy a special make-up product that will do the job. You can also have a new piece of tattoo art put over the current tattoo to cover it up.
Laser Removal
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The most common method of tattoo removal today is laser treatment. Laser removal works by using pulses of highly concentrated light to break up the tattoo ink in small enough pieces that your immune system will flush them away. Laser removal is often done in more than one treatment, is physically painful for most people, and leaves some scarring. Laser removal can take up to 10 sessions to be effective. As of June 2010, laser removal cost between $250 and $850 per session.
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Other Medical Removal Options
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Intense Pulsed Light Therapy is a tattoo removal treatment currently offered as an alternative to laser light. The treatment is done with high intensity light pulses. It can cost up to $10 per pulse, which can add up quickly, and is not readily available in all places.
Other medical methods that are less common today are dermabrasion and surgical excision. Dermabrasion uses harsh friction to "sand" away the top layer of skin. Excision involves cutting the skin around the tattoo off and then sewing the skin back together. Both of these methods can result in severe scarring and are only used when laser removal isn't an option.
Tattoo Removal Cream
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A popular alternative to medical removal treatment is tattoo removal cream for at-home use. There is no consensus on how well tattoo creams work. Some people have had luck with tattoo fade creams, but others report that they did not work at all. Tattoo cream treatments take a few weeks to several months before results are seen. You apply topical cream to the tattoo, which breaks down the tattoo ink over time. This option is slightly more affordable than laser removal, is not painful, and has a very low risk of scarring. You will need to spend about $100.
Tattoo Cover-up
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Tattoo cover-up kits are very popular on wedding websites. If you need to cover your tattoo temporarily, you can use these kits, which usually include a thick make-up concealer and finishing powder, to hide your tattoo. A tattoo cover-up kit costs about $30. If you want to put new tattoo work over your current tattoo, called a "cover-up tattoo," it is important to find a tattoo artist that is experienced in cover-up work. For example, you can't put a light-colored tattoo over a black tattoo. A skilled cover-up tattoo artist can completely cover your unwanted tattoo.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit tattoo woman image by ennavanduinen from Fotolia.com
