Getting (it) Off: The Ins and Outs of Tattoo Removal
By Stephanie Angelides
March 8, 2004

A  spur of the moment tattoo can lead to years of grief and regret for some people. According to the American Society of Dermatological Surgery, more than 50 percent of people with tattoos want them removed. Technology is now making it easier and less expensive for people to finally erase their tattoos.

There are several forms of tattoo removal now available. The procedure used depends on the size of the tattoo, where it is located and how long it has been on the skin.

The four main forms of tattoo removal are: excision, where the tattoo is partially cut out; dermabrasion, where the tattooed skin is frozen then sanded; laser removal, which uses pulses of light to break up the pigment of the tattoo; and salabrasion removal, which scrubs the ink from the skin.

image courtesy Contemporary Health Communications

So you got Howard Dean's name inked on your chest? Here's how you can get it off.

One of the most expensive methods, laser removal is the fastest growing form of tattoo removal, according to American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons.

"The first thing to try is the laser," Dr. Gregg Menaker, Director of Dermatologic Surgery of Evanston Northwestern Healthcare. "The other procedures will leave a scar and they are so invasive they require healing time."

While laser removal is also the more expensive choice, Laura Reybold, author of "Everything You Need to Know About the Dangers of Tattooing and Body Piercing," says recently people are more willing to pay to erase their tattoos.

"An ever-rising number of people are so unhappy with their tattoos that they are willing to pay anything to have them removed," Reybold said. "Tattoo removal laser surgery is becoming big business for the dermatologists who perform it."

Some companies have begun marketing nonsurgical methods for people who want to remove their tattoos without paying a fortune, but experts warn that most of them have not been shown to be effective.

Selmedica Healthcare claims that its product, a cream called Dermasal, will lighten tattoos, no matter the color, the age or the amount of ink.

But Menaker warns consumers to be wary of the plethora of such products appearing on the internet.

"Those products are monkey business and they do not work," Menaker said. "If you want to waste your money you can try them, but they do not work."

For now, Menaker recommends leaving tattoo removal to trained physicians. While it may be expensive, it is one of the only ways to ensure the proper removal of a tattoo, he said.