Tattoo Removal: What You Need to Know

Tattoo removal is not nearly as difficult or painful today as it once was. That is not to say that tattoo removal is easy or painless, just that things are getting easier as time goes on. Today, you can consider laser tattoo removal, intense pulsed light therapy, saline fading and cream removal. Each of the options has its pros and its cons, and some are more effective than others at tattoo removal. Here is a brief overview of what you need to know about tattoo removal options:

* Laser removal. This is the most common way of removing tattoos today. Laser removal uses highly concentrated light to break down the ink on your skin into smaller fragments. Your body will then remove the ink on its own. It takes several laser treatments to remove an entire tattoo. In some cases, if your tattoo requires several treatments, you may wind up with scabbing or blistering of the tattoo area. Fortunately, the risk of this is less and less as time goes on. Laser removal is also expensive, and can cost several thousand dollars.

* Intense pulse light therapy. Sometimes known as IPL, this method is similar to laser removal. Instead of a laser, however, intense pulse light therapy uses high intensity light. Intense pulse light therapy is less painful than laser removal, and requires fewer treatments. Intense pulse light therapy tends to be even more expensive than laser removal, however.

* Saline Fading. A tattoo artist can tattoo saline over the areas where the tattoo is. This can cause the tattoo to fade, but not disappear. This is especially useful when you want a new tattoo to cover up the old one.

* Tattoo removal crams. There are a variety of tattoo removal creams available on the shelf. Most of these creams are less expensive than laser or IPL options, but results tend to be mixed in terms of how effective they are.

The best and most reliable options for tattoo removal, of course, are the most expensive, as well. In general, insurance companies will not pay for tattoo removal, so you may find that you are going to be stuck with your youthful indiscretion for the rest of your life.